Bunker Bean

fect physical development. And the effect produced so improves his form that he unconsciously strives to at

beggar's rags few men could be more than beggars. In kingly robes, most men could be kin

e in hand. Invisible were these trappings, to be sure; he was still no marked man in a city street. But at least they were there to his own truth-lit eyes

without slight tremors of self-consciousness; but by such they were-a most prodigious thought-to be regarded as one's paid employees; within the law one might even greet them pleasantly in passing, and be answered civilly. Bean was now equal to approachin

e latter was not less difficult of realization than his kingship. He had thought little about money, save at destitute moments; had dreamed of riches as a vague, rather pleasant and not important possibility. But kings w

r, suspended at sight of the astounding enclosure. He had begun that letter a harried and

ng to accept them. The balance I will pay when I have sold the house and furnishings, as with my dearest husband gone I no longer have any incentive to keep on working. I am tired. It is a good safe stock paying 4? per cent. and I would advise you to keep it and also put the Ins. money into the same stock. A very nice man in the Life Ins. office said it ought to pay more if the business was better managed. If you turned your talents to the express business you might learn to manage it yourself

ction

t Cl

rained hard

r advice, though being a director of an express company seemed as unexciting as it was doubtless respectable: what he had at times been wild enough to dream was that he should be the principal owner of a maj

clear sighted enough as to the pulchritude of his present encasement; but with the eyes of the young

e stately mansi

ing on the Gordon Dane order, he suspected. And it was not too soon to begin laying those unseen foundations-to think the thought that must come before the th

tered. His sarcasm to Bulger in the matter of that ten-dollar loan was biting, ruthless, witty, invariably leaving the debtor in dire

ve good in him. Nevertheless, in this silent way, he curtly apprised Breede of his intentions about working beyond stipulated hours, and

a king, two bullies, who writhed in pain, each with a broken arm, while the slight but muscular youth with a knowledge of jiu-jitsu walked coolly off, flecking dust from one of his capable shoulders. Sometimes he paused long enough to explain the affair, in a few dignified words, to an admiring policeman who found it difficult to believ

he matter of the overdue debt. He felt that he had really been too hard on the fellow. And Bulger, who must have been psychically gifted himself, came over from his typewriter at that moment and borrowed an additional five without difficulty. In later justification, Bean reflected that he would almost certainly have r

en resting-place. Suppose the professor pleaded unexpected outlays, officials not too easily bribed or something, and demanded a further sum? At once, in a crowded street, he brought about a heated interview with the professor, in which the seer was told that a bargain was a bargain, and that if he had thought Bean was a man to stand nonsense of any sort h

hich was greatly superior to buying the shares outright: you received a great many more shares for a given sum. Therefore he would buy thus, and the sooner be a director. He liked to think of that position in his moments of lesser exaltation

n the day he learned that he controlled a very large number of the shares of the Federal Express Company. He forgot how many, but he knew it was a number

as the

al store and paid the last installment of Napoleon's ransom. The creature greeted him joyously as of yore throu

been made to come true. For the first time he w

elightedly upon him. "We've been friends a long time

his. He seemed to be saying: "Hurry! Let's get ou

e fellow. He advised Bean to call him "Nap." "Napo

your life! He been a gompanion unt partner in full with that great American train-robber, Chessie Cham

eel blamable for the shortcomings of Napoleon I, but i

ed dog on a leash, he was prouder than

submitted to his view, occupying himself chiefly with observing the effect of his dog on the various janitors. Some were frankly hostile; some covertly so. Some di

e he exposed to Bean the circumstances under which one steam-heated apartment, suitable for light housekeeping, chanced to be vacant. The parties, it appeared, was givin' a Dutch lunch to a gang of their friends at 5 A.M. of a morning, and that was bad enough in a place that was well kep' up; but in the sicin' place t

nd shield to the dog, in his absence. Cassidy would love him. The dog, on his spread forefeet, touched his chest

you, now!" But each word was a care

ecy that in any bench show he would make them all look like mutts. He received a gratuity of fifty cents in addition to the outrageous fee he demande

ble for a king in abeyance. There was a bedroom, a parlour, an alcove off the latter that Cassidy said was the libr'y an'

at he was looking for, losing himself in an abstracted and fruitless survey of the walls. He must buy things to hang on the walls, especially over certai

e but ill-advised bric-a-brac; and one that wisely contented itself with "a few good etchings." He bought a few good etchings at a department store for $1.97 each, and felt irreproachable. And when he had arranged his

