The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-02-19

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an instant. Perhaps Broadway, in hi,
cups, had decided on this most unusua
way Of asking her the fateful ques
ton! She had had high hopes of him
Perhaps"
NO." he answered thickly. "Guess
again. Three guesses. It's going t.
take some brains tell you that! In
tellect's the only thing'll do it, Who
ever guesses right gets cigar"
There was only one among the
ladies present who was not favored
by some speculative mind, and thai
one was the right one.
Guesser after guesser named some
Of the young and vivid creatures OF
that almost wholly young and vivid
feminine company, none guessed the
only faded flower in the gay group
Broadway, never dreaming of the ag
ony which filled the faded flower
much powdered bosom because of the
omission Of her name, feeling few emo
tions, really other than the keen sen.
sation of relief from his financial wor
ries, stood smiling somewhat vacantly
but on the whole, without much pain
upon the puzzled party.
go on, guess with your brains," he
genially suggested. Its mind, not
foot-work, that will win the price
But none guessed
Realizing that in this was something
like reflection on her fitness for the
covetable position of consort to the
youth, Mrs. Gerard attracted every.
ones attention, presently, by a won
derfully feigned embarrassment as she
rose and stood by Broadways side.
The party gasped, but rose to the oc,
casion as soon as it could get Its
breath again. 1t was incredible, and
there were those among the guests
who were so sure of this that they
believed joke was hidden somewhere
In the episode, but the majority were
20 well trained to Broadway's genius
for producing mad extravaganza that
they simply charged this up as one Of
them.
A dancer who had been brought up
from the cabaret below after one
o'clock and closing time had come,
sprang lightly to table, and, to the
destruction Of the floral lobster and
some notably fine glassware, did gay
pas-seul among the wrecks of sangui.
nary shells and emptied bottles. The
head waiter smiled, knowing that
whatever might be broken would be
charged up in the bill at double value
and paid for without question by the
sensational spendthrift, to whose own
wealth was now linked the extraordi-
wholesale leather) who had made his
millions, married a very vital lady
Of his own ripe years and then died Of
sheer antiquity, to leave her, trium-
plant in superior vitality, relict and
craving for that gaiety which life with
him had not provided.
"Broadway!' breathed the ancient
lady with skillful stimulation of en-
barrassment. you naughty, naughty
boy"
Naughty, possibly; but how ex-
tremely lucky!' said the wholly IN
expected bridegroom-elect without a
culver, much to his own surprise and
self-congratulation.
AS it broke up the party rioted with
joy, very largely alcoholic. Mrs. Ge-
rard's car, when it came up from it's
hiding place around the corner, was
straightway encountered with the
flowers from ladies' corsages, table
bouquets and mems boutonnieres. One
enthusiast thrust in a potted palm,
and Mrs. Gerard screamed when she
sat on it. Another made a thoughtful
contribution of two lobster-claws
which, to his establishment, he had
found in his hands as he arrived upon
the sidewalk. A lady, being under the
impression that the wedding had been
celebrated while she briefly mapped up
at the table, insisted upon throwing
one white satin slipper at Ler whom
she believed to be the bride. refusing
to accept the theory that Mrs. Gerard
was, as yet, only Broadways fancee.
LUZ ) W. SGIA W ain "1l1lOuL uSl
escort pleaded earnestly.
I'D limp year for Broadway" she
Insisted, missed Mrs. Gerard's couture
by quarter of an inch and then burst
into tears.
Four yellow government notes were
placed in circulation in police circles
before the long and rangy touring car
reached the granite archway which in
vited entrance ten stories underneath
the bachelor apartment in which Ran
kin waited for him, sleeping, but with
one ear open for the riot which fire.
quently attended the Homecoming of
his master.
The car had scarcely come to a
standstill before both eyes were open.
And as the eyes appeared from their
snug hiding places behind fat lids, his
ears achieved establishment. His mas
ter had returned at early hours on
previous occasions accompanied by
merry friends, but they had never