The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-30

Winfield. very frequently. Sne IS theEe nearly every day. We'll, must be moving Freda. Glad you're going strong. Good night. ME Bannister. Delighted to have made your acquaintance. You mslst come round to the studio one of these days. Good night"
 Miss Reece watched him go with regret "He,s good little feller, Percy" she said. "And so he knows your sister. We'll, ain't that nicei'
 If Percy ShanKlyn could have seen Bailey in the small hours of that night he would have been satisfied that his words had borne fruit. Like modern Prometheus, Bailey writhed, sleepfess, on his bed till daylight appeared. The discovery that Ruth was in the habit of paying clandestine visits to ar tists' studios, where she met men like the little bounder who had been thrust upon him at supper, rent his naughty soul like bomb.
 He rose early. His appearance in the mirror shocked him. He looked positively .haggard.
 Dressing with unwonted haste, he in- quired for Ruth, and was told that tele- phone message had come from her late the previous evening to say that she was spend ing the night at the apartment of Mrs. Lora Delane Porter. The hated name increased Baiiey's indignation.
 In the interests of the family welfare he decided to stay away from the office that day. Having telephoned to Wall Street to announce this decision, he made moody breakfast and then proceeded, as was his custom of morning, to the gymnasium for his daily exercise.
 The gymnasium was a recent addition to the Bannister home. It had been established as the result of heart-to-heart talk be- tween old John Bannister and his doctor. The doctor spoke earnestly of nervous prcs- s~,I AoI 4 <ha exact number of months which would elapse before MT. Bannister, living his present life, would make first-hand acquaintance with it. He insisted on Q regular routine of exer- else. The gymnasianf came into being, and MT. Steve Dingle, physical instructor at the New York Athletic Club, took up position in the Bannister household which he was wont to describe to his numerous friends as a soft snap.
 Certainly his hours were not long. Thirty minutes with old MT. Bannister and thirty minutes with MT. Bailey between eight and nine in the morning and his daties we're over for the day. But Steve was conscien- tious and checked any disposition on the part of his two clients to shirk work with firmness which Lora Delane Porter might have enyied.
 Bailey, entering the gymnasium, found Steve already there. Good morning, Din gle," said Bailey precisely.
 Steve nodded. Bailey began to, don his gymnasium costume. Steve gave the ball final punch and turned to him. He inspect ed Bailey with pair of brilliant brown eyes which no detail of his appearance could escape.
 "Youre lookin' kind O sick, bo," was Steve's comment. 'I guess you was hittin' it up with the gang last night in one of them lobster parlors."
 Bailey objected to being addressed as ''bo," and he was annoyed that Steve should have guessed the truth respecting his over night movements. Still more was he an- noyed that Steve's material mind should at tribute to surfeit of lobster pallor that was superinduced by tortured soul.
 q did--ahs-take supper last night, it is true," he said. "But if I am little pale today, that is not the cause. Things have occurred to annoy me intensely"
 "You should worryw advised Steve.
 The heavy medcine-ball struck Bailey in the chest before he could bring up his hands and sent him staggering back. =
 Damn it, Dingle," he gasped. ''Kindly give me warning before you do that sort of thing"
 Steve was delighted. Warning? Nixr he said. "Ain't it just what I been telling you every day for weeks? You gotta be ready always. You see me holding the pei let. You should oughter have been saying +o voursaIf. q pofta keen an eve on that