Gilpin observer., 1912-06-27
CHAPTER viii.
Her Brother Jack.

Hor Brother 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.
"Devilish sorry you fellows won't stay
longer!"
Jolly good lie, Jenkins" said.
yawning sleepily. as l dropped back
into my own apartment.
Yes. SIR" assented Jenkins demure-
ly. IT'S sleeping on the divan the
amt nothing like eight hours in bed
and in your pa1amas."
"PaJamas!" ] calculated, startled.
For all day I had been thinking OF
her. | wondered II 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.
II was wondering. Jenkins. II those
pajamas were torn any in our little
row the other night"
Poor Jenkins WINGED a little. ''I
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
had received from Mastermann. and
again We spread them under the
lamp on the table. They looked singu-
larly smooth and unwrinkled. There
was not a single tear or break. not
even with the delicate cords that
twisted to form the frogs OF the seat.
MY. sir! But amt they red!"
breathed Jenkins. Them cords look
like little red snakes"
l cut an anxious glance at Jenkins.
for | did not like his reference to
snakes. Seemed ominous. somehow.
But his appearance was composed and
rsassurtng And. by Jove, come to
look. the cords did look Just like tiny.
ooilsd ssrpents Of glowing f1re. Why.
they were SO Jolly red they hurt your
eyes. Faoti And thin as the beau
tiful stun was. this brighter red ran
all over tho other. covering every inch
Of It and forming the closest, finest
what-you-call-it embroidery. It was As
faint and dainty a pattern as that on a
soap bubble! Fact is. could not
trace II, even with my glass.
The only part that wasn't covered
with this embroidery business was the
stun 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 Jovs! No sooner said. than l
did II!
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 l
pulled, the bsastly piece of silk came
OF in my fingers.
And then-oh. but | sayl 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 back7 Well, there you are! For.
give you my word. when peeled on
the little cloth cap. regular blazes OF
crimson flre seemed to shoot from
the end Of the knot.
Fact is, It wasn't knot at all. but
a button--a devilish CLASSY button.
something bigger than dime, per-
haps, and thick as the end Of your
little finger. And there II lay against
the silk. burning its way through It
like q red coal of fire.
And It was Just then that Billings
rolled in.
I say ''rolled in." because II always
looks that way. That's tho way BILL
ings Is built, you know.
II say. Dioky." he painted. "1ust
missed another internal expressi
Plenty moro trains. but had q great
inspiration strike me that I'd lot you
put mo up for the night. Hat. Jen-