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i A * I Parrot | | & Co. I II Harold MacGratli | V ??Will "IBM! ..JU .11 . il.UUJ,? | | I Author of | I 'TheCnrpet rVoxti naadad," l| I The Plu.ce of Honey moouo," B 5 I Ktc# \ \ k 1 v..it. .iuxmstw* SYNOPSIS. CHAPTKR 1?Warrington, nn American adventurer, and Juint s, hla servant, with a caged parrot, the trio known up and down tho Irrawaddy ua Parrot St Co., travel along tho road to tho landing, bound for Rangoon to cash a draft for 8W.OOO rupees. CHAPTER IT?Klsn Chetwood, rich American girl tourist, sees Warrington coma aboard the boat at tlies landing and, amused at his likeness to her (lanco, t Arthur Ellison, asks the purser to liitro> ouce her. Conservative English passeng* ers are shocked at her breach of the conVonflnnallM..a CHAPTER III ? The purser tells Elsa that Warrington, tins outcast adventurer, has beaten a syndicate and sold his oil Clo'ms for ?20,000. Warrington puts Rajah, the parrot, through Ids tricks for Elsa and warns her against acquaintance with unknown adventurers?himself, in fact. CHAPTER IV?Warrington and Elsa pass two golden days together on the river. Martha, Tulsa's companion, warns her thak there Is gossip. CHAPTER V?Tn Rangoon Warrington banks his draft, pays old debts, and while Beftling tvith James in ids old lodgings overhears and interferes in a row over cards in the next room. i CHAPTER VI? vVirrington finds that ^ the row in the next room is caused by an enemy, imowcM Craig. and threatens to shoot him unless he leaves town. Elsa goes for a walk with Martha. Is annoyed by Craig and stahs him with a hatpin. Warrington bids Rlsa good-by. She does not tell him that she Is to sail on the same ship for Singapore. CHAPTER VII?Martha writes to Arthur Ellison of the rapidly growing friendship between Rlsa and the outcast American adventurer. Warrington dis covers Rlsa on the Singapore steamer and . realizes his hopeless love and his duty to 1 protect her against himself. Rlsa tells him of her engagement. CHAPTER VIII ? Warrington avoids Rlsa. who thinks he may be ill and makes Inquiries, regardless of the misinterpretation of her concern. Crulg is aboard, is warned by Warrington, and calls him . Paul, so letting bhn know that his chivi nlry and loyally of ten years before have lV gone for nothing. CHAPTER JX-Warrington ceases to avoid Rlsa.. Craig stirs up evil gossip. ' Rlsa tells Warrington of the hatpin inci: dent and he hunts up Craig, on murder J bent, only to find him stretched out drunk / on deck. U CHAPTER X?Warilngton turns tho 11 hos<> on Craig. lie toils Rlsa that he is J) a man under a cloud and to i < avoided, r hut Rlsa refuses. She gets the cut direct from society passengers. ^ CHAPTER XT?At Penang Mallow, who drove Warrington from his plantation when he learned his story, comes aboard Warrington tells Rlsa that Maloiw and ' Craig both will tell that he spent money that did not belong to him over the gam' bling table to Craig, and asks her not to sneak in Hl?ii i^'iin ? * vv CHAPTER XT T?Mallow baits Craig, ^ who keeps Ills temper. At Singapore Elsa k calls on her fat bar's old friend the American consul general. Mallow also rails and relates the steamer gossip about Elsa. CHAPTER XTTT?Wnrrlngton calls on the consul general atid sends a cable to the Andes Construetion company, offering to restore the stolen money if they will lift the ban. Elsa defends Warrington to i the consul general, who is dubious. Y CHAPTER XTV?Elsa dines at the jonf sul general's and meets the old English colonel who cut her on the ship. He apol- i ogizos, talks with her ahout conventional society rules and tells her that WnrringI ton's real name is Paul Ellison. \ CHAPTER XV?Bribed by Mallow and Craig. a Chinaman robs Wnrrlngton of his letter of credit at the hotel. / CHAPTER XVT?Awake and brooding / over the astounding knowledge that Paul Ellison is her flaneo's brother, Elsa bears the struggle in Warrington's room and. . y going into the hall, finds the letter of | r credit where the thief in his flight has j l> dropped it. '' CHAPTER XVTT?Warrington, or EUIeon, is cabled that lie can come home, lie I looks up Mallow and Craig and soundly whips them both. 1 CHAPTER XV1TT?Flsa writes a letter to her fiance, telling him what she lias f discovered, and one to Ellison, calling him to her, but finds that ho has gone uwuy. She goes in search ot him. CHAPTER XIX? Paul Ellison wanders, back to New York, is re-engaged as construction engineer by the Andes Construction company, and goes homo to his mother and brcP "Hut," Mallow went on, "if you're wanting a little argument that doesn't require pencils or voices, why, you're / on. You don't object to my friend Craig coming along?" "On the contrary, he'll make a good witness of what happens." i "The chit, boy!" Mallow paid the reckoning. "Now, then, come on. Three L rickshaws!" he culled. The barren plot of ground back of I' thft d r>c If woo itnanrfnS I ? ? w ^wv?? Tl MU VCUl M' ?l I 1 jumped from his rickshaw and divested himself of his coat and flung his hat beside it. Gleefully as a boy Malj low did likewise. Warrington then bade the coolies to move back to the (road. "Rounds?" inquired Mallow. "You