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