Torchy, Private Sec.

y young plute friend of Mr. Robert's, that I'm tryin' to entertain, camped in the private offi

see Mr. Robert

s still ou

ut then he asks if Mr. Ferdinand isn't

rother-in-law Ferdie, you know. W

k," says Vincent,

in't. "Must be some fam'ly friend, though," I goes on.

mild and foolish through 'em, same as Ferdie does, stares through his sort of peevish. He's a pale-haired, sharp-faced, undersized young gent too,

the swing chair and doin' my b

then?" he demands, gl

a month, though, as a rule, and as it's been three wee

. "But he was to meet me

rdie, you can gamble that he'll be an ho

"You needn't bother. I fancy I kno

ther me a bit. If you think Ferdie's liable to rem

an hour, anywa

amilton," says I. "Friend of Mr. R

es Nutt take a closer look. A second later a

ays he. "It's S

jabbed with a pin. He flushes up too, and h

be called that,

you know, up at the camp summer before

ares out Blair. "I-I'd asked them not

tantalizin'. "My error. I take

p bantam like and glarin' through his student panes; while Nutt Hamilton, who'd make three of

. His idea of a perfectly good joke is to call up a bald-headed waiter at the club and crack a soft-boiled egg on his White Way, or balance a water cooler on top of a door so that the first party to walk un

d still less for Hamilton. But Nutt seems to get a lot of satisfaction in keepin' him stirred up, winkin' now and then a

is your specialty? You do so

ys Blair.

utt. "You play the

says Blair. "Sorry I can't reci

this spring I'm-say, Sukey,-I beg your pardon, Hiscock,-but you ought to come along with us. Do you good. Put some meat on your bone

"You know very well I'd be

"we'd stack you up ag

I should be afra

says Hamilto

inctive dread of all big beasts. Smile, if you like. But all truly civilized persons feel the same. I'm not a cave man, you know.

me, I hope?

nk I'll not wait for Ferdinand any longer. Tell him I was h

amilton. "Why, when we were up in the

ils in, and Nutt breaks off the account. He'd spieled along for half an ho

" and he hands me one of Marjorie's cards with a date and "M

on, "that a certain young la

"Much obliged. In that case I'm strong fo

Mr. Robert, "a friend of F

ey!" breaks in Nutt. "B

be nothing formal, you know: only Marjorie is bringin

his knee enthusiastic. "Couldn't

though, that you were passionately fond of violin m

"What I want is a fair whack a

t shakes

ou'll love Sukey! If he doesn't hand you something peppery before you've known him ten minutes, then I'm mistaken. Know what he us

ulders. "Quite her own af

ted, snobbish little whelp that it makes you ache to cuff him. Couldn't, of course. Why, he'll begin sniveling

's friends, such as Verona Hemmingway and-er-Torchy here,

a choke-bore, or knock over a buck deer with a rifle. Plays billiards like a wizard, Joey does, and can swat a golf ball off the tee for two hundred yards. She's a st

t with any great enthusiasm, Mr. Hamilton don't seem a bit discouraged. In fact, just b

e, poundin' Mr. Robert o

ely to recover from?

nd see! And the first chance you get

shoppin' district, trailin' a friend with her; a stranger too. First off, from a hasty glimpse at the hard-boiled lid and the man's collar and the loose-fittin' top coat,

boys and draw three to a pair. Built substantial and heavy, Joey was, but not lumpy, like Marjorie. She swings in swaggery, gives M

e heard of you. Torchy, eh?

I was baptized w

"I like that. Torchy!

on Rambler," says I, "b

u're all right, Torchy," says

em's the ones that always seem to hang longest on the branch. You've noticed? Take Joey now,-well along towards thirty, so I finds out later, but still untagged

has to say to one another durin' the half-hour we managed to slip over on Aunty don't matter. Vee was supposed to be arrangin' s

if I was a New Haven director. Joey Billings floats in too. And I got to admit that in an evenin' gown she ain't such a worse looker. Course her jaw

important as if he was Big Bill Edwards. First off he has to have the piano turned the other way. Then, when he goes to

out?" says he. "I detest he

won't feel a draught. After that he has the usual battle with his violin strings, while the audie

a violin! Zowie! He could just naturally make it sing, with weeps and laughs, and moans and giggles, and groans and cusswords, all strung along a jumpy, jerky little air that sort of played hide and seek with itself. Music? I should quive

hin' as anything Farrar or Gluck could put over. He's just wind

Woof-

shuffled about as good an imitation of a black bear as you'd want to see; a big, bulky bear, all complete, even to the dishpan paws and the wi

n he must have caught on from the folks in front that something was u

e you'll sometimes make in your sleep, after a late welsh rabbit. I didn't think he could

hind legs until it tops Blair by two feet, a

t. He sets his jaw, tosses his violin on a chair, grabs

breathes husky. "I don't

w of chairs, and we sees Joey Billings makin' a clutch at the bear's head. It came off too,

squerade trick! And anyone else would have had better

eginnin' to trickle down his nose. "You-you've no right to interfe

ttin' worse. So she just tucks him under one arm, claps a hand over his mouth, and lugs him

the next few minutes; Mr. Robert and Marjorie and others tryin' to tell Hamilto

trying to have a bit of fun with the l

ther a backwoods barroom nor a hunting camp, and

bbed off, and he's got some of his color back; but he's stil

traveling around with trained nurses and three or four relatives to wait on me and humor my whims. Even when I was studying music abroad it was that way. And I suppose I'm not really strong now. So I couldn't help being afraid. But I don't want your sympathy. You need not scold Hamilton any more, either. He can't help being a big b

tin' remarks got through Nutt Hamilton's thick hide. He shu

hes me on the arm. "We can't do anything with her," s

ything with

the library, and we can't

t! Joey?

on a couch with her shoulders heavin'. S

says I. "Why t

. "Torchy!" says she between so

who?"

-what he said hurt. He-he called me a meddlesome old maid. It was something I

says I

n. "I'm just Joey to them, out for a good time. I'll always be Joey, I supp

lances over at Vee puzzled, and Vee shrugs her

oey!" s

" says I, "about

y he doesn't k

time he d

ook that tingles clear down to my toes. "

h!" s

is precious violin an

you think you're the only one whose

s at me

me. But there's someone in the lib'ry you could sooth

pop-eyed. "You-you don

d--" But he's off on the run, with a queer, eager look on his

come out. Mr. Robert didn't have much to report next mornin', e

errand when I discovers Blair waitin' in the front room. He greets me real cordial and friendly,

rabbin' her by the arm impetuous. "Come along. I'm going

ughs Joey, pattin' hi

taire and wilt-thou line. Some cross-mated pair they'

side partner, Sukey needn't do