filthy scoundrel, you know tf very well there won't be any rules to i this game. Don't you think I know you?" Warrington rolled up his sleeves and was pleased to note the dull color of Mallow's face. He wanted to rouse the brute in the man, then he would have him at his mercy. "I i swore four years ago that I'd make you pay for that night." "You scum!" roared Mallow*, "you'll never be a whole man when they carry you away from here." "Wait and see." Ob the way to the dock Warrington ! had mapped out his campaign. Fair play from either of thesdrmen was not to be entertained for a moment. One waft naturaliv a brute and the other I'" " ' ; tat? at any means to defeat him. And : he kuew what defeat would mean at ] their hands--disfigurement. probably. "Will you take a shilling for your ifty quid?" jeered Craig. Ho was goins to enjoy this, for he had not the least doubt as to the outcome. Mallow was without superior in a rough and tumble light. Warrington did not reply. 'He walked cautiously toward APallow. This ^maneuver brought Craig within reach. It was not a fair blow, but Warrington delivered it without tho least compunction. It struck Craig squarely on tho jaw. Lightly as a cat Warrington jumped back. Craig's knees doubled under him and he toppled forward 011 his face. "Now, Mallow, you and I alone, with no 0110 to jump 011 my back when I'm looking elsewhere!" Mallow,, appreciating the trick, swore foully, and rushed. Warrington jabbed with li!s left and sidestepped. One thing ho must do and that was to keep Mallow frpm getting into close quarters. Tho copra grower was moro than lifs match in the knowledge of thoso ori< ntal devices that usually crlnplo a man for life. He must wear him down scientifically; ho must do pond upon his ring generalship. In his youth Warrington had been a skillful boxer. He could now back this skill with rugged health and a blow that had a hundred and eighty pounds behind it. Prom ordinary rage Mallow fell into a frenzy; and frenzy never won a ring battle. Time after time he endeavored to grapple, but always that left stopped him. Warrington played for his face, and to each jab he added a :aunt. "That for the little Singalese!" 'Count that one for Wheedon's broken knees!" "And wouldn't San admire that? Kemember her? The little Japanese girl whose thumbs you broke?" "Uoi'o'ti nti? f/ii- mnl" If nr.... . ^ u . .... ?w? ...v^. 11 11 ?a uui Ui&- | nificd, but Warrington stubbornly refused to look back upon this day either with shame or regret. Jab-jab. cut and slash! went the left. There was no more mercy in the mind back of it than might be found in the sleek felines who stalk-. <1 the jungles north. Doggedly Mallow fought on, hoping for his chance. He tried every trick he knew, but ho could only get so near. The ring was as wide as the world; there were no corners to make grappling a possibility. Some of his desperate blows got through. The bezel of his ring laid open Warrington's forehead. He was brave enough, but he began' to realize that this was not the same man he had turned out into the night four years ago. And the pain and ignominy he had forced upon others was now being returned to him. Warrington would have prolonged the battle had he not seen Craig getting dizzily to h?s feet. It was time to end it. He feinted swiftly. Mallow, expecting a body blow, dropped his guard. Warrington, as he struck, felt the bones in his hand crack. Mallow went over upon his back, fairly lifted off his feet. He was tough; an ordinary man would have died. "I believe that squares accounts," said Warrington, speaking to Craig. "If you hear of me in America, in Europe, anywhere, keep away from the places where I'm likely to go. Tell vm fMf . He Remained Dumb. him," with an indifferent jerk of his head toward the insensible Mallow, ? ? * ~ 1 1 Ui JL.1. T , , .. . tuii mm inaL i give mm tnat nrty pounds with the greatest good pleasure. Sorry I can't wait." He trotted back to his rickshaw, wiped the blood from his face, put on his hat and coat, and ordered the respectful coolie to hurry back to town. He never saw Mallow or Craig again. The battle itself became a hazy incident. In life affairs of this order generally have abrupt endings. CHAPTER XVIII. Two Letters. And all that day Elsa had been waiting patiently to hear sounds of Warrington in the next room. Never could she recall such long, weary hours. Time and again she changed a piece of ribbon, a bit of lace, and twice she changed her dress, all for f nn?M\AOA AP ? 1'1^? L ?- ?? viivj |nu i;uoo ui iiianillg lUO IIUUI'H pHbH more quickly. Whenever Martha approached Elsa told her that she v.anted nothing, that she was headncliy, and wanted to be left alone. Discreetly Martha vanished. To prevent the possibility of missing him, Elsa had engaged the room boy to loiter about downstairs and to ? Vf report to her the moment Warrington arrived. The boy came pattering up at a quarter to six. "llo come. He downside. 