The Coming of Bill

Opposi

ailey in. She said that Mrs. Porter was busy with her wri

reposterous woman wished to write! It was the duty of all decent citizens to stop her writing. If it had not

ell her that I must see her at once on a

up against Bailey's grand manner. The maid vanished meekly wit

oudoir. Books lined the walls. The furniture was strong and plain. At the window, on

, ma'am," anno

nt, without looking rou

at down. The gentle squeak

y cou

lled this

rose and waggled itself irri

" spoke Bai

and nothing more. Bailey, outraged, rel

ceeded by the sound of paper vigorously blotted. Then, with startling suddennes

ailey?"

Her eyes had the curious effect of driving

she sa

cellent opening speech whic

ve not come here and ruined my morning's work for t

found h

e Ruth, who, I am in

made her breakfast in b

give

bered the speech he h

y an hour, but it is imperative that I see Ruth and ask her to explain t

not appear to

ould weigh more," she sa

; beside t

ds, and it ought to be over a hundred and sixt

t Lo

el

to see m

it. What did you wis

I will tell you, for I believe you to

el

ut that Ruth has for some time been pay

orter

rk Winfield. She is

. His mouth opened widely. His glasses shot from h

ha

table match in every w

unded to

shouted. "It's ridic

's incr

the same amount of interest which she would have

seen Mr. Winfi

ill have reason

t d

y sat

to his intelligence, I say nothing. I have ceased to expect intelligence in man, and I am grateful fo

ether with a supreme effort a

of course, out of t

hy

t marry a-a nobo

body. He is an extraordin

, if she had wished, cou

ad far too much sense to do any such thing. She has a co

ied Baile

ost men, you care nothing for the future of

th fury at the wor

elementary a subject as the colour

the Andalusian fowl w

h drivel," he said, rising. "

e is," said

She looked, to Bailey, insufferabl

little Bailey here, when he ought to be

" Bailey's demean

uth. "You have been sti

t L

y cou

ut

t know how terrible you

Lora informs me that you are going to marry

rse it'

eath. He gazed coldly

moothed the n

w call upon this Mr. Winfield and thrash

ed up Kirk's address in the telephone-book, an

e opened the door. To George, nowadays, every ring at

field at home?"

Who shall I

ld that Mr. Bannister w

ll you step t

tepped t

*

Kirk, in boxing trunks and a sleeveless vest, was eng

y rested, at the conclusion of their fifth and final round,

across a new brand of simp this morning. Just before I came to you I'm scheduled to show up at one of these Astorb

he throws out a line of talk that would make you wonder if it's safe to let him run around loose. Says his mind's made up;

you think happens then? He thinks hard for a spell, rolls his eyes, and says:

ig I'd phone to an alienist and have myself measured for a stra

d and lit a

up there now. I shan't be ready yet awhile. Then, if this is one of

he bathroom, which, like the bedrooms, opened on to the gallery. Kirk threw hi

nnounced George Pe

nd is far away, between "Mr. Bannister" and "Miss Bannister" is not

ho advanced upon him in a tight-lipped, pop-eyed manner that suggested dislike and hostility. The visitor was a complete

never speculated on any possible family that might be attached to her. To him Ruth was Ruth. He accepted the fact that she was Mrs. Porter's niece. That she might also be somebody's

ively before him, was conscious of a weakening of his determination to inflict bodily chastisement. The truth of Steve's remark

cle for a man intending assault and battery. Bailey decided to confine himself to words. The

Winfi

Banni

s below halted him, and the sound of Bailey's decided him to remain where he was. Steve was no

ar to you. My sister," said Ba

sit down?

ill not detain you

re's no hurry. Will

thank

's manner. So, unseen in the sh

to say in two words, Mr

is quite out of

E

as happened he will forbid it absolutely. Kindly dismiss from your mind entir

with difficulty suppres

ughed r

, Mr. Bannister? Aren't you ta

what

r me, for instance; that I've one chance in a million

futile attempt to hide the kn

tartly. "I know everything. I have just seen my sister, and she

he found his hand

how it is. A fellow falls in love and instantly starts thinking he hasn't a chance on earth. I hadn't a notion she felt that way about me.

