The Ordway new era., 1920-07-02
CHAPTER llI.-con.inued.


which was distinguished, patrician. He
knew the almost irresistible magnet
ism which had befallen him by accl-
dent. He had been prcpared-In his
own lmaginntlOn-for the battery OF
Interest which was promptly trained
upon him. And yet, as he pursued his
luggage toward the desk. he faltered In
his pride. he felt as though the sOr-
rOwful eyes of all Syracuse were riv-
eted upon him; the well-recalled sur
roundings unnamed him. and he was
impelled to halt, lift up his hands in
token of surrender, and to cry out:
"Ths is not I! This is not L! 1t is
the man 1 might have been-If you
and l had understood each other!"
So great was his anguish that In that
moment he honestly believed that 1t
was the equal fault of the city, and of
himself, that he had gone forth dis
credited
Behind the desk stood clerk and
Hilllard's heart tripped-the manager
who had rendered him the ultimatum.
Hilliard's pen split blot Of Ink on
the register: his ears were tuned for
the speech OF recognition which would
blast his dreams of triumph, and send
him Off again I'm multiplied disgrace.
Yes. sir" said the clerk with ex-
treme Difference, "and about what
price, sir?"
The manager who had been scrutin-
izng Hiliiard intently, whispered
something to the clerk; the clerk bit
his lip and looked up sharply; the
prodigal WINGED. and stifrened. "Par-
Ior C-ten dollars?" asked the clerk.
VERY comfortable room, sir
Frontr-
The manager, as Hilliard retreatcd,
said irnpatiently to the clerk: whats
the matter with you. Jimmy. anyway?
Don't you know how to size up man
yeti Don't ask man like that what
he'll have-tell 'em what we've got!"
Upstairs. Hilliard went limp from
the reaction. He had doubted what he
knew---aId this was proof of his lack
of isnocence. But the manager-who
two years ago had called him by his
first name-the manager had looked
him full In the face. and made not the
faintest sign of recognition!
II was in improved confidence, then,
that he went down to dinner; and de-
liberately chose central seat In the
most popular of the three available
rooms. He was actively eager to be
observed; now that he had passed his
first examination. he craved test after
test; no inquIsition could be too
urgent for him. And at the nearest
table sat a business man he knew, and
girl he knew; from their matter-of-
fact attentiveness. he judged that they
had been married during his absence;
they gazed interminably at him, but
only in admiration. He mentally
checked OFF his list-that made trio
of old acquaintances who failed to
know him. Facing him, dozen feet
away sat n man who aad been Hill
liards employer for an epochal six
weeks-this man. too, was obviously
interested, but unenlightened. Four
A dinner party. comprising six girls
and six young men, filed gayly past
him: every one of the twelve he had
known well. some of them Intimately;
they looked down at him In passing,
and. without exception. went on in
ignorance. tiny roseleaf of girl
was rather nOticeably attracted to
him: she spoke to her partner. who
turned, and stared. and nodded In the
bored fashion of nny escort to whom
handsome stranger Is pointed out !;
and Hilliard could have laughed aloud
at the irony of the Incident. They
had known each other for u dozen
years. that girl and Hilliard; In the
dozen and first. her mother had for
bidden him her house.
He dined with considerable leisure
and smoked cigar almost to the end
before he left the table. When he
quilted the room. 1t was with practi-
cal assurance that his gravest fears
were groundless. but for an addition
al precaution he read an evening pa
per in the lobby and endured in safe
ty the inspection of score OF men
who had known him well enough to
refuse TO loan him money.
At half-past eight. vastly heartened
and refreshed. he equipped himself
with certain documents from his suit
case. and called for taxicab. The
address he gave the driver was high
on the eastern hills; during the last
half mile. Hilliard was peering out at
the shaded lights of houses where he
hnd played in his earlier youth. The
car stopped: Hllliard went up stone
tagged walk, up broad stone steps,
and stood on huge vernnda. he was
calm. and yet his knees were discon-
eertlngly unsteady; he was determin-