Show WATCH THE CUR I By Richard Hoffmann by h Richard Riehard 1 TOTO 8 CHAPTER I II Il I 1 l Monda Monday LIst Listen eo hi his father saId to land Hal al i Ireland Ireland Ire Ire- In downtown-In the large office off the bank that was all au soft carpets carpet soft f lights i soft paneling and end enough floor- floor space rental to k keep P five Allies families In comfort for a year listen Iye Ive b been n listening sir air said Hal Ual for twenty minutes The Old 1 Man seemed to lo watt walt ft a little We for the slow low draining of humor from Hals Hal's s alert gray eyes Then he said Bald In 10 quiet Irony I dare say EDY youve you've been told about your Jour charm H Never tr b by you Mr sir said Hal Ual with a Taint faint bow checked gently for fear of starting the slow alow heavy heny throb In his bead bend again I dare sa say youve you've been ben told that when you bow that way and let your eyes twinkle youre you're apt to get your our way But Dut I 1 venture to point out what I cant can't convince myself youve you've learned for tor yourself that the business world li is not made up of ot pretty girls or susceptible sus sus- matrons social matrons social or theatrical that the business of the country about which you know nothing Is carried on 00 by m men o who think more of persistence 0 and nd application L. L than thao they do of capac- capac IL ity ILu to 10 u hold noia whiskey or acquaintance with speakeasy proprietors or handicaps handicaps handi handl caps at golf or the Dt lit of white f flan nn- nn nels The San Sao Francisco Job Is open opeo till the first of ot the month month because because they need somebody not because Ive I've asked them to let you coast In 10 on 00 my name Youve You've got your last penny penn from me me- me for transportation or anything else else else- till next quarters quarter's allowance If It you yon want the Job get yourself out there If It you yon dont don't dont Hals Hal's quick mobile face race was set and he be met his fathers father's steady look with bright Impersonal steadiness rather as all asIf asif If he had a peevish disappointing child before him Then he got op up and straightened his good shoulders with with a adeep adeep deep breath That all aln he said all all said ald the Old Moo Man briskly briskly brisk- brisk ly b casual Right said Dal Hal with a practiced clipping of the word Well Well bye bye lie De swung his back on his bis father and walked over the thick carpet to the thedoor door In Ia the silence allence he could feel teel his hll father expecting him to turn there for another word word word-ot of hope or of ot opening So Bo he pulled the door caught the other knob behind him and stepped out leaving tearIng tear leu- Ing only the soft efficient click of ot the latch for comment Dalrymple Dalrmple known downtown as Frederick Irelands Ireland's knife and fork- fork was 1188 waiting outside where he be couldn't be seen from tram the banking floor Bad he be asked Bad said Hal Dal letting his gray eyes light again with their welcoming hu hu- mor Rage making know anything any an- anything thing about seltzer bromo Does It really work f They The sa say so 10 but Ive I've never needed needed need need- ed ed- ed And Im I'm never going to again again- never never never probably How do you get to California on 00 six dollars i Lord Mister Hal lick said Dalrymple Is six dollars all youve you've out youve out of the that cheque Fraid so Hal lIal reached Into an Inside pocket and brought out the zigzag zigzag zig zig- zag ug length of ot the railroad ticket with witha a couple of ot pullman slips pinned to the top Dalrymple looked relieved Oh but youve you've got transportation he be saidOn saidOn said On 00 a train that's now probably simply whooshing through northern Ohio Here Dere take em and If you can get an adjustment credit the Old Mans Man's account with my compliments If It I could could it If you'll let me me- me Hal Ual smiled and his bis eyes ees wrinkled d In Inthe Inthe Inthe the corners Youre a h h I 1 of a 8 nice guy Dimples he said sold but Im I'm so mad mad so so mad for tor the first time Ume In my life Ute that I wouldn't borrow a Confederate Confederate erate nickel 1 from anybody who paid taxes tues In 10 the same ume state with that- that thai with that with my father Cather lie He told me me-If me If you'll