Show A L P tm n t at amu JS by clara A crady bert hilliary Hlll iary burst into his friends studio in a state bordering closely on breathlessness phil howard dropped palette and bruf brush h and came fias hastily tily forward great scotts he ejaculated where did you got get next to the togs y hilliary Hill lary flung himself into the near est cst chair r boarding house thieves got into my room some time during the night 1 and carried off almost everything I 1 owned he explained between a vigorous mopping of his heated face mrs sinks binks my landlady rigged me out and advanced me the wherewithal to telegraph home for funds these duds belonged to her husband the late captain bin lea of tho the sarah ann I 1 phil howards mouth twitched you dont look half bal bad Hlll Rill lary iary he began critically now if there was only a trifle less of them but bert waved him back you badent bavent heard all ail he said gloomily my prospective employer has in a letter which I 1 received yesterday set four this afternoon for a personal interview I 1 wont hear from home before tomorrow night and even you will own that my appearance however picturesque it may be is 13 hardly calculated to add to my chances with mr gordon march phil whistled so itly 1 I know something of gordon march A fine fellow democratic and all that immense ly rich too and they say hes got a stunning daughter why not phone asking tor for a postponement of the interview ter view he suggested tentatively telling him ive got no clothes in which to present myself ta queried the victim of circumstances scornfully besides I 1 ought to have mentioned before that mr march sails the day after tomorrow and that I 1 owe my chance to the fact that he discovered amerious ja a serious flaw in the references of the man he had engaged at about the same time he received uncle dav davids ads letter ive pestered my uncle into using his influence and im well vell enough acquainted with the irascible old gent to realize that hell never again raise a finger in my behalf if 1 fall fail to make good phil with more force than grammar ive got to meet gordon march at four this afternoon and youve got to help me do ILI it but remonstrated tho the bewildered phil ive just paid some bills and in consequence am left with but five dollars youre welcome to them but of course fl e dollars wont no five dollars wont buy an outfit broke in the other but youve got an extra suit gult and were about the same saine build he added suggestively sure thing cried ills his friend enthusiastically entering into the spirit of the occasion put me down for a 1 blockhead he strode across lacross the room flung open the door of his ward robe only to fall back with a vexed exclamation cla mation for in the line of clothes their eager eyes encountered nothing except one full dress suit a pair of extra trousers and several fancy vests id forgotten that I 1 sent that suit to the cleaners muttered mutter ed phil con tritely bert groaned you yon missed your calling old man A professorship would have bin more in your line f 1 the other bore the rebuke humbly if ill phone and with that intention he be started toward tho the Ins instrument trumont be sure to take their time and its half past two now objected bert but phils zeal was now fully aroused in his friends behalf and he would brook no obstacles ill go after the suit myself he an bounced triumphantly 1 I can bo be back V in less than half an hour there are some people coming to buy a picture 0 11 he called over his shoulder the elevator buy boy can tell them to await my return when you hear them you can slip into my bedroom the time passed slowly enough and by the time the minute hand had traveled around to three on the clock berts state of mind had become well nigh unendurable then came the sound of voices and admonition occurred to him but to reach the bedroom he would have to pass the other door which some one was even then trying ing he did the only thing that I 1 in n ills his cli chaotic nofle state lie he could think of he dropped town down and wriggled under a nearby couch what a delightful room papa I 1 hope its owner wont dispel the pleasant impression reached the burning ears under the couch the voice was clear and decidedly girlish and the swish of the speakers shirts and her admiring exclamations over the various objects of interest and beauty which adorned phils walls were all plainly audible to the unhappy young man once the girl stepped so that he caught a glimpse through the fringe of the couch cover of a brown hem and a pairoh pretty russet shod feet after an interval that had bad seemed like an hour there was a click like the closing of a watch and the voice of a man well past middle age sald said mr howard must be delayed the elevator boy said he would bo be back in a short time jl believe the message was intended for some one