Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1912-05-31
CHAPTER VIII.

Her Brother jack
Good night, Dickyl" 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.
"Devilish sorry you fellows won't stay
longerw
Jolly good lie, Jenkins" l said
yawning sleepily, as 1 dropped back
into my own apartment
Yes, sir" assented jenkins demure-
ly. ITS sleeping on the divan the
other night, sir. Eight hours there
amt nothing like eight hours in bed
and in your pajamas."
"Pajamas" / 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 times, and / had
never gone.
BY Jove, that reminds me-" said.
Those red silk pajamas!"
Yes, sir" jenkins face hardened
in an odd wooden way.
81 was wondering, jenkins, If those
pdJuuldS were lOIu any III OuI lllLlS
row the other night"
Poor jenkins WINGED a little. II
think not, SIR" he muttered humbly-
"leastwise, they. were 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 |
nd
again we spread them under the
lamp on the table. They looked singu-
larly smooth and unwrinkled. There
was not single tear or break, not
even with the delicate cords that
twisted to form the frogs OF the seat
NV, sir! But amt they red!"
breathed jenkins. Them cords look
like little red snakes
cut an anxious glance at jenkins,
for | did not like his reference to
snakes. Seemed ominous, somehow.
But his appearance was composed and
reassuring. And, by Jove, come to
look, the cords did look just like tiny,
coiled serpents of glowing fire. Why,
they were so jolly red they hurt your
tiful stuff was, this brighter red ran
all over the other, covering every inch
of 1t and forming the closest, finest
what-you-call-it embroidery. 1t was as
faint and dainty pattern as that on a
soap bubble! Fact is. / could not
trace 1t, 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 a 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 Joye! No sooner said, than |
did it!
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 beastly piece of silk came
off in my fingers.
And then-oh but | 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 | peeled of
the little cloth cap. regular blazes OF
crimson fire seemed to shoot from
the end of the knot
Fact is, II wasn't a knot at all, but
button-a deyiish CLASSY button,
something bigger than dime, per-
haps, and thick as the end of your
little finger. And there 1t lay against
the silk, burning It's way through 1t
like red coal of fire.
And 1t was just then that Billings
rolled In.
say "rolled in because 1t always
looks that way. That's the way Bill.
lngs is built. you know
Il say. Dicky," he painted, lust
missed another Internal express (!
Plenty more trains. but had great
inspiration strike me that I'd let you
put isa up for the might, Hat. Jen-