Show I. I I I II I I I I r If j iii In a Hank of Hair Y I f. f 1 r cl Copyright 1907 By Thomas H H. Jc McKee ee MAN tA must live Jive thought De Bracy Ho stood at nt the window Far tear below the A Checkerboard of streets was beginning to be studded by the firc firefly lights of cabs and motors The dull brown of oC the park forced Corce I Into brilliancy b by lights arc-lights was like some country waif wait painted for tor the town In the north the searchlight searchlight search search- I i. i light of or the Albany Alban night boat pushed a moving I luminous finger into the clouds The notes of or a ai street organ canto came to him softened by distance i into melody And there that Annie Laurie Gave Ga me her promise true Ho He smiled with shut shut lips Her mer promise true ho he said I wonder why I think of old times timed to-night to According to the clubs and rooms drawing Oliver Van De Dc Bracy Brac thought little of eld times I and less leas of ot an old name Still SUlI his world recognized i j pt pA p M f A r t 4 I r r vl t b ti t tr r r i r i r 1 I It 1 to tor n 1 a J t t r k y ar r t 4 a r. r s sr r y tr r c cr r ys f f fy y r t y 1 0 7 A l I f 4 4 t t 1 t l r 1 iI i iI I I I f 9 J r 4 AA j 1 t m I I right j ht to live lice without too o close an inquiry as to J how he hEt managed it Gave me mo her r promise true trilled the piano plana 1 Victorian mid poets had such imaginations mused the man at the window Waters light the tho lamps I 1 am expecting a gentleman The Tho room began to glow with Increasing radiance k as lamp after lamp cast its soft clarity upon porcelains porcelains porcelains lains and antI mahoganies Old tapestries commenced to swim out of oC shadows and low tables to tu glitter with silver services and shine with Uh the tho Jeweled confusion of or snuff boxes and mi miniatures Waters said De Do Bracy how row often otten have bave I told you that the highest light should fall on that photograph photograph photo- photo graph cabinet referring to a huge screen folding-screen hel ehl row on row the autographed likenesses of oC aristocrats attested his popularity In the coronation year My 11 best stage property Waters Control your face man I sometimes think I shall shan never Dever mako a valet of ot you sou That's better batter Is that the office calling Hand Band mo me that gown dressing the tho Chinese one Now show the g gentleman in until in-until until ho goes I I-am I am not at tome rome Mr John Williams announced Waters holding back the curtain Th The personality of ot John Williams 1 had screamed from tho columns of or the press for years jears ears in growing ever m menace nace until now its roar roar penetrated every cry home from Irom which like the barons of old he exacted tribute Of Ot what use can mouse be to this lion of Dt achievement De Bracy wondered as he advanced to greet him This thought in a a. different fashion occurred to 1 John Williams as he gazed with a cont contemptuous curiosity curi cur on the tho man roan before him bim Dead generations had taught him to distrust this t typo po The refined I of ot the features deeply deep tanned thrown into reI relief relief re re- re- re I lie lief lief- by tho the crisp blond hair that belied belled the tho mans man's tort forty years yeats by a n. good ten the tall slender figure 1 In 1 its bizarre garb of ot black situ satin splashed by the 1 vivid scarlet and rose pink of ot wonderful Eastern embroideries the hands long slender with the pointed po fingers familiar In to old portrAits made a picture pic plc- ture so foreign to his usual environment that the 1 oJ slight blight confidence which had sent him on his errand disappeared His IUs nod had bad the curtness of ot a business businessman's I mans man's rebuking an polite over clerk Im from Harburger he be said cuttingly So tSo I 1 presume Mr er cr er with a n. glance at the tho card Wilkins I am very sorry but I am afraid fir Mr lr H Harburger has lIas made a mistake I My name 1 Is Williams John Williams John Williams of tho the United Milling What mistake did he make Excuse me said DC De Bracy M My books are full fuU and Mr harburger does not send me enough clients a to Justify my keeping keening any dates open tar him bim Aa As C business man your ou ou will wUl understand JIl my position dr Ir Williams T Tire The e nod and smile of Oliver Van Do Dc Bracy Druy were unmistakably a careless careless t c Young man said the other his eyes narrowing I dont don't make calls cans We can do business I guess guess guess' The younger man flapped open the lid of or a bronze cigarette casket put a paper roll in his teeth and turn turning In his ba bade back on the other othel puffed at the flame of a Roman hearth altar tended by a vestal virgin virginin in bronze That depends he said between purrs puffs On what hat 1 said tho the older man You said said De Bracy Me How Aint m my credit good the ghost of a smile flickering on the adamant of at his eyes Your credit financially Mr Williams does not concern me Mr Harburger is responsible f if he sends you ou Ill be hanged said John Williams r DC Do Bracy smiled and waved wa his hand the hand the g gesture might mean anything Sit down Mr Williams I will explain he said seriously Will you rou smoke No He seated himself himself him him- self in a large chair