Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1920-10-29
an answer, and the door closed behind
him.
CHAPTER TX.

MY business" explained FitZhugh,
when the servant had gone, has to
do with your / o US which hold"
Jaw. yes. You did let me have a
few hundreds, remembah."
The total amount said F'itzhugh.
lis eleven thousand dollars"
mol" Artie jumped violently. You
let me have no such sum. It's n false
hood"
Don't get excited. I bought in all
your paper after the game. 1t totals
eleven Thousand dollars. just as ]
said"
Artie sprang to his feet, and, light.
ing a cigarette, began pacing nerv'
ously to and fro. Tossing the clga-
rette aside. he sat down. resting his
elbow on his knee, and passed his
hand shakily across his brow.
II can't do anything for you now"
he muttered, without looking up,
"My allowance is overdrawn and Tn
In a hole. You'll have to wait. that's
ALL"
"Have l said wouldn't?" suggested
Fitzhugh.
Artie looked up quickly, sudden
glad hope leaping to his pale eyes.
"Then you won't press me for it!'
he wondered eagerly.
II may not ask you for 1t at all,
l may make you Christmas present
Of the entire batch, If you"
"Only command me! I'll do any.
thing you say"
1.-THE last three days" continued
Fitzhugh, watching the effect Of his
words. I've had detectives working
for me on rather delicate matter. They
you and your family. l know to a
nicety your financial status, your so.
clal standing, and l knew before ]
came here that you were unusually
hard up at present l need u social
valet, and I'm willing to give you the
job"
MY deah fellow"
II shall want to join the best clubs,
Your part is obvious. You will intro
duce me to people whom l wish tc
meet, you will procure me the entree
to homes l wish to enter. There will
be other commissions which l shall
give you from time to time, and as
you fulfill them l will return, one by
one, your / o US"
The effect of the proposal upon Ar
tie was somewhat singular. He
screwed up his mouth in ludicrous
manner and emitted sound that was
cross between a baby's crow of de-
light and the screech Of peacock
ITS excruciating he cried, when
he found his breath. It'll be fright.
full fun" He sobered suddenly. "Aw-
l say One teeny-weeny peep at the
slips, what?"
Fitzhugh showed him the l o US
and he nodded his head brightly.
Then his mirth oyercame him second
time and he went off into another peal
Of delight.
While Fitzhugh sat watching him in
critical silence servant entered and
announced several callers.
"Ask 'em to toddle right in." Then,
turning on Fitzhugh: III try you on
my frlends-what?" He smiled pref.
tily.
II suppose l can stand It,"
The four or five young men who en-
tered were, for the most part, of AR.
ties class. They were tlaccid, listless,
seemingly consumed with ennui and
a-weary of the world. They talked
languldly of tailors and different
makes of mOtorcars. They expressed
lukewarm preferences for a certain
brand of cigarette or particular kind
of mixed drink. None had any indi.
viduality but all were cut from the
same pattern.
Some time later, in the street be.
low, FitZhugh paused moment in
the falling snow and spoke feelingly
to himself.
Its enough" said he, ito make a
man stop posing"
Then he went home, addressed an
envelope to Kathleen Otis, slipped
therein a one-dollar bill and after it
card, upon which he wrote
May you have Merry Christmas
Is the wish Of him who bought the
soap and water"
Fitzhugh planned well in making
Artie his social valet" After that
Monday conference in his brokers
Office he had surmised the relations
between himself and Otis would
thenceforth be unamicable His sur.
misal proved correct when not long
afterward he met Otis and his wife
one Sunday on the drive. He dotted
his silk hat with Chesterfeldian
gesture-and was rewarded for his
courtliness by being ignored more
pointedly than If he had been an ut.
ter stranger.
Clearly after this there was but one
way for him to see Kathleen, and that
was by the aid of Artie Sparkle.
FitZhugh never required a second at
tempt to scale the citadel of any
home, no matter how Exclusive" that
home might be. He Immediately be.
came 1.-The sensation" wherever he
went. What with his distinguished
appearance his flashing wit, his skill
at repartee and, above all else, his
gift of adapting himself readily to any