OCR Text |
Show ! 8YN0PSIS. Howard Jeffriea, bankf-r'8 son, tin'lftr tho lnllu,-n-e of Robert Underwood, fftllow-Btudt-nt at Y'ilo, leads a life of dissipation. rnarrlt-.s Uio daut,'titt;r of a RLiiiiol.tr who dlrd in prison, and la disowned dis-owned by Ida fiUiior. He IrU-.s to get work nd falls. A former collt-Ko chum makes a nio.iness proposition to Howard which fuiulrpa cash, and Howard is broke. Kotjrt lnd rwood, wiio had been reputed re-puted by Howard'9 wife, Annie, in hla coijee days, and had once been engaged lo Ailcla, Howurdn stepmuther, has arKtrt tnents at the Astrurla, and is apparently ap-parently in prosperous circumstances. Howard recalls a Sr.O loan to Underwood, that remains unpaid, and decides to ask Idm for tile J.iiCvO he needs. Underwood, taking ndvantiiKe of his lntlmaey with Mrs. Jeffries, Sr., becomes a Bort of social ntKhwayman. Discovering his true char-ctor char-ctor stie denies him the house. Alicia receives a note from Underwood, threatening threat-ening suicide. She decides to ffo and see tilm. He is in desperate financial straits. Art dealers for whom he has been acting as commissioner, demand an accounting. He cannot make good. Howard Jeffries calls in an intoxicated condition. He asks Underwood for $2,000. CHAPTER VI. Continued. He helped himself to another drink, tils hand shaking so that he could baldly hold the decanter. He was fast, approivhlng the state of complete Intoxication. Underwood made no attempt at-tempt to Interfere. Why should he' care If the young fool made a sot of himself? The sooner he drank himself him-self Insensible the quicker he would got rid of him. "'No, Howard," he said; "you'd never make a decent member of society." 1 "P'raps not," hiccoughed Howard. "How does Annie take her social osl racism?" inquired Underwood. 'Like a brick. She's a tborough-br. tborough-br. d. all right. She's all to the good." "All the same. I'm sorry 1 ever introduced in-troduced you 'to 'her," rer-lied Underwood Under-wood "I never thought you'd mako such a fool of yourself as to marry " Howard shook his head in a maudlin maud-lin manner, as he replied: "1 don't know whether I made a fool of myself or not, but she's all right. She's got In her the makings of a great woman very crude, but still the makings. The only thing J object to Is, she insists on going back to work, just as if I'd permit such a thing. Do you know what 1 said on our wedding day? 'Mrs. Howard Jeff-f!es, Jeff-f!es, you are entering one of the oldest old-est families in America. Nature has fitted you for social leadership. You'll be petted, pampered member of that select few called the "400," ' and now. damn It all, how can I ask her to go back to work? But if you'll let me have that J2.000 " By this time Howard was beginning io get drowsy. Lying back on the sofa, he proceeded to make himself comfortable. "Two thousand dollars!" laughed Cuderwood. "Why, man, I'm In debt op to my eyes." Aa far as his condition enabled him, Howard gave a start of surprise. "Hard up!" he exclaimed. Pointing round the room, he said: "What's all thia a bluff?" . Underwood nodded. "A bluff, that's It Not a picture, cot a vase, not a stick belongs to ma. You'll have to go to your father." fa-ther." "Never," said Howard despondently. The suggestion was evidently too much for him, because he stretched out his hand for his whisky glass. "Father's "Fa-ther's done with me," be said dolefully. dole-fully. "He'll relent," suggested Underwood. Under-wood. Howard shook his head drowsily. Touching his brow, he said: "Too much brains, too much up here." Placing his hand on his heart, he went on: "Too little down here. Once he gets an Idea, he never lets It go, he holds on. Obstinate. One idea stick to it. Gee, but I've made mess of things, haven't I?" Underwood looked at him with contempt. con-tempt. "You've made a mess of your life." bo said bitterly, "yet you've bad some measure of happiness. You, at least, toarTied the woman you love. Drunk-en Drunk-en beast as you are, I envy you. The woman 1 wanted married some one else, damn her!" Howard was so drowsy from the nVcts of the whisky that he was almost al-most asleep. As he lay back on the sofa, he gurgled: "Say, old man; I didn't come here to listen to hard-luck stories. 1 came lo tell one." In maudlin fashion h3egan to sing, "On, listen to my tale of woe," while Underwood sat glaring at him, won-flaring won-flaring how be could put him out. As he reached the last verse his bead began to nod. The words cwme thickly from, his Hps and he sank sleepily back among the soft divan liUows. Just at that moment the telephone kell rang. Underwood quickly picked ap the receiver. "Who's that?" he asked. As he treaxd the answer his face lit up and replied eagerly: "Mrs. Jeffries e. I'll come down. No. tell her to tome up." Hanging up the receiver, he hastily rent over to the divan and Bhook |