The midland journal., 1917-08-24
CHAPTER xxI-continued.

ID
Our daily actions are controlled by
a variety of opposing influences which
are like threads pulling at us from
4 various directions. When for any rea.
son certain of these threads are
snapped and the balance is disturbed
we are drawn into strange pathways
and our whole lives may be changed
through the operation of what seems a
most trivial case. In Bob's case the
cause approached, all unheralded, in
the person Of Mr.. Richard Cady, a
youth whose magnificent vacuity of
purpose was the envy of his friends.
Cometlike he was destined to appear,
flash brightly, then disappear below
the horizon of this tale. Mr.. Cady
greeted Bob with listless enthusiasm,
lettering the while upon his cane like
q Japanese equilibrist.
Haven't seen you for ages" he be-
gan. "Been abroadT'
Bob explained that he was spending
the summer in New York, statement
that filed his listener with the same
horror he would have felt had he
learned that Bob was passing the heat
ed season in the miasmatic jungles of
the Amazon.
"Just ran down from Newport" !"
Cady volunteered. "I'm sailing today.
Better join me for trip. I know"
he cut Bob's refusal short-"travels
an awful nuisance; get seasick my
self"
''Then why play at it?"
Cady rolled a mournful eye upon his
friend. "Girl!' said he, hollowly.
s'Show girl! If stay I'll marry her,
and that wouldn't do. Positively not!
So I'm running away. I'll wait over
If you'll join me-"
"I,m a working man."
"Hawr' Mr.. Cady expelled short
laugh.
''True! And I've quit drinking"
Now Cady was blase, but he had a
heart; his sympathies were slow, but
he was not insensible to misfortune.
Accordingly he responded with cry of
pity, running his eye over his friend
to estimate the ravages Of temperance.
''Up against .it?" inquired the other.
$50 says my heartless father. He
has sewed up my pockets and scuttled
my drawing account, hence the dinner
pail on my arm. I'm in quest Of toll"
"I'll bet you starve," brightly pre-
dicted Mr.. Cady, in an effort at en-
couragement "I'll lay you five thou
sand that you make a fivver of any
thing you try"
"I've quit gambling, too"
AS they shook hands Cady grunted:
s'My invitation to globe-trot is with
drawn. Fine company you'd be!'
AS Bob walked up the avenue he
pondered deeply. wondering II he real
ly were so lacking in ability as his
friends believed. Money. was such a
common thing, after all; the silly
labor of acquiring it could not be half
SO interesting as the spending Of it.
Anybody could make money, but to
enjoy it, to circulate it judiciously, one
must possess individuality-of sort.
Money seemed to come to some people
without effort, and from the strangest
sources-Kurtz, for instance, had
grown rich out Of coats and trousers!
Bob halted, frowning, while Ying
peered out from his hiding place at
the passing throngs, exposing tiny,
limp, ping-ribbon tongue. If Kurtz,
armed only with pair of shears and
a foolish tape, had won to affiuence.
why couldn't another? Stock broking
was no longer profitable; and old
Hannibal's opposition evidently forced
a change of occupation.
The prospect Of such change was
annoying, but scarcely alarming to an
ingrained optimist, and Bob took COM
fort in rejecting that the best-selling
literature of the day was replete with
instances of disinherited sons, impov-