The Coming of Bill

Hope is

look at in the early stages of his career, having a dough-like face almost entirely devoid of nose, a lack-lustre eye, and the general appearance of a poached egg. His immediate circle o

ng over with an absurd pride for which it was not easy to find an outlet. Hitherto a rather reserved man, he was conscious now of a desire to accost perfect strangers in the street and inform them

not missed the old brigade of the studio before, but now the humblest of them would have been welcome, pro

any long talks with Steve on the question of William's future. Steve, as the infant's godfat

stepped into the ring. He was the real White Hope. He advised Kirk to direct William's education on the lines which would insure his being, when the time

short of hair, predicted a less robust and more intellectual future for him. Something more on the lines of

dor who took a few weeks off every now and then in order to defend hi

he bar, and business. But every one was agre

s of the morning; and on these occasions he would almost invariably begin again after he had been officially prono

ter part of his attention being occupied at this period with the important duty of chewing his thumb, he assigned the drudgery of life to his dependa

r white-haired and motherly, passed the studio doors. Life was far too interesting for work. The canvas which m

gone a step further and conjured up the abstract baby. The result had always been to fill him with a firm conviction that the most persuasive of wild horses shoul

him by. He avoided croup, and even whooping-cough paid him but a flying visit hardly worth mentioning. His first tooth gave him a little trouble, but that

the exhibition of his extraordinary qualities to so small an audience. Ruth felt the same; and it was for this

cause of trouble to her; but with William Bannister becoming every day more amazing the desire came to her to try and heal the breach. Her father had so ordered his life in his re

ons that led to Steve

ly the greatest

to the Fifth Avenue house, for John Bannister was still obeying his doctor's orders an

that Ruth in any way regretted the step she had taken, to give the idea that it was a matter of complete indifference to her whether sh

the interests of his country as ambassador at som

ents. It seemed to Ruth that for her father to resist William when he saw him was an impossib

a roughneck, and that the job in question was one which no roughneck, however gifted in the matter of left

ings. His walking was a bit amateurish, and his speech rather hard to follow unless you had the key to it. But nobody could have deni

a conversationalist, perhaps the best description of him is to say that he tried hard. He rarely paused for a word. When in difficulties he said something;

is box of bricks, and his particular favourite, the dying pig, which you blew out and then allowed to collapse with a pleasing noise. These properties had stru

randfather's house. He was a great favourite below stai

parts. It was his chief relaxation to look in at Broadway hotels while some big fight was in progress out West to watch the ticker and assure himself that the man he

ms by backing Steve, and the latter was always given to understand that, as far as the l

and suggested a cigar in the pantry befo

ngle. He's lookin' over some papers

William Bannister, who

ng made much o

said Stev

ot

e no

His gra

lemnity i

g to take him up

u know. That's w

ful temper this morning-he gets worse and w

ed. I've got m

sed to see that quick enough before you retired fro

wheelbarrow, the box of bricks, and the d

m, then there would be a step outside and the old man would enter. The beauty of this, to Steve's mind, was that he himself would be "discovered," as the stage term is;

ifficulty expelled began to return to Steve. This was exactly like having to wait in

am Bannister, who had been working in a pre-occupied way at the dying pig, threw his head back and howled, and would not be comf

have come, when Keggs arrived with the news that Mr. Bannister was too busy

etire, for the old man was one of the few people who inspired in him anything resembli

n see me for a minute.

William Bannister,

t know what an ugly mood he's in. Something's been wor

o do it? I've just got to.

d with the news that Mr. Banniste

"Gimme hold of the excess bag

and Steve who made the entrance. And, as Steve point

nnister were the nucleus of an Old Home Week celebration or two old college chums meeting after long a

the dying pig, and trailing William in his wake. William's grandfather was s

ter's identity in an instant. He had expected something of this sort ever since he had heard of h

yed no s

turned to the secretary again. A fa

the floor, the box of bricks on the wheelbarrow, and the dying pig on th

the eighth-'" said Mr. Banni

by the incisive c

e quiet, Dingle,"

was st

my son, squire,"

whatever relation he

looked helplessly at the White Hope, who, having discar

imitive exhibition of emotions, having moved in circles w

an exaggerated politeness was out of

he did not come immediately to Steve. He remained for a few moments writing, with his back tur

el

nt cry from the direction of the open window stopped him. The W

plained over

ister, unmoved. "Your little nephew appears t

mmons Keggs appeare

out into the avenue and pick up some wooden bricks which he

ve's pent-up nervousness e

me. Why, say, how would he be any relation of a roughneck like me? Come off t

own the room, emitting the while a curious sound, possibly to encourage an imagi

" he

mped, but re

f and starting fair? Miss Ruth would be tickled to death if you would. Can the rough stuff, colonel. I know you think you've been given a raw deal, Kirk chipping in like that and copping off Miss Ruth, but for the love of Mike, what does it matter? You

red, followed by a footm

ister, "telephone for

," cried Steve joyfully.

me down to

s bo

r. Bannister, as h

ir

hat Dingle does not e

athering up the wheelbarrow, the box of bricks, and t

*

h's attempts to con

eeting him on the street, she fairly kidnapped him, driving him into a taxi

with all the strength of powerful lungs. In the end he had to be removed, hiccupping, and Bailey, after lingering a few uneasy moments making conversati

dio with a rather heavy he

had happened was only what she had expected. She