The Day of Days

ngle, P. Sybarite decided (fairly enough) that it was, on the whole, mysterious

nking shop-girl save through the action of the obsolescent mellerdrammer or of the ubiquitous moving-picture reel. So much must at least be said for these great educators: they have broken t

might very well be Maria

ably than not, none other than that same Bayard Shaynon who

a valuable clue to this riddle of identity. Promptly he took the hat indoors to find out, investigatin

hout, however, depreciating in utility, needing only brushing and ironing to restore its pristine brilliance; carried neither name nor initials on its lining; and lacked every lea

layed in conventional script the name, Bailey Penfield, with the address, 97 West 45th St

Sybarite mused,

and examined its unmar

g with the wash-pitcher wrapped in, but by no means disguised by, brown paper. Once at the bottom of the stairs, this one expressed amazement in a whisper,

you must've got lo

aid P. Sybar

e's M

e looked surprised. "Isn't

N

s funn

n'd she l

minutes a

topped in her ro

rha

idn't you

ide I wanted to talk to for a mo

n't be five minutes. And knock on Mo

eturned P. Syb

gain Clancey's, then quietly followed as far as the gate, from which point he cut across the southern sidew

eased than otherwise. He was bound to call on Mr. Bailey Penfield and inform that gentleman where he might find his hat. Incidentally he

d a thoroughgoing snubbing, and rather anticipated one, especially if destined to fin

t his unconsciously idiotic behaviour was intrinsically more or less Quixotic, and furt

know more about Mr. Baile

, turned off to the right, and in another moment was at a

An atmospheric accumulation of street debris littered the area flagstones, together with one or two empty and battered ash-cans, in whose shadows an emaciated cat skulked apprehensively. The one th

Number 97 the second time, a taxicab turned in from Sixth Avenue, slid to the curb before that dwelling, and set down a smallish young man dressed in the extreme of fashion-a person of physical characteristics by no means to b

midnight caller to reappear, as baffled as himself. But though he dawdled away a patient five minutes, nothing of

P. Sybarite intensely. And why (he asked himself, with impatience)

wilderment and as empty as the palm of his hand; proving that the young gentleman of fashion had experienced no difficulty in penetrating farther in

nd at the same time he found himself sustaining the intent scrutiny of a pair of inhospitable dark eyes set in

urn the stare with aggressive interest, and to such effec

e was gru

. "I find myself so. And yourself?" he added

do you

ed in the speaker's tone. P.

ld," he returned f

little more than distinguishable, but which to P. Sybarite indicated beyond q

field," he repl

the first, the hostile and suspici

verdict. The man drew back and

arply. "I have his card with this n

ace returned

nes about displaying h

that authentic," he o

kick the door was nullified when, without further delay, it opened to

t at that card," th

erence, P. Sybarite treated himself t

as he could determine, quite untenanted. On the left, a long staircase hugged the wall, with a glow of warm light at its head. To the rear, the ha

ming completely allayed. "Mr. Penfield ain't in just at present, but"-here he g

stiffly, "my business is immediate and p

ically a trace of geniality. "Will you go right on up

hunger transfixed P. Sybarite. He winked fur

. "Just a bit of a snack, eh? Say a caviar

se pride, P. S

nd if I do,

Pete'll take care

P. Sybarite betook himself on the instant, spurred by the de

ature years and heavy body, with a scarlet face and a crumpled, wine-stained shirt-bosom, was slumbering serenely, two-thirds of an extravagant cigar cold between his fingers. In others two young men were confabulating quietly but with a most dissipated air, heads together over a brace of glasses. At a corner service table a negro in a whit

d cheerfully. "It's sho' a

barite, dropping into a cha

to strange gemmun, fust time they comes hyeh, suh; makes 'em feel more at home like. Jus' lemme know what Ah kin do f

ite admitted. "J

s' one lil innercent cockt

st, Pete-if

est a nice cold lil ha'f-pint of Cliquot, Yallah Label?

