The Monmouth inquirer., 1922-03-23

ali those ltle ulCeIieS anu AOAAaS "
social department which make for the
conventional gentleman; and out oi
the tangle of conflicting opinions
doubts and uncertainties Of "who he
was and where he came from" stood
one unquestionable fact: he was to
the manner born.
But Fitzhugh had little time to be
| a society pivot. Though he was be-
come a aon he seldom went out to
roar Only when he believed he should
see her would he accept any OF the
invitations that began to clutter his
mail.
He was not long In hearing inter
tsting tattle of Sparkle's affair" with
Kathleen. The gossips. of whom there
was a superfluity, stuffed him on 1t.
"He's popped eleven times" chat
Tered one of these magpies, "and
hopes to make it an even dozen before
| the end of the season. Artie's persist
ence is his only trait that's not wishy-
washy. rs astonishing. It's breaking
down the poor girls barrier as drip
ming water wears away the stone. Hs
is the reincarnation of cave DAan. J
honestly believe. OF course Artis
couldn't WELD a club-he'd probably
mash his fingers if he tried, dear boy
but he's getting his mate by torture.
/ Just the same. His wooing is like a
! slow aching tooth. - And so on and
sc on, while the listener held silence
and his secret thoughts.
These were busy days for Fitzhugh,
Gays filled with suspense and excite
ment and acute money fever. By the
! end of the year his entire capital was
tied up in Spring wheat. which was
lurching and plunging like sinking
! ship; and every downward swoop
i drove his fortune upward. Bumper
crops of the yellow grain roared
through the Pit in a gushing torrent,
engulfing the Bulls and sweeping the
Bears on to golden harbor. Further,
there were rumors that the federal
government was about to start an in
vestigation of the Chicago Board of
Trade because of an INSCRIPTIONS
short, who had defaulted on his de-
livery, and these did not tend to miti-
gate the stormy market weather.
Though Fitzhugh's money was all on
PAPER, he was growing rich with gal-
Looping leaps, and already he was plan
ming a deal to follow that might send
his fortune soaring toward the million
mark.
1t was in the beginning of March,
while the Metropolitan Opera Com
/ pany was playing a two weeks en-
gagement at the Auditorium that he
received (through Artie) at his club
an invitation to box party given by
Mrs. Otis.
Artie was jubilant.
''It was frightful ruse," he crowed,
"but | do so love to trick Mrs. Otis
she's such dreadful snob. She does
MT like you deah feilaw. Says you're
a shocking climbah; thinks you no
better than her butlah. She's never
liked you somehow. l fawncy it was
something Otis said"
"WeIl, well, tell us how you man
aged it."
81 told her." sputtered Artie, chok-
ing with mirth, Il told her l had a
frightfully aristocratic fellaw putting
up at my place who was all the talk
in Lunnon. Mondays and Wednesdays
are her opera nights, don'tcher know,
and she'd just been telling me that u
chap who was to have rounded out her
party of six tonight had failed her at
! the last moment, and then | mention
( ed this frightfully aristocratic fellaw,
and saw her prick up her ears, and
before / left she told me to bring him
along. She doesn't know, on'tcher
know, it's you, and she'll be dread
fully"
Her daughter will be there?"
"Oh, yes, indeed. She was in the
room at the time. She'll be dreadfully
surprised, too"
mo doubt. Sparkle, you've got the
! brain of Napoleon. Going home?
! Then I'll take you out in my car"
They left the Union League Club to-
| gether and entered Fitzhugh's new
ninety horse power automobile glis~
tening at the curb. Fitzhugh had given
his chauffeur orders and they were
about to start, when suddenly Artie
| clapped his hands to his side as tho
sticken by heart failure.
There! See thati'-snatching two
or three unmailed letters from his ov-
| ercoat. Il promised Mrs. Otis faith
fully. hours ago, I'd post these. Ny
| memory's getting dreadful. Just sec
end, deah fellaw, while toddle across
| to the postoffice"
Fitzhugh-who was winding his
watch at the moment-nodded care
lessly and bade the chauffeur wait.
Artie opened the tonneau door, sprang
to the ground, swung the door shut.
Il was at the instant the spring latch
of the door clicked home that the mail
ed fist of remembrance dealt Fitzhugh
D staggering blow that mentally stun
ned him. His hands tensed. He was
brought to himself by discovering he