bending forward and looking Into inlo the others other's eyes with cool directness 1 WATERS HOW MUCH DO I OWE YOU Mr Harburger has doubtless t told ld you he began in a level voice I am a tradesman tradesman-as as you are My business is the breaking of or mt m My clients range from the thc royal families of Europe to members of or corporations like tho the dollar billion-dollar iron trust Now as a business man may I put it 10 lo jou why you why should I with In my books full of or clients If It not as wealthy wealthy fully Cuny as liberal as you put them all aside be because beaus aus you jou ou walk in and say your name is John Williams Because son son John John Williams leaned pointing a finger expressive e of or the manicurists manicurist's ba boh- boh less Jess battle with the e early rb pick axe pick axe though you d ss like a a a. bowery teller fortune youre you're a man and m luH II help a fellow when hes he's stuck The cool gray eyes looked at the hard blue f esTell es Tell me your jour our trouble said Do Bracy The older man produced a case Smoke he in inquired in- in The other tossed his cigarette away d away nd took tooka a cigar I Youve heard of or my son Joe Mr D Bracy Williams continued You know hes he's b hin Ell i trained from his twelfth year jear ear to take my place A t the tho head of tho the United Milling Hes He's a uder In Invented In- In Tented vented the aero brake we wo use on our our stem Ive I've been handing over branch after bran to branc to o him from time to lime time until now he Is llY the head of at the United That is ho was was wl wi a snap of the jaws He never cared for your soviet game None of or our crowd does docs But last summer of Saratoga he met a down broken auto auLo w wi a a. woman in It Chauffeur gone off oft and not com ack acir He tinkered the tho machine and took her lIer home hom Well home ell she's got him Hes He's gone wild over oyer her Ru around RU fell around pouring out money neglecting business Ing her poems Yes sir str the manager of the Unit Milling Think of or It Poems to to- her hair Ive I've s se seem em em Crazy over her hair says sas its it's the most w wc erful edul In the world My God Think of ot talking talking- tAt tut way about a woman And now hes he's fun to her her-a ner a lady that's old enough to have rocked rocked d spanked him and aint straight at that that that-t that eo cancelled by the courts She's one oue o ot 01 Ur ur women Shell She'll take him away from us and t t United Milling She laughs at my wife rife damn 11 lic at at at my mv wife She even laughs at me John me-John John Willi Villi 8 and she's got me dead to rights Its It's s mother That's the tho reason I come to you Mr Bracy racy What is her n A o asked De Dc Bracy Her lIer latest la Is Mrs Blanche Redington Blackburn Blackburn Black Dlack- burn said the the 1 er e manI man I 1 accept yo 0 commission Mr Williams said De Brac Bracy 1 wa saId sad that two real men can get toge to- to ge gc er easy business or scrapping said tho other y producing a cr beck Let me have o a pen The nhe inks ink's dr dry 1 mine Do Bri Br stood watching the curtain that still sun trembles ith the exit of ot his visitor His face taco hard haggar he mouth a cruel scar me j her Ga G promise true trite ho he murmured This time I am armed however dear Blanche The young servant man-servant r re entered Waters said De Bracy how much wages do I owe you 1 The young fellow flushed and looked at his master master master mas mas- ter with a crooked smile of or embarrassment ashmen t. t Theres There's no hurr hurry Mr De Brac Bracy sir he deprecated The amusement showed i in il the De Bracy eyes ejes You Yon never will ill make malee a valet alet Waters he said I owe you jou ou three months' months wages as you jou OU know Dress me and then you may go for the sight You will WUl want ant some mone money pawn this ring Now that wc vc have havea a balance in the bank we can afford to disregard appearances Waters Waters Vaters was a whim of De Bracy's He had picked up rip the bo boy from tram the streets and was repaid by a fl fiery ry gratitude that burned away many a barrier II Williams you saw Oliver Oli said ald young Joe never such hair In your jour our life Jove Jo it fairl fairly seems to be alive e it glo glows s and glitters so It was as three weeks since inc the meeting between John Williams and Oliver Van De Bracy Dracy Through the red flare of the setting s sun n a continuous continuous continuous con con- mass of oC carriages and cars chinked and purred through the Mall Mati The crisp tan tang of oC a December evening was in the air Rh The couple in the racing car swathed scathed in the disguise of their great fur coats were skidding with whirring dash in and out of the streaming streaming streaming stream stream- ing vehicles the younger man one oue sense alert and watchful of or his mechanism while his subconscious self was dreaming To the skilled man of oC the world the winning of the youths youth's affection had been an easy matter As they became intimate howe however howe br r De Bracy saw more clearl clearly the difficulties of or his new cai case e. e The lady was vulnerable the wall of oC her past presented a hundred points of attack altac but at each masked advance advance advance ad ad- vance De Bracy found that