rmly. "A mere bite and a glas

that th

eturned, and offered the guest a gla

small sip-an instant of lingering delectation-another sip. So only, it is asserted, must the vi

barite had tasted a cock

agm, a sensation of the most warm congratulation began to pervade his famished system: as if (he tho

nd-butter embracing leaves of pale lettuce, a hollow-stemmed glass effervescent with liquid sunlight of a

e medium of its servitor, insis

eeth had gripped a Fa

n into which he had stumbled. He had not needed the sound, sometimes in quieter moments audible from upstairs, of

ange (something over fifty cents; all he had in the world aside from his cherished five dollars), and with an impressive air

s one large room, wholly devoted to some half a dozen games of chance. With but few of these was P. Sybarite familiar; but on information and belief he marked down a far

velvet pile so heavy that it completely muffled the sound of footsteps. The room, indeed, was singularly quiet for one that harboured some two-score players in addition to a full corps of dealers, croupiers, watchers, and waiters. The almost incessant whine of raci

the room was

d him not at all. The wine buzzing in his head, his demeanour, not to mince matters, rakehelly, with an eye alert for the man with the twisted mouth, negligent hands i

enfield was out, persuaded P. Sybarite that this last was neither more nor less than the proprietor of the premises. But this conclusion perturbed, completely unsettling h

asty inferences, he considered tremendousl

dly on one shoulder, a speculative pensiveness informing his eyes, his interest plainly aloof and impersonal. This despite the fact that his emotions of

to going home. With a bored air this prodigal was frittering away five-dollar notes on the colours, the columns, and the dozens: his ill success stupendous, his apparent indifference positively magnifice

ved. Then abruptly lifting his finger to th

pier; and set aside a chocolate-colo

notonously recited: "Nine, red, odd, first dozen." And the b

ased his wager to ten dollars on black-and lost; made it twenty, shifted to red, and lost; dropped back to five-dollar bets for thre

ng three weeks' wages and a third of another week's without turning

P. Sybarite with a thril

rejoicings and even went so far as to start up a couple of bonfires of its own and hang out several strings of Japanese lanterns. In the midst of

d distinctly, with an eff

er's eye and drove the wager home wi

! All he had

ultant shriek of a banshee. Instantaneously (as if an accident had happened in the power

egan his chant

The croupier tossed him a chocolate token. He was conscious that he touched i

l, soul-sickening m

y-five

h stupidly; afraid to touch them, his brain communicated to his hand the impulse to

y-four

s were added

heed its plain and sagacious admonition-very well!-

y embraced the four brown chips, and transferred th

ve, b

bbreviated and, to tell the truth, somewhat nightmarish nap. Aping the manner of one or two other players whom he had observed before this

?" enquired th

h, than

pany of their brethren, two twe

P. Sybarite turned and strolle

your luck holds," In

irly. "I'll go home now before

you," Intelli

ot your original five dollars yet to lose. Be a sport. Don't go

in that," admitte

the end of the salon opposite that at which he had been playing; or how it was that his fingers produced and

new croupier a

all he really wanted. What on earth would he do with all th

d, however, exactly twenty whit

he demanded incredulousl

each," he

ed, politely smoth

so recklessly peppered the lay-out with chips-singly and i

he'd have to go through his

is promise

upon the numbered squares. It landed upon its rim, rolled toward the

ion, at the instant the ivory ball began to sing its song of a sing

" announce

P. Sybarite sw

alongside the winning stake. With unb

last. But I don't like to seem a piker. I'll just make sure of this

ning of his original stack to keep company

bow said excitedly: "I'll be damned if

te stared

that?"

roupier answered:

rite observed to himself; and-"Cash

folded, and pocketed them. While thus engaged he heard the ball spin again. His original

ough," Intelli

ue," P. Sybar

e. He found himself at the foot of the s

the latter; "but he's liabl

ly, after a brief pause-"Mr. Penfi

t your hat before

own of his head, P. Sybarite realised t

wn somewhere upstairs,

it with Pete bef

aps I

tleman and the hospitable Pete, but for whom P. Sybarite would probably never have known

itor seemed, to one unexpectedly fallen heir to the princely fort

ty, "I begin to see that I have d

negro scratc

gemmun gen'ly does change they min's erbo

r, P. Sybarite gave the n

you'll be good enough to give me just one mor

s-s

As if it were so much water-in short,

my

' didn't leaf yo' hat wif me, suh; yo' do

red P. Syba

sitated, turned back, and

his right foot, "I wish y

s-s

off my

gentleman's complete seriousness, the negro plumped

hoe," observed P.

riginal five-dollar note into t

aboriously to Pete; "as I certainly shall i

why yo' sho'd tek enny mo' chances ef yo' don't wantuh," he added

r," P. Sybarite re