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Show mm. ff ! fWMs Glwiftwtaf . 'rrtartha Banninq Thomas DUNCAN DEE woke, grunted and relaxed once more Into a morning morn-ing nap. Somewhere in his mind were two ideas. One was of complete com-plete satisfaction after an enjoyable two days In New York. The second pricked at him uncomfortably. Something Some-thing he should remember, but couldn't, j Oh . . . well! He sank gently lack into full slumber. i j At eleven o'clock, after breakfast In : the house of his friends where he was . ! staying, he became electrified. He had forgotten something. Something very important. A Christmas night dlnner-1 dlnner-1 dance that-evening. He had been in-! in-! viled by Rosamond Tone, a girl' he was quite, mad about. How could he have forgotten? . It seemed Impossible:' But Rosamond had telephoned him two evenings ago, exactly one minute before be-fore a hasty departure for. New York. He had been delighted, charmed to take her. ' Then ... that long freezing ride . ... . finding a place to stay which did not cost too much, dressing, getting to a late party which was big and brisk, and went on and on I until morning and breakfast. Then a ! few scant hours of sleep, another afternoon after-noon party outside the city ... a j sleet storm, and the sensible decision that he would not drive back in town for his evening clothes . . . but keep on going to the second Informal engagement for the evening - ... a hundred and thirty miles in another direction, where he would stay all night. So, here he was at eleven the next morning, a hundred and thirty miles from his evening clothes . . . . and due in a few ..hours at a party forty miles In quite an opposite direction. This was the manner In which Duncan was wont to spread out his week-ends. Bedlam raged in his brain. It wasn't the party so much; it was the girl. Rosamond Tone was more than lovely she was loveatle. She was also the daughter of old Taurus Tone, the head of the company In which Duncan held a responsible" but not Impressive position. And there was that guy named Frank Nester. He, too, held a responsible but not Impressive position In the same place. He, too; loved Rosamond, or at least paid her conspicuous attention. Mr. Tone glared at both of them. It was old Taurus' way ; and you could like It or leave It. No one wished to leave it, certainly not Duncan Dee nor that Frank Nester fellow. At noon Duncan called up Rosamond Rosa-mond long-distance, to assure her he had not forgotten and would be there. Immediately then he began scouring the town for dress clothes! All the people peo-ple he knew were going to dances that night. They needed their own. He began be-gan to feel silly and a little sick. But he contrived In the course of three hours to collect one pair of dress-suspenders, a white tie, and proper waistcoat waist-coat Another hour yielded a dress-shirt dress-shirt and pair of trousers. This was sheer triumph of personality. Somebody Some-body let him have studs and a collar. He'd have to wear his ordinary black shoes and socks. He still required a coat. He could not get a coat ! Duncan went to the dinner dance. He looked exceptionally happy and well groomed. Frank Nester was there. He also looked well groomed but far from happy. Rosamond, If not unkind, had been frugal In giving dances to him. Old Taurus was there, snorting and : suspicious. Once he grabbed Duncan's I elbow. "See here, young man," he j growled, "that coat of yours looks i darned familiar, and a little large. Could It, by any chance, be one of mine?" j "Yes, sir!" said Duncan, looking ltosa-i ltosa-i mond's father straight in the eye. That ' was the best way with old Taurus. ! "My own Is In New York. I collected all the other things from friends. I came anyway. And Rosamond . . ." "I thought so!" Taurus glared at j him. "Well, It appears you have i-our-j age, and that you keep your wits about you. It should he!; you Cet ! along. Report to me tomorrow iimru ! Ing. We'll talk over that . . . -er . . . opening I mentioned." ' "Oh, sir . . . I'll tell R,.-.im.ii,d j rigj.it away." You'll do no such thing!" Taurus roared. But Duncan told her. Rosamond said she had already selected a sweet apartment and an egg-beater, "In case you asked me, you know." Duncan kissed her and stated he must be very careful not to spill anything any-thing on her father's coat . . . and they kissed again. . Western Kewps.pr Union. |