believe belle It Dimples he be told me meI I knew nothing about money or life lite or orthis orthis this country or him or myself or modern modern mod mod- ern plumbing or brokers' brokers loans or God God- whatnot knows that's of the most qui qui- to mans man's Importance a young career lie He even een made me rue the simply astounding revelation that I was an only child Had you heard beard that Dimples Dimples Dimples Dim Dim- ples He De sat there and told me but me-but but what the h h l 1 youre you're bus busy And Ive I've got cot to get to the Coast seltzer Kromo couldn't make It any worse wore could It Dalrymple looked worried confused pathetic and he murmured No no helplessly So Hal 1181 patted his bis arm promised to let hire know what happened happened hap hap- and started uptown again It was In the subway that he be remembered remembered remembered re re- the sign they had laughed at last night In the West Vest Forties It remember from tram could It If he was and which place they had bad been going to which other place be would remember remember remember ber ber the street California 33 was the line he recalled among a s list of fares to Chicago Miami Detroit Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Pitts- Pitts destinations which be burgh and other bad no faintest desire to reach grabbing at said There Tony had him go out to the Coast that way with the people see t boy Rub nub elbows land life Ute know your our native nathe Just west of ln in n the for For- 01 hed he'd find it U-d U by ties lIed Hed find It wouldn't borrow a ruin from any lie Ile lend him hod of lifty Je ae half hour buur If ht he next In the IOe money h liu k wept to to 11 ul Ilea I the curly ugly silver sll table dressing set his hll father had bad given ghen him Hed He'd get to the Coast Conat on fifty dollars and teM tell his father what to do with any Insufferable Insufferable able future talks fight that occurred to him CHAPTER II Tuesday Hal's Hals headache was gone next mornIng morn morn- lag Ing but so was so nearly was the warming sense of of triumph In 10 his Inspiration And that went entirely Iy at nt nine o'clock when he walk walked d Into the bare dingy and aDd crowded gora garage office from which decrepit of share share expense travelers trav tray elers were dispatched about the country coun coun- tr try He lie hadn't stopped to think what the mechanics of ot the thing might be but here the possibilities of ot dreariness seemed promptly Infinite Eight July days clays of four hundred miles miles' driving each through countr country reputed to be hotter than outside Forty eighth street already promised to be crowded crowd crowd- ed Into an nn unwashed derelict of a It fine car among a R selection from this as ae assembly of ot desolate If It not actively ely objectionable ob ob- looking people The first rough cartoon of these vistas nearly had him back on 00 the street again to again to telephone Dalrymple for the easy loan that would put him on 00 this afternoons afternoon's Century A decent looking man In a clean shirt looked at him across the shabby i j lei tt R AtIAS a J Jr r i How Far You Going Larsen Larlen Asked Aked Her desk firmly The telephone rang Yes Yea This Is Larsen said the man frowning frown frown- Ing Call me later Im I'm very busy Hal Ual upended his old suitcase against the wall near the door and sat on It Larsen Lanen started pawing over the piles of ot little slips before him Now Now he be said laid twice almost looking up but each time thinking better beller of ot It i. Then suddenly suddenly sud Iud denly You cant can't take that dog Hal Ual looked around for the dog then tip up quickly to examine who It should hould be beIn beIn bein In this place with so 80 smartly bred a fox Ive I've got to take the dog said the girl In 10 soft loft husky almost gravity Hell sit alt In my lap hell he'll be no trou trou- ble Pretty quite pretty Hal Ual saw laW perhaps a little tough surel surely self con the the even solemnity In her large eyes eye aware that unauthorized people were eloe looking at lit her might any minute speak to her and have to be rebuffed But Dut pretty really quite pretty How low far you IOU going r Larson Larsen asked her Los Lol Angeles said the girl steadily Oh Oh said Larsen taren as II If Los Lol Ab Angeles Angele were Just this side of ol New Rochelle