Evening star., 1921-10-23

ME good word 'treSh miSht
have been created especially
to describe Benny Barr. the
book agent 1t may truth
fully be said that what he sold was
not Aunt James Cook Book, but fresh
ness and nerve With his energy and
pertness the book did not matter: he
ould have sold Essays on Assyrian
Protoplasms to Irish cooks any tims
he was allowed five minutes in which
to talk.
When Benny was born reverence
for men. women and Ghosts had been
left out OF his makeup and fippant
sauciness had been put in it's place
lie would Josh college president
or a society queen with the same
good nature he showed in teasing
hotel waitress or village cabman'
Time and experience had. however,
given Benny something very like rev.
erence for one group OF men and that
group was the firm. The firm was
SHILLING Ross & Company; the firm
published Aunt James Cook BOOK ana
some hundred and fifty other profit
able volumes. AS Benny said: THE
firm is on the level; the firm has
tons of dough; take it from me. the
firm is all right"
James Ross. Of Shilling. Ross &
Company. was the retired partner. but
his place. since Benny had been SELL
ing Aunt James Cook Book, was well
filled by young Haddon Ross. an eff
Gent shesry ps and nc oba,Ss twentyffe. y, ths
subscription book department.; he
was Benny's only boss" and he
was Bennys only hero. He was. in
Benny's estimation. real fel1er.
six months In order to know better
how to handle the subscription book
end of SHILLING. Ross & Company's
business. He appreciated good
DENNY came out of the account
ants office and found Haddon
Ross talking merrily with young
man of his own age and two charm
ing girls.
But. promise. Haddon!' one Of the
well bachelor dinner was such an
awful scandal. Promise you won't
hays ra.: any ny giyls ns,I, at yours said HaasoD
Ross Not fairy! Not female"
why. you old sport said the
other young man. sit can't be done.
You couldn't any more give a bach
could fly. It's contrary to your
record
"All right. I'll break my record"
laughed Haddon Ross. You think
I'm beyond reform; I've cut the ladies
off my list. I'm going to give a
bachelor dinner that you'll talk about
for years. and there will not be a
living dame anywhere near. It's a
promise. May
THAT'S ali I ask. Your word is
soon to marry. The other young
man-Hal HarlSer. chosen as Had
don's hest man-laughed.
And I'll bet there'll be lady at
the bachelor dinner" he said.
Haddon Ross laughingly took the
wager. Benny's admiration for the
son of the firm increased when he
heard the amount. 1t was worth
while working for men who could bet
such sums without winkng. an eye.
You'll lose. Hal" said Haddon's
hride-to-be.
HE has lost already. Might as
we'll pay me now" said Haddon. and
after laughing farewell he turned
"on my wedding" he said. That
man Harker thinks I'm hot sport.
I've been looking into that idea of
ica-and It is al right. We're going
to get 1t out for YOU"
Benny swelled with pride. It had
been his own Idea and now the firm
was going to get out the book. He
was certainly q fine fellow.
About a week later Benny Barr
came out Of the door of $50 Dorsey
lane. Westcote. Long Island. shown
to to the door . BY Miss Higgins: to whom
"Any % one live aexf doorseshe, asked
As he lighted . cigarette:
That's the old Wentworth place."
al mt yN4 I,oI
enjoyed Benny's talk and considered
IL cheap at the price Of 81 the cook
book cost. 1T has been vacant for
years. but It looks to me as If some
ture was never taken out. and yester-
day and today. there were couple Of
vans in the yard"
Won't hurt to try 1t. anyway"
said Benny cl1eerfully.
All the houses in Dorsey lane were
set far back from the road. It was
here the town edged the country and
homes gave place to large estates
Here one could have seclusfon. and
any nsoa one ne, livng sdn.,a in the Wentworth
four sides the property was sur
sounded by hedges which had been
for years untrimmed and now stood
like green walls. reaching high above
the head of any chance observer. The
rank. thick hedges cut of all view
OF road and neighbor and. as If this
were not sufficient. here and there on
the lawn were masses OF shrubbery-I
lilacs. syringas and similar leafy
bushes-and these had also grown
rank and high. so that even from the
openings in the hedge that served as
entrances from the lane the house
was entirely hidden. The untrimmed
grass grew knee high and the gravel
walks were everErown by weeds.
As Benny Barr came singing out Of
the gate of Miss Higgins place a man
came hurriedly out Of the old Went
worth place. He turned as he came.
for an automobile stood at the edge
Of the lane. and jumped to the seat
gears grated. the car started and all
Benny had was a view of cloud of
dust as the car disappeared toward
westcote. Benny turned in at the
opening In the hedge.
The grass Of the driveway gave
evidence that vans or some other
vehicles had crushed it recently. Up
this driveway Benny went, his OIL
cloth-wrapped sample copy under his
left arm. The huge reddish-bro
wooden steps Of the veranda. looked
THE house needed repairs. TIE
paint was peeling: number of
the fretwork scrolls had fallen or
hung loose: the veranda floor was
rotting and last years autumn leaves
were matted in the corners Of the
railing. The veranda railing sagged
and lacked many Of its dowells. The
whole place was on the verge of
falling into complete decay.
two leaves. had no glass in the
panels. which were Of oak, now void