The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1924-01-11

sam started.
"Was it you who threw that bit Of
butter?"
1T was"
II wish I'd known! You silly chump,
you ruined my collar"
"Ah, well, it's seven years ago. You
would have had to send it to the wash
anyhow by this time. But don't let
us brood on the past. Let us put our
heads together and think how we can
ret you out OF this terrible situation
Il don't want to get out of 1t. l
confidently expect to be the hit of the
evening"
The hit Of the evening! You!
singing"
I'm not going to sing. I'm going
10 do that imitation of Frank Tinney
which / did at the Trinity smoker.
You haven't forgotten that? You were
at the piano taking the part of the
! conductor Of the orchestra. What a
riot | was-we were. | say, Eustace,
old man, | suppose you don't feel well
enough to come up now and take your
old part? You could do it without a
rehearsal. You remember how it went,
Hullo, Ernest!' 'HullO, Frank! Why
not come alOngT'
The only piano | will ever sit at
will be one firmly fixed on a floor that
does not heave and wObble under me-
Nonsense! The boats as steady as
a rock low. The seas like a mill,
pond"
Nevertheless, thanking you for The
suggestion, no."
"Oh, well, then | Shall have to get
on as best l can with that fellow Nor
timer. We've been rehearsing all the
afternoon and he seems 10 have the
hang Of the thing. But he won't be
really right. He has no pep, no vim.
Still, if you went well, l
think III be getting along to his state
room. l told him | would look in for
a last rehearsal
! The door closed behind Sam, and
Eustdce Hignett, lying on his back,
gave himself up to melancholy medita-
ton. He was deeply disturbed by his
N'ASII - Sdu olOiN' ~ hht "LoN ~
meant being engaged to Wilhelmina
Bennett. 1t was like being taken aloft
in a balloon and dropped with a thud
on the rocks.
His reflections were broken by the
abrupt opening of the door. Marlowe
rushed in. Eustace peered a%nxiously
out of his berth. There was too much
| cork on his cousins face to allow of
any real registering of emotion, bat
he could tell from his manner that all
was not we'll. -.
whats the matter?" 81
Sam sank on the lounge.
1.-The bounder bias quit!'
The bounder? What ~bounderT'
There is only one! Bream Morti-
mer, curse him There may be others
whom thoughtless critics rank as
Founders, but he is the only man really
deserving of the title. He refuses to
appear! He has walked out on the
act! He has left me fat! l went INTO
his srateroom just now. as arranged,
and the mar was lying ON his bunk,
groaning.'
II thought you said the sea was like
a mill-pond."
1T wasn't that. He's perfectly fit.
But ii seems that the silly ass took II
into his head to propose TO Billie just
before dinner-apparently he's loved
her for years in n silent, seif-effacing
way-and of course che told him that
she was engaged TO me, and the thing
upset him to such an extent that he
says the idea Of sitting dOwn at a
piano and helping me give an imita-
ton of Frank Tinney revoIts him. He
says he intends to spend the evening
in bed, reading Schopenhauer. hope
1T chokes him"
"But this is splendid! This lets you
out"
\ What do you mean? Lets me out? ?"
Why. now you won't be able to
appear. Oh. you will be thankful for
this in years TO come"
Wont I appear! Won't I dashed
we'll appear! Do you think I'm going
to disappoint that dear girl when she
Is relying on me? l would rather dep
But you can't appear without a
pianist"
1--WE got a pianist"
"You have?"
Yes. A little understood shrimp Of
a fellow with a green face and ears
like waterwings."
IT don't think l know him.
Eyes. yeu do. He's you"
"Me!~
ayes. you. You are going to sit at
the piano tonight"
I'm sorry to disappoint you. hut
it's impossible. ! gave you my views
on the subject. just now"
You've altered them
~ haven't"
wen. you soon will. and TT tell you
why; IF YOU don't get up out of that
ID berth you've been roosting in
all your life. I'm going to ring for
J. Il. Midgeley and I'm going to tel.
him re- bring me a bit of dinner in here