The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-01-25
W.. The general. having diued to

his satisfaction, was beaming with
good humor and stories. Excusing
himself moment, Bartlett hurried to
the telegraph station In the Office. He
hunted for his code, but could not find
1t and had to write the telegram In
English. It would be safe enough.
Tho operator was raw country youth
who wouldn't be able to understand
1t anyway. and 1t would go direct to
his broker, who would be spending the
day at his country place on Long
Island.
Have ". H. b." wrote Bartlett,
will take him for weeks tour in
the country, with Billy's help. Eat
them up"
"Rush it," he ordered sternly, "and
bring me the answer. will wait for
1t on the porch"
The news soon .spread that the
stranger dining with the general and
his daughter was none other than the
suddenly famous young stock broker,
whose grim defiance of the Street was
told in headlines in the daily papers,
and whose life from the cradle up
was thrillingly recounted in the Sun.
day supplement. When he had
changed his seat at the table, there
had been suppressed litter Of amuse-
ment for the eccentricities Of great
man, and those who made study of
human nature saw plainly an indica-
ton of that character which knew
what 1t wanted and would get 1t and
keep 1t, overriding all obstacles.
AS they stood on the porch after
dinner, waiting for Bartlett to rejoin
them, tho four were soon surrounded
by an ever-growing circle OF friends
and near friends, and to his panied
surprise. the Watermelon was the adj
mired center of the group. All looked
on him much as the general did, not
so much as man but as a character
out of the Sunday supplement. Bored
to exhaustion, he shook hands Imply
Imply with score or more whom he
did not know and did not want to
know.
1t was getting late and he would
have to return the clothes and be-
come once more merely the Water.
melon. He had forgotten the beauty
show and had no heart for it now.
When he left Billy nothing more
counted, nothing mattered. Old
clothes or good, hobo or millionaire,
without Billy, one was us desirable as
the other. He would return the clothes
and beat 1t up the line that evening.
James and Mike could go to grass.
Meanwhile, instead of getting the
most out Of the short space of time
allotted to him and having Billy alone
somewhere, here he was shaking
hands with a frowsy bunch Of high.
brows.
The Watermelon looked around, des.
perately, miserably. Billy was gazing
at him from the edge of the crowd,
awe fighting with admiration and
amusement on her small face. Henri.
eta had presented him gaily, to this
one and that, and the general, thor.
oughly in his element, stood by and
showed him off as though he were q
new horse or the latest model motor.
car.
Glow could you tear yourself away
from the Street," asked one impress.
sionable young thing.
Il don't know" said the Water
melon. wall Street is practically my
home.' And he gazed languidly over
their heads into the trees across the
road.
"Oh, Mr.. Bachelor, do you think the
tariff will affect the cost of living?"
inquired one of his new friends. $50
many people claim that it will"
Henrietta laughed. Poor Mr. Bat
chelor," said she. "You can now real
| iZe some Of the drawbacks to great
| ness"
"The tariff" said the Watermelon
monotonously, ais all right. Take il
from me-"
He glanced again at Billy. The
clock in the garage struck two and
he hesitated no longer. "My car" he
muttered vaguely, and made for the
steps. He ran down them and started
around the hotel toward the stables
AS he passed near the place where
Billy stood, he looked up straight into
her eyes.
aren't you coming to see my car
Billy?" he asked, the odd little name
below his breath, SO that even she did
not hear.
ooh, yes, indeed" said Billy.
He caught her hands and swung her
down to the lawn beside him.
At the garage they did not stop.
The Watermelon heard the general
painting behind in the distance, but
he did not pause. Ungratefully he
led the way down narrow path
around the stable, into the deep, cool
shade Of the woods. 1t was two. He
would give himself until the clock
struck three, before he skunk away
/, into the unknown again.
CHAPTER vi,
What In Heaven like7