The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-24

| ever, on closer acquaintance. the ami
NAL seems to have n rare charm, and
| should suggest that we let It ucco4n-
pany us. Then you see, when the sad
| hour OF parting arrives the mutt, as
you rather ungraciously call it, can
choose between us, just as the child
In the fourth act Of the melodrama Is
forced to choose between his divorced
parents"
Good" said Diana, land as the sad
hour of parting has arrived the mutt
must choose. You turn around and
walk exactly in the direction from
which you came and I will continue on
my way and whichever one the puppy
follows must adopt it,"
"All right" he sighed, but Just the
same it's great pity. 1t seems such
a terribly tame finish to a real adven-
ture Now IL the mutt had only been
savage, man eating bulldog. starving
and hungry for human flesh. It's just
my hard luck-dnd the worst Of 1t is it's
Saturday night"
Diana looked at the young man as
ii her suspicion that he was mentally
unbalanced was at last assured
Il don't want to appear nquisitlve."
she said but before We part would
you mind telling me in word what Sat
urday night has to do with it?"
The young man shook his head
gloomily. mo, | would like to tell you,
but | couldn't do It in word II would
take no end of words-it's quite "A long.
sad story. You see, the way | figure 1t
is this: l have no intention of letting
you go home unprotected. so even If
we had reached the parting of the ways
| should follow you at n respectful dis
lance. anyhow Hence, why not Get me
walk along with you and tell you that
story? You know, really. it's much too
cold To stand talking here all night"
Diana smiled at the young mans ar
gument and stamped her feet, because
1t certainly was not a good night for
sidewalk conversation.
"Tll compromise" she said. MY
boarding house ia four blocks from here.
but | don't care to have you go all of
the way with me. because II you discov-
cred where | lived you would probably
call on me the first thing in the morn
ing. l will let you go half way-that is
two blocks-but only on certain cOndi-
tons"
Il agree" he said, looking rather
downcast. 81 suppose we're lucky
when We get only half what We really
want in this life. What are the condi-
tions?"
The conditions are that you are to
tell me this sad story Of yours about
saturday night and a.so explain why
for the last week you have followed
The Show Girl troupe, and you are TO
tell me the absolute truth"
That's easy he agreed. because
they are the same identical story"
For the purpose Of brcvity," he be-
gan again, the story starts with my
employment at the age Of II as
errand boy in the store of the well
known c,othicrs and haberdashcrs Of
Knoxville, Pettingill u Petting.u."
why not begin with your BIRTH"
Diana asked ironically. "Why crowd
out Those twelve long, interesting
years.
My birth" said the young man. els
Of no more possible interest To vou than
the very unhappy days Of my youth.
As matter of fact ! don't know any
niuTv of my parents than TuG 30. y:
seems that, according 10 the gossip of
the seaside village where / spent my
youth, | was the soc survivor of a
wrecked Coastw Sc sailing vessel and
was adopted by some very disarrceable
folk
~ ny All'.N Elloupl IA ~ d'l'I'lth me
and then have been so thoroughly dis
a rrecahle, | don't know, but | DO know
that | ran away to Knoxville when |
was II and became an crrand boy,
| merely mentioned Pettingill & Pettin-
~ 20 explain why l wear such good
clothes. Archibald De Witt-myself-
a name which may g.! may not be my
properly, is known, | may say univer-
sally known, az ,..o best dressed man
! in Knoxville. Now f"
You certainly do dress we'll" Diana
Interrupted. "All the girls at the thea
ire noticed it. We rather thought you
were the son of al iron magnate or
| something"
! Something was the more near.y cor
| rect. As a matter of fact | am a clerk
| in a store working for a comparatively
small salary, but my opportunities for
! buying good things in clothes, linen,
| half hose or for exceptional bargains in
good limitations Of good things are al
most unequalled. I spend nearly all of
my income on dress, and my immacu-
| late raiment is one of the very best
assets of pettingill 4 Pettingli. Dc
you follow me?
MY life has been devoted to adventure
or rather ihc search Of it, because 1t has