United labor bulletin., 1913-11-15

ten without feellnS. Il am not good
citizen. According to Paige, belong
to the least desirable class Of all-the
spenders. the wasters of substance.
And toll not. neither do spin"
Tom snorted his disgust at such sen
timents.
What buffers girls are!" declared
he from the lofty height OF twenty-five
years accumulated wisdom 'Ill bet
Miss Carew don't believe any such rot
as that. Can't a man do as he pleases
with his own money!"
She says not A mans money is
not his own; he is merely holding it in
/ trust"
Tom, however, had never met Paige
1 Carew, who had lived most OF her
twenty years abroad, and he had no
more tolerance for her opinion than
he had for anybody else's that did not
agree with his.
They may be plotting to rob
bank" he abruptly bent the talk back
/ to the paramount topic
Van Vechten regarded him with a
faraway look
"Or starting a dramatic school," he
added, "or condemning vivisection or
woman suffrage. or something equally
CHASTITY. Drop II. Tom; that's my ad-
vice. Sitting comfortably at a window
and waiting for whatever surprises our
| House of Mystery may have to dis
close. is one thing: actively interfering
with something that does not in the
least concern us. is quite another. II
there really is any mystery. and It is
to be dealt with at all. 1t calls for a
thin. keen blade. not n bludgeon."
III that's some of your pink-tea wit"
xrowled Tom, "a bludgeon is a mighty
good thing to have when you are deal
ing with crooks"
"Doubtless-when the crooks do not
fight with rapiers. I'll give you a
chance to break even; you don't want
to owe me a hundred, l suppose7"
The troubled look. result OF unwont-
ed mental effort. was Instantly erased
from the handsome boyish face.
No. don't I'm on. IL you're bet
ting nobody will show up at one"
Either end you like. A hundred
says no man Will enter thirteen-thir-
teen af one O'Clock"
which was very decent and accom-
modatnF OF Van veehten. considering
that he would have been rather sur
priEed than otherwise II one o'clock
came and went without bringing
fresh arrival. And there was another
arrival. and he was surprised-very
much surprised. And Tom Phinney
lost his second wager. too. which he
could III afford to do.
This was the way OF it
II was very close to one when they
resumed their seats. Alexander, with
patient disappointment. reported that
nothing ut all had happened. Then
the clock struck the hour. and a taxi
cab whirled madly up and came to a
skidding stop In front of Number 1913.
A lady hastily descended. a fashion
ably gowned lady. who fairly ran up
the steps: and before she had time
even to touch the bell the doog swung
open and she darted through the open
ing and was swallowed up.
Tom was indignant and disgusted.
Now what do you think OF that!"-
giving the exclamation the slangiest
sort OF intonation. He was. OF course.
thinking only OF the outcome OF the
bet
But Van vcchten had not heard. The
instant the woman appeared at the top
of the etoop-until then the cab had
partially concealed her-he startled
Tom into forgetfulness OF his disap-
pointment. by bounding from his chair.
At the same time he smothered an ex-
clamation which. although inarticu-
late. was a good deal more Indicative
of agitation and amazement than
Toms had been.
What the dickensi" Tom cried.
Van vechten slowly sank back into
his seat again.
Il thought-for a moment" he
muttered vaguely. III / did not posi-
lively know to the contrary, l should
say"
He left It unsaid. however. The cab
turned and departed. and the young
man sat staring in perplexed way at
the closed door. 1t was as silent and
illegible as 1t had been for months.
the windows all as irresponsive. the
sooty facade as sphinxlike.
Tom was still contemplating his
friend in bewilderment.
You didn't by any chance think II
was Miss Carew. did your" he asked.
The other bent a startled look upon
him.
Paige? Heavens, no! Don't be q
blooming idiot. 1t was young girl.
though. | couldn't see her face. but
for n second thought she was some
one / know-a much older woman-"
The words trailed on.
There followed n moment OF silence.
then he announced with quiet de-
cision:
Tom, believe my interest is re-
viving. II you don't mind. my dear
fellow, we shall see whether this is an
occasion calling for an outsiders inter