The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1912-06-11

w.
want even to think about it myself!
I fnurmured something sympathetic,
for l felt sympathetic with anything;
besides, there still fingered a bit OF
headache from the Heidelberg punch
and l could imagine from that what
his feelings must have been.
"By George, Dicky,'' he burst out
again, "the way I've been shut up and
treated just seems like some Internal
conspiracy. Good thing Jack Ellis
worth's dad had pull with the mayor
tell you all the whole rotten busi-
ness when 1 can talk about it quietly"
That's right! that's right" said
soothingly, wouldn't think about 1t at
all now, old chap" No use remind
ing him, you know, that he had shut
himself up Besides, the wandering
Of his mind to Jack Ellsworth and his
father showed me that even yet he
was not quite himself.
Billings mopped his forehead. "My,
but it was hot in that hole!" he ex-
claimed And that reminds me
have you seen the governor this morn
ing? No? Well, talk about hot!
George, but the old man was hot un-
der the collar when l saw him just
now! And he looks like he had been
dropped from a shot tower! It's this
case he's working on, guess, or else
it's about Francis. He's found out
what I knew"
"Do-do you think so?" I questioned
nervously.
"Pretty sure" said Billings care
lessly. Fact Is, he's already fixing
up to send Francis to some kind OF
reformatory-heard. him making the
arrangements over the 'phone''-I was
glad he didn't look at me as he rat
tied on-"and, by the way, the gov
ernor told me to tell you not to say
a word to Francis-I suppose you'll
understand"
Understand? Oh, yes, I understood!
"And he said he wanted to see you.
"Is--is he here?" stammered, pull
ing back.
Thank goodness, no. Gone to meet
Colonel Francis Kirkland-say, don't
say anything about it-wants to sur
prise his daughter, you know. On his
way to London via San Francisco
arrived at Washington a few days
ago."
oh. the frump's father! Much l
cared! But knowing how interested
he was In her, tried to show an In
terest.
Colonel \Francis-er isn't his
daughter named after him?" And
felt myself grow jolly red, for re-
membered that she had told me that
about her friend as she sat on the
arm of the Morris chair and In the
black pajamas.
"Hangedi if I know" said Billings
carelessly. 81 don't know what her
name is-don't remember that ever
heard" He whistled. "Say, but did
you ever see anything as stunningly
pretty in your life?''
1 baked. By Jove, ] had been do
ing some mild lying within the past
twenty-four hours, but this was ask
ing too much. Dash me if I just could
90 it, that's all. But he didn't seem
to notice.
He slapped me on the back. "By
George, Dicky, there's just the girl
cut out for you, old chap-take my
tip. I think she likes you, too
could see it just now when I was
talking about you
So that was it, I reflected gloomily
The trump now was to be worked Oh
on me, and I was expected to stand
for it. was to be a sort Of what-you'
call-it Offering on the altar of friend
ship. That was the condition upon
which he was patching up things!
Billings laughed suddenly. But
oh, tell you it would be hard on
Francis-a regular knockout, by
George!"
Devilish brutal for him to say so,
thought.
do you think so?" I questioned
dismally. would Frances really
care?" .-.'-'
''Oh, yes" he said lightly. "Soon
get over it, though-puppy love, you
know"
Puppy love, indeed! By Jove, how
I hated Billings!
He went on: Suppose you neveS
heard anything of the professor and
the pajamas?"
had not, and I was devilish sick
of pajamas, anyway.
"And say, Dicky, 1 don't remember
that I ever thanked you properly, old
man, for putting up my kid brother
the other night. He says you treated
him like a brick and that you and he
got to be great pals. So much obliged
old chap, because he wanted to go
oroup6 vo1, EDou''