ss. Make yourself at home here. Have you breakfasted? George! George! Say, George, I've got to rush away. See that Mr. Bannister ha

case. George Pennicut t

il

cup of hot tea and a rasher of 'am,

m glassily, th

rode to the door and shot into

part, was star

id. "Very good, s

ing for the bathroom in order not to collide with Steve, whom he found waiting fo

rama you've just been starring in. I just couldn't help listening. Say, this mitt's for you. Shake

know her

for every time I've thrown the medicine-ball at her. Why, I'm the guy that gave her that figure of hers.

hook h

y, and vanished into the bathroom. A soun

pon the door. Th

calle

el

o discourage yo

ed and Kirk's

s the

heard what

his f

. It

he gallery, towellin

" he asked, seating

hn D. pretty nearly and about as chummy as a rattlesnake. Were

of the sort

ok before you'd got through aski

. They call you Little Su

ant to make you see this ain't going to be no society walk-over, with the Four Hundred looking on from

ly to the ca

what to t

at's what is interesting me most just now, and, if you're going to

it when you pull something that's got

arab

pped in front of me as if he was wondering what had blown in and whether the Gerry Society would stand for his hitting it. I could see him thinking 'This is too easy' as plain as if he'd said it. And then he took another peek at me, as much as to say, 'Well, let's get it over. Where shall I so

the m

nch! Don't wait for

u m

ll never marry my child!' come back at him by sa

eavens,

else. You don't know o

ut

or-bel

said Kirk. "It can't

t," spoke the clear vo

ish to see M

He's upstairs

ait in th

n the rail. "For Heaven's sake, Steve, go and tal

hat's he

rn, how much you are round the chest, what's your favourite breakfast food.

rs. Porter examining the boxing-glo

he said genially, by

in a moment. He's ge

et stare which made her so intensely di

nd of Mr. Winfi

gether up above. He sent me dow

concluded he

is you

le, m

veloped. You have unusually long

a pretty g

ou an

whi

ist. A

miled b

d many things, but no o

, I'm a h

your

ant

u were?" asked Mrs.

ther kicked, and I quit. All through takin

t you intend to

ay be a rough-neck, but I've got me manne

rter sa

rposes," she said. "I still do not g

ling you? I used

is a m

s and the welters. I was a welter when

tand. You are

e. But mot

ked

e threw a scare into her, and she put a crimp in my career. Made m

ic troubles of yours. And why do you spea

y she seen me blue eye she said: 'That'll be all from you, Steve. You stop it this minute.' So I quit. But gee! It's tough on a fellow to have to sit out of the game and watch a bunch of ch

aid Mrs. Porter thoughtfully. "I have never met

me go five round

s you can tell me if an absurd young man in eye-gl

iley, ma'am. Ba

y nephew, M

with him ev

ley did anything so sensible as to take regu

rtion, ma'am. But say, if he's you

ctly c

w all about t

siness, M

rk and M

r raised h

Has Mr. Winfield ma

's t

told you about my

n like Kirk shooting his head about th

m Ba

ew in here and shouted it all

apartment saying he was going to thrash Mr. Winfield. I cam

n he'd taken a slant at Kirk he thought he

el

are you in f

underst

irk, or are you holding the

ish Mr. Winfield

're

o. It was I who bro

rk upstairs. I been-you didn't happen to read the report of a sc

r, read the sporting sect

at her in h

n you're up against it. Get in the first wallop before the other guy can get himself set for his punch. 'Kirk,' I says, 'don't you wait for old man Bannister to tell you you can't marry Miss Ruth. Marry her before h

such sound sense in a man. You have expressed my view exactly. If I have any influence with Mr. Win

a roughneck. But I fall for Miss Ruth, and there ain't many like Kirk, so I'd like to see t

ter, "but I fancy we mean the same thing. Here come

m," said Steve. "

ered the