The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1912-05-17
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O%%Me QUBIES
By FRANCIS PERRY ELLIOTT
- ILLUSTRATIONS bY HAYWHh=eS


O10SHhN>W L>>/ W 50845 TEE4f
klns! Now, don't say a word, Dicky.
old chap. Cane, jenkins! Great pleas.
ufe, assure you-wont Inconvenience
at all Gloves, jenkins, Just give
me something to sleep in, and I'll be
as comfortable here as | would be at
the club-so don't worry any about
me- Old chap. By the way, want to
thank you for taking care of the kid.
Got home all right. | understand"
tie plunked like jolly elephant In
TO the largest and most comfortable
chalr In the room and Wheeled for
breath
And, Jenkins" He raised one fat
niger while he took gasp. Don't
mind If l do have package of
Dicky's koroskos and a sloe tizz-not
100 sweet, you know and you may"
Billings broke off suddenly. Then
ne climbed heavily to his feet. and
without warning, heaved himself
across the room and seized the button
mad just uncovered. Dashed IL he
didn't almost upset me.
Here, say!" l protested. Don't
lose that cap" l picked it up from
where he had jerked it to the floor
Its the cover to hide that glass, you
know"
"Wh-a-a-t."
Billings swung round, staring at me
with the most curious expression
$500 nioly oIoJD
rather excitedly, but in a low tone, as
he cut side glance at Jenkins ST.
phoning the fizz over at the cellarette.
What In thunder have you been do
ing now"
By Jove, turned cold for minute,
| was that startled. l thought he was
going to use the pajamas as an intro
duction for reference to last night But
in minute | saw that he did not
mean that.
Where on earth did you get any
thing like this?"
"Oh. I say now" l demonstrated,
alarm changing to mild dudgeon.
Billings devilish rude manners are so
offensive at times What do you
mean? It's a present from a friend
in China"
Present." Billings eyes bulged
queerly. He stopped toward me, whis-
pering: Did he know what this but.
ton was?"
why, of course he didn't" l an
swered Indignantly. Never dreamed
of it, of course. / tell you. it was all
nicely covered, was hat-you-callit-
upholstered, you know-with devilish
nice silk | cut 1t off accidentally,
trying to force the thing through that
loop. That left the marble exposed"
Billings took the glass mechanically
from the tray rendered by Jenkins and
slipped it slowly, eying me curiously
over the top. Then he set 1t back,
very deliberately, wiped his mouth
with the bit of napery, and without
taking his glance from me, waited un-
til jenkins had left the room. Where
upon, after another searching look at
the button, he dropped it with the
garment upon the table, and with
hands damned deep in his pockets.
faced me with a long-drawn whistle.
We'll, I'll be hanged" he ex-
claimed. Just a coarse, vulgar out
burst, you know-no sense to It; no
point at all, you know-that's Bill
ings.
He caught up the coat again. And
these others-four OF them-are they
| Just the same?" he demanded sharply,
Dash it. how should | know?
suppose So" ! answered indifferently.
| And closed my eyes and leaned back.
feeling a bit-just bit-weary. Some
how, Billings is always so exhauSting
when he gets started on something.
.Oh, cut 1t out, old chap" | protest
ed, drowsy-like.
Il WILL" | heard him say. Then |
guess | must have dropped off bit,
! for the next thing | knew he was
shaking me.
"Dicky, Dicky! Say. look here!
Look. tell you"
did look. and-well, | was Jolly
vexed that's all.
"Oh, say now" spoke severely
Just that way, you know ] went on.
demonstrating: "Devilish silly joke, If
you ask me. You've gone and ruined
the thing, Billings. Flashy buttons
like that, you know-too tawdry, too
cheap"
| Cheap" He almost shouted It..
Then he leaned over the back OF the
leather chair and pounded his fat head
against the cushions writing his big
bulk from side to side.
Quite impossible" | said firmly.
Not en- regle at all you know" And
I fixed my glass and stared gIoomiiy
at the things The five shiny buttons
Just lay there against the delicate
silk like so many fiery crimson cher
ries.
He leered at me. chuekling. Look
cheap to you, eh? What you might
| call Outre so TO speak,!