irst great people of the ancient world. He devoured the fruit of the lotus, the tamarisk, the pomegranate, and held cats to be sacred. (Funny, that feeling he had always had about cats-afraid of them even in childhood-it had su

rs, psychologists, grave students all, who were constantly finding new and wonderful mediums, and achieving communication with the disembodied. He could tell them a

ome, while Nap, unregarded, wrenched away one of his slippers and pretended to find i

at his country place by the same malady that Bulger had once so crudely diagnos

eady betraying for the Cassidys a greater fondness than the circumstances justified; and it meant an absence from town at the very time when the secret agents might happen alon

ed Tully, who had conveyed the order to

lowed him

warned Bulger. "'F I was the old

s she?" de

ther, that's all! Talk you t

he little double-nod and regarded him with that peculiar steely kindness he so well remembered. It was undoubtedly kind, t

ded the flapper,

re to go for

tol

ore right out at his own mother this morning, and he wants

ed the steam-heated apartment without adventure, however, and he quickly secured his suit-case and consigned the dog for an uncertain period to a Cassidy, who w

Indignant Pedestrian," only it would be too late. He was being volleyed at the rate of thirty-five miles an hour into the presence of a man who had that morning sworn at his mother

ll right to look at, he thought, had pretty hands and "all that"-she had stripped off her gloves when they reached the open country-and she didn't talk, which was what he most feared in her sex. H

ry brakes to the car with feet and hands and taut nerves. The puppy escaping death by an inch, trotted back

against the l

ld you?

motors,

Of co

brought a li

r dogs?" aske

s seemed to mean more. "I've got

, the white road flickere

he movement?" demand

" he

ted to know that. So m

ing to look enlightened when told the

he Movement-t

!" He remembered the badge on her jacket, a

Washington Square. If she wasn't so old we'd both run over to

shudd

ue cloth with a gold star for every state that has ra

to vote some ward-heeler would challenge you and you'd like as not be hauled off to the lock-up.

omised the flapper. "We have to ta

h its tangle of wrought iron and gilt, and at a decorously reduced speed crinkle

eede, with half a g

side for them, looking at Bean as they passed. One could read her look

o difference who!" explained th

ughed u

ter, and I love her, b

ecating sounds

apper as they descended upon the granite steps. "I forgot to tell th

and preceded him

" called the f

l sheerly away to the bank of a lordly river, and beyond rose other hills that shimmered in the haze. A light

ance with stip'lations inform'ly made at conf'rence held las' Janwary will not'fy you 'n due time 'f change is made yours very truly have some lunch brought here 'n a minute may haf' t' stay three four days t'll this Whoo! damn foot gets well take letter H.J. Hobbs secon' 'sistant

marvellously drooping eyes. He had recognized her at once as the ideal person with whom to be wrecked on a desert island. A flirt, and engaged, too, was she? No matter. He wrecked himself with her, and they lived on mussels and edible roots and berries, and some canned stuff from the ship, and he built a hut of "native thatch," and found a deposit of rubies,

mbered a quarter of the delightful contingencies that arise when the right man and woman are wrecked on an island, but he looked up from his plate to find Breede rega

e mean by looking at him that way? There was something ominous about it. He had to admit that in some occult way she benumbed h

e was surcea

out 'n' 'muse yourself when you get time," he added hospitably. "Now I got to hobble to my r

e door, but the hall was vacant. Breede grunted and began his progress. It

d by savages from another island, and he would fight them off with the rifles he had salvaged from the ship. She would reload the weapons

oor and it opened before he co

nd walked to the window, as if she foun

e sat in her father's chair and fastened the old look of implacable kindness upon

n it opened before he could call. A shrewd-looking, rather tr

b you," she said, an

randmother," sa

he old lady in commanding tones, when Bean had ac

r dress, and joined with the flapper in her survey of

nd, voting, smashing windows, leading her innocent young grandchild into the same reckless life. Nice thing, that! He was not sur

nished the last letter, but they sat on,

ugh!" proclaim

Grandma, as Bean arose ne

make it appear that

'm-twenty-thre

ovingly, as if this were

vicious

ous, and yet leave much to be inferred regarding

mo

N

ri

wondered if she wou

ealth? Ever b

. I had lumbago w

races, go around raising cain wit

e. He wanted to add: "And I don't go round voting and b

y at a thread of smoke that ascended from her cigarette. She seemed to be wondering whether or not she

window. He thought he was freed, but at the

you done? Haven't y

aited for

said the flapper. "Isn't

an. "Yes, yes, yes,