Middletown transcript., 1914-02-21


ident of the bank. The man seemed
rather serious-minded, although on
that previous occasion when he had
marked the beginning Of their &C
quaintance, when Broadway had gone
to open his account with just two
hundred thousand dollars, he had been
geniality itself.
81 merely wished to have little
talk with you-er-Mr. Jones" said he.
you know your balance is-er-run-
ming rather low"
Us what?" said Broadway, In amaze
ment.
''Is running rather low"
You don't mean that I've"
You've drawn rather heavily
against II"
But 1t was strong enough to stand
q terrible strain"
Not 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 q longer look at them. We'll, I'll
be --!" he ventured.
Il was afraid you'd feel that way.
only thought you ought to have
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 merry
voice from just beyond the curb. It
was 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 ft. You might
take me to the morgue."
Jump in; Wen 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,
Il don't need a restaurant, today; l
ueed a 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 disAss."
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
ChurchilIs and wen 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
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
pOfa from, MrS Narord ;14o--,,-A.s ~.
bookkeeping which, for the first time
in his life, Broadway had begun. It
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 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-I mean that
she seems well preserved
We'll canned, you mean" said Wal
lace. But too much chemical preserv-
ative in females is as dangerous as
it is in food. How did we happen to
go there tonight? You roped me into
that, Broadway. You didn't tell me
where you meant to take me. You
merely said we'd go to dinner with
some friends Of yours"
Well, she's a friend of mine"