Mrs Blackburn had pointed out tho the breach and had posted young Wil Wil- Williams Williams Williams liams on guard The infatuation of the young millionaire had be become become become be- be come so dangerous that the occasion brooked of no delay dela De Bracy derided decided to Join the thc pair for Cor dinner at Claremont towards which they were now motoring motoring motor motor- ing inS Oliver said the bo boy I r am not poetic but rea really b. b her hair seems like the crowning downing glory glor of or my life lICe Jf r Look out for that carriage carnage said ald De Bracy a at a startled exclamation from the machinist perched e- e hind Dont let her halt hall get wound In your steering steerIng steer- steer Ing gear f I Do you know theres there's quite a story about her hair hall continued the man at the wheel She always had but when she was in Europe some years ago she went under the care caie of a n. great specialist specialist specialist who ho kept her shut up in a place In Tyrol six months He tortured her horribly but her ber hair under his treatment became long fand thick and wonderful Just as you'll see it to tonight to But here re we are and plenty of or time for a aj up brush rush up and anda a smoke before she comes By Dy the way Oliver er do you want the car this evening back inthe inthe in m the brougham with Blanche J JAn l An hoar hour later they stood on the piazza plazza watching t the lines of vehicles discharging their occupants who rustled up tho the steps to become part of the evening e spectacle r I Here Her she comes comes Oliver Oli cried young Williams hurrying toward a brougham whose hose big sorrel minced and fretted at the steps Blanche here is Mr De DeBracy DeBracy DeBracy Bracy at last J f Why Oliver said a s get high voice It has been years jears eal and years jears My de dear r Blanche th the the ears l ears for you are but as aa a aday aday aday day and De Bracy racy as Mrs rs Redington Blackburn Blackburn Blackburn Black Black- burn to alight I I told Joe I wante y o 0 meet you jou Joe dear run like a good child and and ee ee if Marie has come I 1 told her to bring some anrce Wavier avier wraps Inquire at the office Joseph disappeared disappear t. t and under De Do Bracy's guidance guidance guidance guid guid- ance Mrs tra trailed led her languid laces to th table whose orchi exuberance proclaimed Joseph devotion de With supple sweep s of or line she sank mt int a n chair and beg stripping her long IonS gloves T watch watch- ing lag the man op site opp site through the fringe of her lashes lashe Oliver said the woman oman we have ha three minute while that bo bot searches for tor a mythical maid W Wp know each otter other I have ha followed your jour our career anyone any any- an one ono who who ho has ead the headlines knows mine You arc not fn to n this this- for lor nothing Tell me what do you jou want What is o r price Is it peace or war war If it 1 I la peace she she r she learned forward the old perfume perlum of iris ills enfolding him her lips just fluttering with the wor word her eyes oyes violet wells of meaning under her ber hair that hair that is a golden city Help me and I II lend Jend you OU the key M My dear Mj dear Blanche said the man easily an years ears ago jears-ago go you led me into hell and left me mc locking the the ate ate You are not to be trusted with keys kejs Bla he e leaned back her lips Ups a painted smile Your r r re dense dence in hell has taught you jou OU to make your our lIvin living Oner ver ver she said Then Then pardon me if r I make It it he answered ng All 11 is fair Cair in two things We failed tailed at t the tM love love let us try war my mr dear Blanche She laughed with an accent like Wee thin glass snapping Im glad to see sec you two t getting on so well well what's what's the joke said Joseph behind them Mr tr DP De Brac Bracy wishes the orchestra to pIa play Annie Laurie Lauric I have so 50 man many amusing recollections connected connected connected con con- with that song she sho laughed Ask them to play it like a dear bo boy said Mrs Redington Blackburn Black Black- burnWell burn Well said Joseph a couple of or hours later we must 1 be e trotting Im I'm so glad I 1 brought you jou people people together again I knew you'd like each other Ive I've never spent a jollier joHler evening e in my life life we we must have a lot of them Blanche Its It's a pity your maid didn't bring you heavier wraps Come Oliver and see seA us to our carriage Yes Oliver said Mrs Blackburn rising I Intend Intend in In- In tend to see a lot Jot oil on you from now on My dear Blanche I shall be always at your heels laughed De Bracy III Mr De Bracy sir Waters laid the flesh brush on the long m marble slab massage-slab let Jet Into the tiled wall De Brae Bracy swathed in toweling like a monk stood on the first step of or his sunken Bunken bath Tho The last few days he had tasted defeat to its drogs dregs The b battle tUe had been decidedly to the lady Never in a life life of or of fighting fighting- and had he been so out-ma- out and out The announcement of the engagement was now imminent I am beaten thought Do Bracy and b by a hank of or hair Mr De Bracy sir said Waters again Yes said that gentleman I took them flowers to the lady at the St. St Agatha yesterday She wasn't in |