It If you IOU keep bits bin In your lour lap all aU allright allright right He Ile turned to the man maD whose crossed logs legs Hat Ilal could see I beyond her ber Does Docs he be bite I I dont don't know said a tIEr lazy careless fOl coke folce e Larsen startled Yon You was 1188 t together together to- to gether r he be said laid No o said laid the man maIl Larsen o looked at her ber she made a I slight alight negative motion with he her head and dropped her eyes to the dog Ij Larsen Lar- Lar r- r sen len fumbled through the slips slip of ot paper stopping to frown at one Youre goIng go- go O- O Ing lag to L. L A A. A he said to the girl Yes Yell she eho said barely looking up to him for foran foran foran an Instant And so are you yon you Larsen Larren said to the man Yes Yel but Im I'm not with her Then who Is said Larsen list Hal Hallet let halt half K It smite smile come loll through his bill mood In ss as 81 he shook his head bead And Larsen Lar- Lar sea lien was saved from further astonishment astonishment astonish astonish- ment by his telephone Into which ht hf said again he was fer very busy loading three seven seven passenger passenger cars for tor Chi and the West hats Hal's eyes kept coming back bark to the girL sh She seemed not to hear what hat was as going on In the room stayed room stayed quietly solemnly sure lure that some one would speak sInk to her Periodically that annoyed Hal Ual and he looked away Then he be would find himself looking at her ln at Y ho the smooth slight alight dip of ol her cheeks under high bones cheek seemed to be pursing her lips a I adding solemnity to fa her wide possess possessed 0 mouth Hello hello said sold Larsen Impatiently Into the telephone Im fer very bUll busy Im I'm loading seven se three-passenger three cars for Chi and Rod the West Larson Larsen was sweating He Ue called suddenly over oer his shoulder as If It taking a desperate ties lIes remedy De Soto Sotol A small cheerful soft eyed man without a I ha hat and looking as ns If it he had Just crawled from under a car came In expectantly Take her bags said Larson Larsen pointing his bis pencil at a n woman and take h her herto herto r to I Dallas allas The ladys lady's shocked disapproval proal of little De Soto lost some of It Its Imperiousness when he grinned at he her eagerly and said Mid Like Ilke a fast ride lady She glared down her pence nci quivering Hope ydo do cause anybody rides with me gets a I fast one Now No v said Iarsen Larsen more happily alIt as al asIf asif if It their disappearance made It ft a family family fam fam- ily party again lint Hut the telephone rang and Larsen began gan his weary piece about Chi ClIl and the West almost before he had lifted the receiver Now that dog dog dog- dogbe be he started again and Hal Ilal saw sawa a sort of quick pride take the girls girl's face tace as she raised her head No that's right Larsen added We Ve settled that We settled seWed about the dog Now Los Lo Angeles Angeles everybody everybody going to Lou Los Angeles An- An geles goes with Jake Miller Miller I he shouted et at the garage door Wheres Miller After Alter an hour Hal flat went across the I baking street for a glass class of ginger ale I When he came back the slight tidy man smoking beside the doorway gave goye him a lazy smile and In 10 a voice that was oddly U unsure sure of pitch said BIller Coin Goan to L. L A. A Ar Af Guess Guus so 10 so said Hal Ual trying to be neither discourteous nor encouraging The trip was going to be bad enough without entering Into relations with anybody Som I said the man AI My names name's Crack Crack Martn Martn Crack Ills eyes seemed dreamily looking for tor the effect of ot this on Hal Dal Hal Ual leaned against the wall facing racing the street and lighted a cigarette Im I'm Imd d d-d d d If It Ill I'll offer otter him m my name Hat Hal said to himself It If he hes he's Interested he heard It In 10 there You any relation to Frederick Ireland Ire ire- land the land the big shot downtown list Hal looked at him with cool amusement amusement amusement amuse amuse- ment In 10 his gray eyes Sure he said be closer Crack gave a slight polite laugh From his bis side aide pocket he drew a bright new golf golt ball baU dropped It to the pavement where It II clicked smartly and leaped up ap to hi his waiting hand again TO DE BE CONTINUED |