The Cairo bulletin., 1912-03-08
CHAPTER vIiL.
EiAr Brother Jack.

Her Ercther JACK.
Good night, Dicky!" came up the
elevator shaft. And then more good
nights" growing fainter with their
laughter as the car shot down.
Good night | called after them.
"Depilish sorry you fellows won't stay
lcngerln
Jolly good lie, jenkins" / said,
yawning sleepily, as I dropped back
into my own apartment.
"Yes. SIR assented jenkins demure-
". ITS sleeping on the divan the
other night, sir. Eight hours there
amt nothing like eight hours In bed
and In your pajamas."
.;Pajanas!'' ] calculated, startled
For all day had been thinking. OF
her. wondered If Billings would hap
pen to invite me up for the week end.
But he had SO many tines, and l had
never gone.
by Jove, that reminds me-" | said.
"1.hcse red six paiamas!"
Yes, sir Jenkins face hardened
In an odd, wooden way.
Il WIS., wondering Jenkins. II those
pajamas were torn any in our little
rev the other night"
Poor Jenkins WINGED little Il
think not. sir" he muftered humbly--
''leastwise, they we're all right last
night when Mr." He seemed to catch
himself abruptly. Il mean when /
found them this morning, sir"
He returned with the garments /
had received from Massermana. and
again we spread thetn under the
lamp OF the TABLE. Thfy looked eingu-
larry smooth and uD1rinkied. There
was not a single tar or break, not
even with the delicate cords that
twisted to form the frogs OF the seat.
my, sir! But amt they redo
breathed Jenkins. Them cords look
like little red snakes"
/ cut an anxious glance at Jenkins,
for did not Ike bis reference to
snakes. Seemed ominous, somehow
But his appearance was composed and
reassuring And. By Joye. come to
look, the cords did look Just like tiny,
eofled serpents OF glowing fire. Why,
they were 80 jolly red they hurt your
eyes. Fact! And thin as the beau
tiful stuff was, this brighter red RAD
all over the other, covering every inch
Of II and forming the closest, finest
what-you-cali-it embroidery. II was al
faint and dainty q pattern as that on q
soap bubble! Fact liz, / could not
trace II, even with my glass.
The only part that wasn't covered
with this embroidery business was the
stuff used to cover the knots, or little
balls, over which the cords were
meant TO hook. In working with
some OF these cords. idly fastening
and unfastening them, got little
impatient with one that seemed tight,
you know, and used my manicure
knife to pull the knot through.
Careful, sir" warned JENKINS
Likely to cut something"
BY Jove! No sooner said, than ]
did II! s
The dashed blade slipped somehow
and cut into the threads that tied the
covers or caps or whatever.you-call
ems. over the knots And when
pulled. the beaBtly piece Of silk came
on In my fingers.
And then-oh, but I say! Just
gave sort OF yell and dropped the
whole thing!
Ever have some silly ass try to
scare you BY poking red hot cigar
at you in the dark? Know how you
Jerk back? Well. there you are! For
give you my word, when I peeled of
the little cloth cap. regular blazes o.
crimson fire seemed to shoot from
the end Of the knot.
Fact is. It wasn't knot at all. bu,
u button--a devilish CLASSY button
something bigger than a dime, per
haps, and thick as the end OF you,
little finger. And there IT lay agains
the silk, burning Its way through /
like d red coal Of fire.
And 1t was just then that Billing
rolled In.
I say rolled In" because It Away
looks that way. That's the way Bill
ings Ia built. you know.
i say. Dicky,' he painted. Jus
missed another Internal express
Plenty more trains, but had grea
inspiration strike me that I'd let 70
put me up for the night. Hat. Jer
kins! Now. don't say word. Dick,
old chap. Cane, Jenkins! Great plea.
iure, assure yon--won't Inconvenience
" all GlQy1s, Ienklnsl Just CIV