The Raymer enterprise. (New Raymer, Weld County, Colo.) 1910-19??, 1920-08-19
CHAPTER III-centInusd.

-"
He knew. from meticuious study and
practice. the full effect Of his manner,
which was disting ulshed. patrician. He
knew the almost irresistible magnet
lsm which had befalien him by acct
dent. He had been prepared-in his
own magination--for the battery Of
interest which was promptly trained
apon him. And yet. a. he pursued his
luggage toward the desk. he faltered in
bis pride. he felt as though the sor-
rowful eyes Of all Syracuse were nv.
eted upon him; the well-recalied sur
roundIngs unnamed him. and he was
impelied to halt. lIft up his hands in
token Of surrender. and to cry out:
This Ia not l! THIS is not II II Is
the man might have been--lf you
ann I had understood each other!"
30 great was his anguish that In that
moment he honestly believed that It
was the equal fault Of the city and Of
himself. that he had gone forth dis
credited.
Rehind the desk stood q clerk and
billiards. heart tripped-the manager
who hsd rendered him the ultlnatum.
billiards. 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 on again In multiplied disgrace.
"Yes, SIR" said the clerk with ex.
treme defcrence. "and about what
price. SIR"
The manager. who had been scrutin.
izlng billiard intently. whispered
something to the clerk; the clerk bit
his lip and looked up sharply; the
prohigai WINGED. and stifrened. 'Par-
Tor C--ten doliars?" asked the clerk.
"very comfortable room. sir :, {.
Frontr
The manager. as Hilliard retrented.
said impatisntly to the clerk: "What's
the matter with you. Jimmy. anyway?
q Don't vou know how to size up man
yeti Don't ask man like that what
he'll have-tell 'ern what we've got !"
rrs'nirs. HillIard went limp from
the ,anction. He had doubted what he
knew ard this was proof Of his lack
Of innocence. But the manager-who
two yenrs ago had called him b, his
frs, nnme-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-
librrately chose a central seat In the
most popular Of the three available
rooms. He was actively eager to he
observed: now that he had passed his
hrst examination. he craved test after
test: no inqulsition 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 attentlveness. he judged that they
had been married during his absence;
they gazed lnterminably at him, but
only In admiration. He mentally
checked of his lIst-that made trio
Of old acquaIntances who failed to
know him. Facing him, dozen feet
away, sat q man who had been Hill
liard's employer for an epochal SIX
weeks-this man. too. was obviously
interested. but unenllghtened. 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 ut him In passing.
and. without exception. went on In
ignorance. A tiny roseleaf Of a girl
was rather noticeably attracted to
him: she spoke to her partner. who
turned. and stared. and nodded In the
bored fashion OF any escort to whom
. handsome stranger Is pointed. out:
and billiard could have laughed aloud
at the irony Of the Incident. They
had known each other for a dozen
years. that girl and Hllllard; In the
dozen and first, her mother had for.
hidden him her house.
He dlned with considerable leisure.
and smoked cigar almost to the end
before he left the table. When he
quilted the room, II was with practi.
cal assurance that his sravest fears
were groundless. but for an addition
al precaution he read al evening pa
per In the lobby and endured In safe
" the inspection Of a 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.
ease. and called for q taxicab. The
slAress he gave the driver was high
q the eastern hills: during the last
haif mile. billiard was peering out at
~ shaded lights Of houses where he
IA played IN his earlier youth. The
81 stopped: Hilliard went up stone
lattsd walk. up broad stone steps
~ steod b . huge veranda. he was
euln, ~ " ~ knees were disceo-
elo1nGly un1toalV; - was 6stefminr