Evening star., 1924-05-18

this the case when he was instructed
to arrange for dinner for men only,
while the ladies of the house either
dined out or were served in another
room.
Such a dinner was to take place
for about dozen men, and the chief
guest of the evening was to be Rob-
ert Coombeare, the American finan-
cier, whose name was just then on
many lips and on many a printed
page.
Now Coombeare was the name of
the west country village in which
William Page had been brought up,
and the coincidence started a train
| Of thought in his mind which led to
no very definite conclusion, but pre-
pared him somewhat for the surprise
that came on the night of the dinner.
For Robert Coombeare was no other
than his boyhood's companion and
hero, Rat-catcher's Joe
William Page recognized him di-
rectly, in spite of the difference in
station and appearance that the
years had brought. He did not make
himself known at once, but observed
his masters guest throughout the
evening with the closest attention
He, William Page, had gone far,
and was as proud of his career as any
man. Yet here was his time in
ferior sitting as an equal with those
before whom he himself was accus-
toned to bow as gods moving in a
different world. For himself the path
he had set out to tread had been the
straight one, and had led him to the
goal of his desires. There could be
no jealous regrets on that score, and
he thrilled with a genuine pride and
pleasure in the achievements OF the
man whose dominant personality he
| had recognized at a time when the
prediction of his later success would
| have seemed to the world as a mat
| ter for laughter.
The talk was of finance and of
| great undertakings. Coombeare held
| his own with easy assurance, as one
| whose word was of weight in these
matters, and he was listened to with
the Difference due to an acknowledged
| master of his subject. He spoke with
| strong American accent, and no
one in the room, with the exception
| of his hosts servant, had any idea
that he was an Englishman. If the
talk turned for a moment away from
| the one subject in which the finan-
cier was at home, he dropped at once
| into a lower place and sat awk-
wardly silent. or if he shouldered his
| way into the conversation stood
| plainly revealed as a man of little
| education. and William Pages heart
bled with silent pity over the lapses
of one who in other ways had raised
| himself so high.
There is nothing 1 couldn't teach
him." he said to himself toward the
end of the dinner. "And he could
take his place with any of them"
And indeed the man was not lack
ing in the sort of appearance that
commands respect. He was even
handsome, with his iron-gray hair
dark, predatory eyes and powerful
face and his upright, self-assured
manner. Moreover. he was correctly
dressed
WHEN the guests departed William
w Page was in the hall, and him.
self helped the financier on with his
coat Just as Coombeare, having lii
an enormous cigar, was about tc
leave the house, he managed to STAN
mer out in a low voice:
Don't you know me, sir?''
Coombeare swung around on hin
instantly with such a look on his
face as made him recoil. 1t nigh,
very well have been that this sue
cessful man who had fought his way
up from the bottom of the stair was
sometimes confronted with ghosts
from a hidden past whom he would
rather not have seen. But the gray
haired servant standing before hin
was not a person to be suspicious of
Page stood tremulous with excite
} ment, searching for look of recog-
milton in the powerful face.
william Page-Coombeare," h,
, murmured, when no such look came.
, Then the financier's face cleared
, and he laughed a great laugh.
bill Page, by all that's holy!" III
exclaimed. And he's butler to
lord"
The footmen in the hall looked or
/ in amazement as their masters guess
| shook the hand of their master:
, servant, clapping him heartily on tn.
back and plainly showing unre.
4 strained pleasure at the sight of al
: old acquaintance. Leaving the gues
4 standing in the anteroom, the stew.
l ard came back in few moment!
with his hat ond coat and left the
). house with him.
5 well, Bill Page" said Coombeare
] as they walked along the pavement
t side by side, I'm fifty-eight ant
] you're ffty-seven, and we're botl
: where we wanted to be. Ell? Which
Of us IS top-dog now-William Page