Torchy, Private Sec.

of usefulness was in providin' something to hang a pair of shell-rimmed glasses on, and givin' Marjorie Ellins the right to change her

' aimless through the arcade, sort of caromin' round and round, bein' bum

he elbow and swingin' him out of the line of traf

it?" says he, sighin' relieved.

wish it on the candy-counter queen over there and see what would happen; but the simple way

North exit, did you say?

e right! Hep, hep, hep-parade rest-here you are! A

e, peelin' off one of his chamois gloves, "I'

"it's lucky you ran into me, ai

was expectin' a young gent as guest about then. The answer they got back was, "Bring him along, for the love of Mike!" or words to that effect. Then they'd debated the question some more. Meanwhile the young gent had canceled his date, and t

t's my long suit. Take this: 'Regret very much unable to accept your kind invita

t arm and chewin' the penholder thoughtful, "but Marjorie'll

"She'll get over it. Who

, "the Pulsife

t the Adam K.'s p

'd had a bulletin from a very special and particular party, sayin' how she'd be there for a week, while Aunty was in the Berkshires. And up to

of Marjorie's are to be

en that's diff'rent. Yo

he, "only a mo

ie grumpin' around for the next week, do you,

the picture forms on the screen.

, how's this, 'Have at last arranged thing

cts Ferdie. "Marjorie always watche

n before you l

to, though," says Ferdie. "I'm sure

ys I. "Ah, show some cla

hen, you know, they'll be expectin

over that," says I. "You di

says Ferd

s I, "I'll sub for him. Guess you

e proposition percolates thro

hance. Here, sign your name to that; then we'll

ie was some set back herself when I springs the scheme. But she's a good sport, Marjorie is

home overnight for an age. And Edna Pulsifer's such a dear, even if her fathe

was still dazed. And anyh

s. They date back to about the last Broadway horse-car period, I understand, when old Adam K. begun to ship his Cherryola dope in thousand-case lots. Now, you know, it's all handled for him by th

s of throwin' Cherryola at her. And as far as an establishment goes, Cedarholm is the real thing. Gave

seats, and the cozy corner nooks. "If Vee and I can't get togethe

hin, hollow-eyed dame, Mrs. Pulsifer is, with gray hair and a smooth, easy voice. Miss Edna must take more after her Pa; for she's filled out better, and while she ain't what you'd call mug-mapped, she has one of these

hint I gets of her bein' there was hearin' a ripply laugh at the far end of the hallway wh

om I drifts downstairs and out on the lawn where I'd be some conspicuous. Course I wa'n't suggestin' anything, but if somebod

a nap before dinner," say

ing as that possible with those three

n together for some t

says Ferdie. "A man in

rickin' up my e

interested in for a couple of years. Her father put a stop to it once; kept her in Munich for ten months

ute name too-had been writin' her letters all the time from out West, how he'd been seized with a sudden fit, wired on that he must see her once more, and had rush

na that he means to try it once more, no matter

otions, eh?" says I. "What does Pa

oesn't know. No one dares tell him a word.

e of these fam'ly

seems Pa Pulsifer was the limit. So long as things went his way he was a prince,-right there with the jolly haw-haw, fond of callin' wifey pet names before s

, "that nothing of that sor

What I wanted was peace, and plenty o

but he was glad to see all of us. He patted Marjorie on the cheek, pinched Vee by the ear, and slapped Ferdie on the back so hearty he near knocked the breath out of him. So far as our genial host could make it, it was a gay and festive scene. Best of all too, I'd be

wlin' out into the dark. "N

mething in the kitchen, Dear,"

, it wasn't in the kitchen at all, and if you

a bread stick, and Ferdie has let his fork clatter to the floor. Ma Pu

, "let me go. They want

and goes on with the tale, while Mother slips out quiet. She comes back after a while, spring

a short cut across the gr

pass. I had a hunch, though, that Mrs. Pulsifer hadn't told all. I caught a glance between her and Edna, and

n served in the lib'ry and Pa Pulsifer was fittin' h

Maybe it was my play to stick it out with Ferdie and the old boy, but I couldn't see any percentage in that, with Vee gone; so I wanders casual into

"It's you, is it,

hushin' abo

l!" puffs Marjori

lkey guy

she. "But-but ho

ck," says I. "Was it Gilkey made his

ey had him in the kitchen, patchin' him up now, and they was all scared st

th all you women out here. Your game is t

ight," says Marjori

s, and the butler, all tryin' to bandage him in diff'rent spots. He's a big, gawky-lookin' young gent, with a thick crop of pale hair and a solemn, serious loo

't do it!"

nce how nervous I am,

m walking out here, do

ched together panicky and

to the getaway," says

I'm not sure I wish to go away.

ue idea of yours too, roll

ould hear voices in the dining-room; but I couldn't quite look in. There was a little shed o

to practice roostin' in the dark. Say, the old man

f Mr. Pulsifer, no

" says I. "T

goin' to be driven off that way.

case with both of y

s it! It's not her money I'm after, either. We don't want

he case stood, with Edna longin' for him, and him yearnin' for Edna, why shouldn't they? If I'm any judge, Edna wouldn't f

look Father between the eyes, and hand that line o

advised him to jump off the roof.

ed my advice, did he? Well, say, I

u're licked. That's the big trouble with most of us,-bein' limp in the spine. We're afraid of our jobs, afraid of what the neighbors will say, afraid of our stomachs, afraid of to-morrow. And here you are, prowlin' around on the outs

thing to a head somehow. Made Gilkey squirm in his chair too. He begins

ays he. "I-I think I will g

t?" says

e, pushin' throug

' after him. "Better let m

ys Gilkey; "only le

y, where they're all makin' a stab at bein' c

ere's a young gent wants a f

glarin' about suspicious at the

"it's--" But th

a, makin' a wild grab a

in in the middle of his forehead swells threatenin

. "How did you g

" says Gilkey. "I cam

can't tell me anything, not a word, you-you good-for-nothing young scoundrel!

s Gilkey up and down, threatens him with all kinds of things, from arrest to sudden death, and gets purple in the face do

ou that Edna and I are engaged, and that

t as fierce as the first; but it don't last so long, and to

. "Get out of my

ks in Gilkey, "be

out!" bello

t quiet and matter of fact. "You couldn't

down his temper and get his wind again. Then he advances a

you-ge

ee Edna. I've had no dinner eit

. He'd made his grand roarin' lion play, which had always scared the tar out of his folks, and he'd responded to an enc

oldin' out a hand to her. "L

ps Pa Pulsifer, makin'

Gilkey, turnin' away

Gilkey, that Pa Pulsifer was beat. I stayed long enough to see him slump into an easy-chair, his under lip limp and a puzzled look in his eyes, like he was tryin' to figure out just what

ice things they could drag from the icebox. Then Mother Pulsifer patted him on

fer's openin' as we drifts back tow

and the matches. There! Now for the surprise. Our young people have decide

fecto goin' nicely, blows a couple of smoke rings up towa

down a church aisle,

the hair back over his ears soothin'; "so they've agre

he. "It's lu

in' to believe too how some of that dope I fed to Herbert must have been straight goods. Vee in

ays she: "standing up to Mr.

he give me a few lessons, in case I s

see if he'd gone and hear you putting him up to all th

ays I. "Place the lau

me a reprovin' pat. "Besid

and maybe accounts for our sudden break when Marjo

ay not look it, Ferdie i

E REASONS I TURNED T