The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-02-12

against it,
"But it was strong enough to stand
terrible strain"
mot quite strong enough to stand
without a protest the strain to which
you have subjected it, Mr.. Jones. It's
not exhausted but it's"
Getting tired?" Broadway himself
supplied the words.
About that You have not been
having it written up, you know;
thought perhaps you didn't realize the
figures. I've had them all made out
for you
Broadway took one swift look at
them, then sank back in his chair and
took longer look at them. "Well, III
be -" he ventured.
Il was afraid you'd feel that way.
I only thought you ought to have a
hint of just how things are running.
Young men lose track of things some
times. I've known it to occur before
Jackson scarcely saw Broadway
when he went out Of the gray build
ing, and it was the first time he had
ever trodden Broadway without see
ing and admiring it.
Hello, Broadway" cried a merry
voice from just beyond the curb. 1t
was a blonde voice, and issued from
natty little motor car with sedan
chair top. Broadway had bought that
motor car and given it to the blonde
voice. LET me put you down some
where?"
I'm not feeling very fit. You might
take me to the mOrgue.'
Jump in: We'll make it the Knick-
erbocker."
But the Knickerbocker had no
charms for Broadway at that mo-
ment He made his stay as brief as
possible in the bright restaurant.
"Dollie darling" he said gloomily
II don't need a restaurant, today; |
need hospital. How would you like
me- Dollie, honestly, if I was broker
you? Broker" She laughed.
mo; seriously. How would you like
me-"
Its nonsense; but you know what
Stanley does to broken Dishes
The ash can. Eh?"
1T wouldn't be, for you, of course;
but-what's the use of being Mr..
Grump? Brace up? Come on up to
Churchill's and We'll drinky-drink it
outy-out."
But Broadway would have none of
such a plan as that. He went to his
apartment, and, rummaging in every
drawer and pocket, collected every
bill which he could find. There were
a hundred of them, ranging in all
sorts of figures and for all sorts of
articles, from diamonds to gasoline,
from charity to faro. The arrival of
the sympathetic Rankin, who believed
his master had a headache, with a
mote from Mrs. Gerard, interrupted the
bookkeeping which, for the first time
in his life, Broadway had begun. 1t
had not been encouraging, as far aS
he had gone.
!. He read the note and found it to be
an invitation. Deciding to accept it
| he decided, also, that it must be the
last one of the sort he must accept.
1t had become intensely plain to him
that now had come the time when he
must cease his gaieties and find more
money.
He was a gloomy figure at the feast
that night, and his gloom grew with
every aged smile which Mrs. Gerard
cast in his direction. 1t was plain
enough to him, to everyone, that this
exceedingly rich lady, of uncertain age,
regarded him with very friendly eyes.
She even sometimes called him Jack
son. After the dinner he took Robert
Wallace downtown with him in his
sixty horsepower touring car.
Mrs Gerard" he ventured, seems
a well-preserved old-er-1 mean that
she seems we'll preserved"
"Well canned, you mean," said Wal
lace. But too much chemical preserv-
alive in females is as dangerous as
it is in food How did we happen to
90 there tonight? You roped me into
that, Broadway You didn't tell me
where you meant to take me. You
odlu VIC " 81 W uAuuCl "!lu
some friends of yours"
We'll, she's a friend of mine"
Broadway defended rather holly. An
idea, so terrible that it was fascinat-
ing, had occurred to him.
''She might have gone to school with
your grandmother 1t makes me sick
to see her ogle you I think she wants
to marry you" .
Broadway burst into laugh which
he was we'll aware was quite too loud,
too cackly and too hollow; he feared
acutely that his friend would recognize
it's falseness.
ITO marry me! Ho, ho!" Instantly
his manner changed. But don't like
the way you speak about her, Bob
Remember-we have just enjoyed her
hospitality"
Enjoyed it.! Speak for yourself, old
man! If had known where you were
going, do you suppose would have
gone with you? l can meet grand
mothers schoolmates at the Old La