else papa some one who so far at least has failed to come rat I 1 do wish mr howard would hurry for ive quite set my heart on seeing the picture im afraid you are destined to be disappointed my dear five minutes more is all I 1 can spare I 1 cant miss an appointment with robert hilliary at four I 1 the shock sho it almost stunned bert then he reflected grimly on his helplessness to grasp the opportunity which had so strangely sought him out it was only a momentary aberration but is cost him dear for a sneeze which he had been repressing got the better of him there was a sharp exclamation mixed with a feminine shriek and bert emerged to face a badly frightened girl and a red faced and very angry man in a dead silence the two men glared at each other then tho the elder spoke that was a most unfortunate sneeze my man he said sharply 1 I suppose you realize that hiding in a gent lemans room is a serious 1 busi ness liess bert continuing silent lie he added impatiently well what have you to say for yourself nothing curtly you yon wont believe me it I 1 tell you that I 1 had no more intention of robbing those these rooms than you have you do not underrate my credulity returned the other grimly next probably be telling me that you are a friend of the man who owns these rooms bert returned his stern glance with one of assumed indifference you hold the trump and will of course dispose of me as you see fit he said coldly he was reflecting that what the other proposed might after all prove the easiest way out of difficulty if phil would only delay coming a little longer but the girl interposed her bright eyes had not been idle idla and she had seen what her father had tailed failed to see gee that the ridiculous garb and con strained manner did not become the tha young nian man why dont you bet jet him go papa she suggested he does not loob like a thief really and you cant spare the lie time to appear against him tut my dear anniel annie just like a woman because a rogue possesses a pair of speaking eyes ho he must needs bo be innocent wo we would be putting a premium on robbery and acting unfairly toward mr howard besides were we to let the follow fellow go free no much as I 1 hate the fuss im going to call up the nearest police station As he reached for the receiver the telephone bell rang in voluntarily bert stopped stepped forward that call Is for me I 1 think lie he exclaimed but gordon marsh receiver in hand waved him impatiently back bach hello yes this Is howards studio no im not bert whoever he may be that voice sound like berts well why should it I 1 just told you dash the fellow he rattles right on without the least regard to what I 1 say that you met th those abe people and they are not coming here today 7 yes im listening do go on A pause then he addressed his d daughter augh ter howard jt lt appears 6 waiting at the clean cleaners rs tor for a suit which h I 1 gather was by accident delivered to some one else and he declares that it if the young imp his bis own wor words ds my dear back in five minutes he howard will return to his rooms and swap clothes with the fellow bert whom he fondly believes thanks to his hols he Is addressing bert seems to have some sort of appointment that must be kept that into the phone cant afford to face old march in the duds of the lamented captain banks aha I 1 see a light no of course im noti not bert 1 I try to tell you that in the beginning who am I 1 ha ha come home and I 1 tild out goodby hanging up the receiver with with a crash gordon march turned to the astounded I 1 14 bounded bert barti 1 why under the sun you tell me that you tire are robert hillary Hll lary he demanded remanded you ask me my name the young man reminded him coldly his temper was considerably damaged damage das as a result of the ridiculous position in which lie he found himself bert my boy im afraid ivo been acting the part of an officious fool he exclaimed with that ready tact which made him so popular with all c classes I 1 a r ses but own that I 1 was justified somewhat in the suspicions which believe me I 1 heartily regret my daughter I 1 am sure Is delighted to meet the nephew of my oldest friend she hns more discernment than 1 I it appears although tho young youn t man took the ready little hand his reply to miss marahs prettily expressed apology was a trifle stiff if her father fathe noticed lie lid did not show it in his manner im taking my new secretary for granted ho he said beaming on them both and im going to ask you to line dine with us tomorrow evening so that I 1 can explain some of your new duties to you bert hesitated against his will ills his eyes sought the tha young girls face in md something in the blue ones that met anict his so frankly eager dispelled the last remnant of his wounded pride he turned to her father thank you he said simply 1 I will be pleased to arme 1 |