Polk County news. [volume] (Benton, Tenn.) 191?-1983, 1920-03-18
CHAPTER III.-Continued.

3
He knew. from meticulous study ant
practice, the full effect of his manner
which was distinguished, patrician. Iii
knew the almost Irresistible magnet
ism which had befallen him by acct
dent. He had been prepared-in hi
own imagination-for the battery o
interest which was promptly trained
upon him. And yet. as he pursued hi!
luggage toward the desk, he faltered il
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 ir
token of surrender, and to cry out
"This is not /! This is not l! 1t is
the man l might have been-if you
and l had understood each other"
SO 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.
Behind the desk stood a clerk and
billiards. heart tripped-the manager
who had rendered him the utimatum.
billiards. pen split a 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 in multiplied disgrace.
Eyes, sir" said the clerk with ex-
treme Difference, land about what
price sir?"
The manager, who had been scrutin-
izing billiard intently, whispered
something to the clerk; the clerk bit
his lip and looked up sharply; the
prodigal WINGED, and stiffened. Par
lor C-ten dollars?" asked the clerk.
every comfortable room, sir =.
'FRONT.'
The manager, as billiard retreated,
said impatiently to the clerk: whats
the matter with you, Jimmy, anyway?
Don't you know how to size up man
vet? Don't ask a man like that what
he'll have-~tell 'em what we've gOtw
Upstairs, billiard went limp from
the reaction. He had doubted what he
Of innocence. But the manager-who
two years ago had called him by his
first narcotic manager had looked
him full in the face, and made not the
faintest sign of recognition!
1t was in improved confidence, then,
that he went down to dinner; and de-
Iberately chose a 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 inquiston could be too
urgent for him. And at the nearest
table sat business man he knew, and
a girl he knew; from their matter-of-
fact attentiveness. he judged that they
had been married during his absence;
they gaZed Unfortunately at him, but
only in admiration. He mentally
checked off his lst--that made trio
of old acquaintances who failed to
know him. Facing him, dozen feet
away, sat man who lad been Hill |
liards employer for an epochal six |
man. too, was obviously !
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 we'll some of them intimately; |
they looked down at him in passing,
and, without exception, went on in
ignorance. A 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 any escort to whom
4 handsome stranger is pointed out
and billiard could have laughed aloud
1t the irony of the incident. They
had known each other for dozen
years, that girl and billiard; in the
lozen and first, her mother had for
hidden him her house.
He dincd with considerable leisure
md smoked cigar almost to the end
before he left the table. When he
luitted the room, II was with practi-
al assurance that his gravest fears
we're groundless, but for an addition
il precaution he read an evening pa
yer in the lobby and endured in safe
y the inspection OF score of men
Who had known him well enough to
efuse to loan him money.
At half-past eight vastly heartened
ind refreshed, he equipped himself
With certain documents from his suit
ase, and called for n taxicab. The !
iddress he gave the driver was high |
IN the eastern hills; during the last
Ialf mile, billiard was pcering out at
he shaded lights OF. houses where he
ad played in his earlier youth. The {
ar stopped; billiard went up stone
Jagged walk, up broad stone steps, |
nd stood on huge veranda. lie was
aim, and Yet his knees were discon- /
ertingly unsteady; he was determin. b