The Ordway new era., 1912-02-02
CHAPTER X.-Contlnued.

Dan altered his indolent pose and
sat forward. But am thinking OF
getting married." he said.
II hope it's to the right girl. Dan"
And with young assurance Blair an
swered: 1T will be II l marry her.
l know what l want all right"
~ hope she knows what she wants.
DAN
How do you mean?"
"You or your money. You have the
darnedest handicap. my boy"
Blair flushed. I'll get to hnte the
whole thing" he said ferociously. 1T
meets me evcrywhere-bonds-
figures vidends-coupons- deeds
IT'S too much!" he said suddenly.
with resentment. Its too much for
me. Why, sometimes feel hun
dred years old. and like a hunk OF
gold"
Ruggles. In answer to this. said:
"Why. that reminds me Of what
man remarked about your father once.
It was the same English chap your IA
ther bought the claim Of. Speaking
of Blair. he said to me: You know
there's all kinds Of metal bars. and
when you cut into them some Is bul.
lion and some's coated with alum
mum. and there's others that when
you cut down. cut a clean yellow all
along the line II. as you say. you
feel like hunk Of metal. 1t amt bad
II 1t is that kind"
"It's got to stop coming in between
me and the woman l marry. all right.
though" Dan did not pursue his sub
ject further. for his feelings about the
the sincere heartiness with which he
would have liked to answer Ruggles.
He went over to the window. and.
with his hands in his pockets. stood
looking out at the fog. Ruggles. at
the table. opened the cover Of the
book Of "Mandalay" and took out the
four checks made out to Lady Galorey
and which he had forgotten. He hur-
riedly thrust them into his pocket.
Come away, Dannie." he said cheer
fully, lets do something wild. feel
up to do most anything with this mis-
cradle fog down on me. II 1t had any
nerve It would take some form or
shape, so a man could choke 1t back"
Ruggles blew his nose violently.
"There's nothing to do." said Dan
In a bored tone.
"Why don't you see who your teie.
gram is from?" Ruggles asked. 1t
proved to be a suggestion from Cor
don Galorey that Dan should meet
him at FIVE o'clock at the club.
What will you do. Rug?'
Sleep" said the Westerner serene
b; I'm nearly as happy in London
a. I am in Philadelphia. It's four
o'clock now and ] can't sleep more
than four hours anyway. Let's have
. real wild time, Dannie."
Dan looked at him doubtfully, but
Ruggles' eyes were keen.
What kind Of time do you
r,ean?"
Lets ask the Gaiety girl for din
ner-for supper after the theater."
Lefty Lane? She wouldn't Co."
why not?"
"she is awfully delicate; 1t is all
she can do to keep her contracts"
He knows that, Ruggles thought.
Lets ask her and see." He went
over to the table and drew out the
paper. Come on and write ana ask
her to go out with us to supper"
See here, Rug, what's this for?"
whats strange in it? She is from
our state, and If you don't hustle and
ask her l am going to ask her all
alone"
Dan was puzzled as he sat down to
the table. rejecting that 1t was per-
fectly possible that old Ruggles had
fallen a prey to the charms Of an
actress. She wouldn't come. of course.
He wrote a formal invitation without
thinking very much of what he said
or how, folded and addressed his note.
What did you say?" Ruggles asked
eagerly.