The Irish standard., 1913-02-01
CHAPTER viii.


James lay in the shade OF the butter.
nut tree and smoked gloomily. He was
well-shaved and his hair newly cut
and carefully brushed, but his clothes
were still the rags that had graced his
muscular form since the dim, nearly
forgotten long ago, when he had stolen
them one lucky night from some back
yard passed in the course Of his
travels.
He squinted at the sun through the
tree tops and Judged It to be about
four. The Watermelon had evidently
done no better or he would have
turned up before. Mike. sprawled in
the grass beside him, slept with the
stentorian slumber of the corpulent.
James kicked him.
Jaw, wake up" he growled. RI want
your rare intelligence to unbosom me
sorrowful and heavy heart to-"
Mike yawned, stretched and sat up.
pushing his shapeless hat to the back
Of his round hot head. He drew his
sleeve across his streaming forehead
and yawned and stretched again.
"You ought to relax. James," said
he, cutting square from the plug of
tobacco that he carried carefully
wrapped in a soiled piece of tinfoil.
"Youse will have noivous prostration
one Of these days with the strenuous
life youse leads. The modern hurry
and worry is all wrong. Now, take
me" sc
mo one would take you, not even q
Kodak" sneered James, scowling be-
fore him moodily.
'"rhe matter with you, James," said
Mike, sticking the tobacco into his
month with the blade Of his knife,
"the matter with you is youse are har-.
boring and cultivating that green.eyed
monster, called jealousy. Youse are.
In short, jealous of me young friend.
the Watermillion."
cav, jealous Of a kidd Who? Mes
Not on your tin.type."
you say SO, James. We all deny
the werminous cancers that gnaw our
vitals. But look into your own heart,
question yourself
cav, pound yer carr snapped
James.
= Some one was heard approaching
and Mike paused from cleaning the
blade Of his knife in the ground before
him to listen.
"The youth comes" said he, and
rose clumsily to his little fat legs. He
stepped aside to see up the path. but
James did not move.
"A radiant vision of manly beauty"
announced Mike, one hand on his
heart. the other shading his small
eyes as though daxzled by a great and
brilliant light. ..,
James glanced up sullenly. A youth
was coming through the trees, tall and
graceful and broad-sbouldered. His
suit of soft brown, his gently tipped
panama, his light shoes and silk socks
brought with them a breath Of motor
cars and steam yachts; Of the smoker
in a railway train, with Whitehead
attentive porter, instead Of the brake
beam underneath and an irate station
master and furious conductor. From
the lapel Of his coat cleaned heavy
gold chain and in his stylish tie pin
Of odd but costly workmanship caught
the eye Of the enraptured beholder.
Mike laid his hand on his heart
again, removed his hat, and standing
aside for the youth to pass, bowed
low.
me lud." said he in humble saluta
tion.
James glanced up from his seat un,
der the butternut tree. He regarded
the vision of afluence before him a
moment In growing admiration and
awe. Then he removed his pipe and
spoke.
you'll get three years for this,
said he cheerfully, and put his pips
back into his mouth.
The Watermelon drew himself up ia
his full height, threw back his shout
.ders and fastidiously adjusted hia
cuffs, with their heavy gold links.
with every passing moment, more
beautiful" murmured Mike.
James snorted.
well" asked the Watermelon, "who
gets the prize?"
"Me humble faculties" said Mike
with one wary eye on James, "ms
humble faculties are incapable of rem.
dering true and accurate judgment in
the present case where two such rare
specimens Of manly beauty compete in
my honored and deeply grateful pres.
ence."
The Watermelon laughed and ran
his hand over his smooth chin and
hairless cheeks with a gesture Of gen.
tie pride. James said II I could moi
get suit, would be counted down
and out. l." and he drew himself up
II do not have to take advantage Of
a mere technicality. I scorn to win
by default"
"True nobility" said Mike, "is in
them words
Jaw. cut the sas!" growled James
"Where'd you get the blooming out
ft3" -