The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-03-19

The R9utDn train roaEeQ up eo them through the gray morning and paused impasiently at Upper Asquewan Falls. Aboard it clambered the hermits, anna teur and professional. MT. Magee from the platform waved goodby to the agent standing foriorn in the sta ton door He watched the building until it was only a blur in the dawn. A kindly feeling for it was in his heart. After all, it, had been in the l waiting room Then he started for the. smoker. On his way he paused at the seat occupied by the ex-herulat of Baldpate and fixed his eyes on the pale blue necktie MT. Peters had resur- l rected for his return to the world Of men,.
 Pretty, ain't it?' remarked the her init, seeing whither MT. Magee's gaze l drifted. .tsshe picked it.e didn't ex- actly like it when she first gave 1t to me, but see nay mistake now. Pm wearing it home as sort of white I flag of truce-or almost white Do you know, Mr. Magee, Pm somewhat l nervous about what I'll say when I come into her presence again-about my inaugural address, you might put 1 It. What would be your conversation j on such an occasion2 If you'd been I away from a wife for five years what
 would you say when you drifted I back?''
 ssThat would depend, " replied Magee. ston the amount of time she allowed
 me for my speech"
 ssYou've hit the nail on the head,'' re i piled MT. Peters admiringly. Shes quick. She's like lightning. She won't l give me any time if she can help 1t. That's why I'd like to have wonder ful speech all ready-something that
 would hold her spellbo0nd and tongue
 tied until I finished It would take a 1 literary classic to do that"
 What you want laughed Magee,
 .sis a speech with the punch
 Exactly agreed MT. Peters. .I
 guess I won't go over to Brooklyn the
 minute I hit New York. I guess I'll
 study the lights along the big street and brush elbows with the world a bit
 before reveal myself to her. Maybe
 if I took in few shows-but don't
 think won't go to her. My mind is
 made up. And guess she'n be glad
 to see me too, in her way. got to
 fix it with her. though, to come back ] to my postcard trade in the summers. wonder what she'll say to that May
 be she could stay at the inn under an
 assumed name while I was hermiting ] up at the shack"
 He laughed softly
 Then MT. Magee went forward into the smoking car Long rows of red
 plush seats, unoccupied save for the mayor and Max, greeted his eye. He stroIIed to where they sat, about half
 way down the ear, and lighted an after
 breakfast cigar.
 Max slouched in the unresponsive Z. company of cigarette on one side Of < the car; across the aisle the mayor of Reuton leaned heavily above card !, table placed between two seats. He
 was playing solitaire
 Magee looked on, only half interest ed. Then suddenly his interest grew. He watched the mayor build in two
 piles; he saw that the deck from which . he built was thick. A weird suspicion shot across his mind
 ssTeH ue,'' he asked, esis this the ad-
 miral's game of solitaire?' Exactly what I was going to ask, 2
 said a voice. Magee looked up. Ken
 drick had come ln and stood now above
 the table. His tired eyes were upon it, fascinated; his lips twitched strangely .Yes," answered the mayor, sstEis is : the admiral's game. You'd hardly ex- 2 pect me to know 1t, would you? ]
 don't hang out at the swell clubs
 where the admiral does. They wont have me there. But oncesI took the . admiral on a public service board with | me-one time when I wanted a lot o1 dignity and no brains pretty oakland he sort of come back by teaching me !. his game In the long dull hours when : we had nothing to do but serve the public The thing gets a hold on you somehow. Let's see-now the spade now the heart...'A < ss A za<,t5 f.lf His hrA<3f7
 came with a noisy quickness thai brought the fact of his breathing in
 sisteatly to Magee's mind.
 .9 never knew how it was played | he said.
 Something told MT. Magee that he ought to rise and drag Kendrick away from that table. Why7 He did moi 2 Eknow. Still, it ought to be done Bul the look in Hendricks eyes showed
 clearly that the proverbial wild horses
 could not do it then.
 saTen me how it's played" went or ! Kendrick, trying to be calm
 "You must be getting old" replied Z the mayor. .eThe admiral told me tho
 young men at his club never took ans
 interest in his game Solitaire h. 2 says to me, is an old mans trade It's 8 great game, MT. Kendrick-"
 "A great ehme," repeated Kendrick
 "Yes, it's a great game" His tont was dull "I want to know how it'i . played,n he said again.
 s9The six Of clubs,'' reflected tn :, mayor, throwing down another card 5 teSay, she's fine now. There aim i. much to it. You use two decks, exact . ly alike, shuttle 'em together-the eigh
 of hearts, the jack of-say, that great! You lay the cards down her ;, just as they come, like this'-
 He paused His huge hand held , ;. giddy pasteboard. troubled lool = was on his face. Then he smiled hap . = oily and went on in triumph
 "And then you build, MT. Kendrick, z ho said etfIae reds and fhe hacks Yol