The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-07-10
CHAPTER I.

Ny Friend Wissins 10 introduced.
= DINED with Hartley Virgins at
the Hare and Tortoise on an even.
ing In October not very long ago.
1t may be we'll to explain that the
Hare and Tortoise is the smallest and
most select of clubs. whose windows
afford a pleasant view Of Gramercy
park. The club is comparatively young,
and it Is our joke that we are so far all
tortoises. creeping through our several
professions without aid from any hare.
l hasten to explain that l am CHIN
ney doctor. Virgins is a lawyer; at
least l have seen his name In a list OF
graduates Of the Harvard Law school,
and he has an Office downtown. where
l have occasionally found, him sedately
playing solitaire while he waited for
some one to take him out to luncheon.
He spends bis summers on South
Dakota ranch, from which he derives
considerable income. :"
Virgins 10 an athlete. and bis sum.
mers in the west and persistent train.
ing during the winter keep him In f'ns
condition. A. I faced him tonight in
our favorite corner Of the Hare and
Tortoise dining room the physical man
was at enough. but I saw at once that
hs was glum and dispirited. He had
through many years honored me with
his confidence, and felt that tonight
after W got we'll started I should hear
what was on bis mind. ! hoped to
cheer him with the story Of visit !
had BY chance paid that afternoon to
The Asolando tea room. for, though Wig.
s1ns u . most practical person. ! i'm.
agined that he would be diverted BY
my description OF Z place which, l felt
cure, nothing could tempt him to visit
shall never forget the look he gave
mo when I remarked at about bis third
spoonful q soup:
by the way. dropped into an odd
place this afternoon-Burne-Jone buns.
Rossetu nacaroons and all that sort Of
thing. They call It tho Asolando'-
! was ambling on. expecting to
sharpen bis curiosity gradually - ~
cited tho Joys OF the tea room. but at
Asolando biz spoon dropped. and be
stared at me blankly. 1t should be
known that Virgins q not man
whose composure u lightly shaken.
The Asolando," + repeated. to break
the spell Of bis blank stare "Know
the placer
10 recovered in q moment. but 10
surveyed me qutzzically before reply.
Ing.
.Of course ! have heard Of the Aso-
lando. but ! thought you didn't 60 In
for that sort OF thing. lt's tribe girl
lob, you know"
that's hardly against It! found
the girlishness altogether attractive"
"You always were tolerably suscep-
dble, but broiled BUTTERFLIES and moth
wing1 sou@s seem to mo rather pale
food for Z man In your vigorous
health"
aThey must have Disseminated in
your favor. saw no such things.
though 70 be sure was afraid to quib-
BE Over the waitress suggestions May
ak when you were thersr'
-0h. I dropped IN quite accidentally
one day last spring. ! saw the sign
and remembered that somebody had
spoken Of the place. and was tired.
ana Il was . long way to tho club.
and
Discrimination % not an art % Wig.
kins attempts to practice It at timsA
Ho q BY nature The most shalghtfor
ward Of mortalA Nwas cleas that b
was Withholding something, and I re-
solved to get to the bottom Of it.
II don't think the Asolando Is
place that would attract either of US,
and yet the viands are good as such
stuff goes, and the gentle handmaidens
are restrul to the eye-Pippa, Fran
cesca, Gloria and the rest of EN-"
Virgins pried open his arttchQke
with the care of botanist. He had
regained his composure, but / saw
that the subject interested him.
'You were there THIS afternoon!
he inquired.
Eyes, my nrst aud only appearance