The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1912-02-16


to come and ask him for money. How
ard mistook the cynical gayety Tor
good huinor.
.sI~said I'd cheer you up" he went
on. Il don't want to remind you Of
that little matter Of two hundred and
fifty bucks. which you borrowed from
me two years ago. suppose you've
forgotten it, but"
A look Of annoyance came over I'm
derwood's face.
well, what Of it?" he snapped.
Howard took another drink before
he continued.
II wouldn't remind you Of the loan.
old chap; but I'm up against 1t. When
the family kicked me out for marry
ing the finest girl that ever lived, my
father cut me OF with piking allow
ance which I told him to put In the
church plate. l told him preferred
independence. Well" he went on
with serio-comic gravity, Il got my In
dependence, but I'm-Im dead broke.
You might as well understand the stu
alton plainly. / can't find any bust
ness that I'm fitted for, and Annie
threatens to go back to work. Now.
you know / can't stand anything like
that. I'm too much Of q man to be
supported by any woman"
He looked toward Underwood in q
stupid kind of way. as if looking for
some sign of approval, but he was dis
appointed. Underwood's face was a
study of supreme Indifference. He did
not even appear to be listening. Some
what disconnected, Howard again
raised the glass to his lips, and thus
refreshed. went on:
Then / thought of you, old chap.
You've made a rousing success of tt
got big name as art collector-made
lost of money and all that"
Underwood impatiently interrupted
him.
IT'S impossible, Jeffries. Things are
a little hard with me, too, just now.
You'll have to wait for that $3.50"
Howard grinned.
"'Taint the $3.50, old man, didn't
want that. l want a couple of thou
sand"
Underwood could not help laughing.
"a couple of thousand? Why not
make it million?"
Towards demand struck him as be-
ing so humorous that he sat down con-
vulsed with laughter
Looking at him stupidity, Howard
helped himself to another drink.
ut seems I'm a hit" he said with
grin.
Underwood by this time had recov-
cred his composure.
$50 you've done nothing since you
left college?" he said.
NO" answered Howard. II don't
seem to get down to anything. My
ideas won't stay in one pace. l got
job as time-keeper, but l didn't keep
it down week. kept the time all
right, but it wasn't the right time"
Again raising the glass to his lips, he
added: They're so beastly particu-
lar"
"You keep pretty good time with
that" laughed Underwood, pointing to
the whisky.
Howard grinned in drunken fashion
Its the one thing do punctually."
he hiccoughed. Il can row, swim,
play tennis. football. golf and polo as
well as anybody, but I'll be damned If
1 can do anything quite as well as l
can do this"
What do you want $4,000 for?" de-
manded Underwood.
I've got an opportunity to go into
business. I want $4,000 and want
it deuced quick"
Underwood shrugged his shoulders.
why don't you go home and ask
your father?" he demanded.
His visitor seemed offended at the
suggestion.
What" he exclaimed, with comic
surprise, latter being turned out like a
dog with a young wife on my hands!
Not much-nO. I've injured their
pride. You know father married
second time, loaded me down with a
stepmother. She's all right, but she's
SO confOundedly aristocratic. You
know her. Say, didn't you and she
wasn't there some sort of an engage
ment once? Seems to me T."
Underwood rose to his feet and alb
ruptly turned his back.
I'D rather you wouldn't get person
al" he said CURLY. Sitting down at
desk, he began to rummage with some
papers and, turning impatiently to
he said:
Say, old man, I'm very busy now.
You'll have to excuse me-
II Howard had been sober, he would
have understood that this was pref
ty strong hint for him to be gone, but
in his besotted condition, he did not
propose to be disposed of so easily.
Turning to Underwood, he burst out
with an air Of offended dignity:
Underwood. you wouldn't go back
on me now. I'm an outcast, pariah,
q derelict on the ocean OF life, as one
OF my highly respectable uncles wrote
mo T41a raudfofhor xuo = a. 9vcx, v>,v.a