1 go, he come topside?" "No. That will be all." The following ten minutes tested her patience to the utmost. Presently the heard the banging of a trunk lid. Ho was thero. What was she going to say to him? The trembling that struck at her knees was wholly a new sensation. Presently the tremor died away, but It left her weak. She stepped toward his door and knocked gently on the jamb. She heard something click as it struck the floor. (It was Warrington's cutty, which he had carried for seven years, now in smithereens.) She saw a hand, raw knuckled and bleeding slightly, catch at the curtain I and ?wlng it back upon its rings. "Miss Chctwood?" he said. "Yes . . . Oh, you've been hurt!" lie exclaimed, noting the gash upon his forehead. A strip of tissue paper (in lieu of court plaster) lay soaking upon that wound- a trick learned in the old days when razors grew dull overnk ht. "Ilurt? Oh, I ran against something when i wasn't looking," he explained lamely. Then he added eagerly: "i did not know that you were 0:1 this gallery? First time I've put up at a hotel in years." It did l.ot serve. "You have been fighting! Your hand.'" He looked at the hand dumbly. Ilow keen her eyes were. "Was it . . . Mallow? Did you . . . whip him?" "I . . . did," imitating her tone and hcsitance. It was the wisest thing be could have done, for it relaxed the nerves of both of them. H'.sa smiled, smiled and forgot the substance of all her rehearsals, forgot the letter of credit, warm with the heat of her heart. "I am a pagan," she confessed. "And I am a barbarian. T ought to be horribly ashamed of myself." "Tint you are not?" For a moment their eyes drew. Hers were like dark whirlpools, and he felt himself drifting helplessly, irresistibly. iJ*% drooped his hands upon the railing and gripped; the illusion of fighting a current was almost real to nim. Every fiber in his body erled out against the struggle. "No, not in the least," be said, looking toward the suiu-ot. "Fighting is riff-raff business, and I'm only a riffraffer at best." "Rather, aren't yon Paul Ellison, brother, twin brother, of the man I said I was going home to marry?" How far away her voice seemed! The throb in bis forehead and the dull ache ov< r his heart, where some ol the sledge hammer blows had gone home, he no longer felt "Don't deny it. It would be useless. !\ nnwinp vnnr hrntlior u a I who could doubt it?" He remained dumb. "I couldn't understand, just simply couldn't. They never told me; in all the years I have known them, in all the years I have partly made their home my own, there was nothing. Not a trinket. Once I saw a camera picture. 1 know now why Arthur snatched it from my hand. It was you. You were bonding over an engineer's tripod. Even now I shoujd have doubted had I not recalled what you said one day on board, that you had built bridges. Arthur couldn't build anything stronger then an artist's easel. You are Paul Ellison." "I am sorry you found out." j "Why?" "Because I wanted to be no more than an incident in your life, just Parrot & Co." "Parrot & Co.!" ! It was like a caress; but be was too dull to sense it, and she was unconscious of the inflection. The burning sunshine gave to his hair and beard the glistening of ruddy gold. Her imagination, full of unsuspected poetry at this moment, clothed him in the metals of a viking. There were other , whirlpools besides those in her eyes, j but Elsa did not sense the drifting as j he had done, it was insidious. "An incident," she repeated. "Could I be more?" with sudden fierceness. "Could I be any more in 1 any woman's life? I take myself for what I am, but the world will always 1 take me for what I have done. Yes, j I am Paul Ellison, forgotten, 1 hope, by all those who knew me. Why did | you seek me that night? Why did , you come into my life to make bitterness become despair? The blackest j kind of despair. Elsa Chetwood, | Elsa! . . . Well, the consul is right. I am a strong man. I can go I out of your life, at least physically, j I can say that I love you, and 1 can add to that good-by!" He wheeled abruptly and went quickly down the gallery, bareheaded, without any destination in his mind, with only one thought, to leave her before he lost the last shreds of his self-control. It was then that Elsa knew her heart. She had spoken truly. She >wih a pagan?ror, nad he turned and held out his hands, she would have gone to him, gone with him, anywhere in the world, lawfully or unlawfully. Elsa sang. When Martha came to help her dress for dinner she still sang. It was a wordless song, a melody that every human heart contains and which finds expression but once. Elsa loved. Doubt, that arch-enemy of love and faith and hope, doubt had spread its dark pinions and flown away into yesterdays. Khe felt the zest and exhilaration of a bird just given its freedom. Once she slipped from Martha's cunning hands and ran out upon the gallery. "Elea, your waist!" Klsa laughed sud held out her bar** ami8 to the faded sky where, but a little while since, the sun had burned a pathway down the world. All in an hour, one small trifling space of time, this wonderful, magical thing had happened. He lovt d her. There had been hunger for her in his voice, in his blue eyes. Presently she was going to make him feel very sorry that he had not taken her in his arms, I then and there. "Elsa, what In mercy's name possesses you?" "I am mad, Martha, mad as a March hare, whatever that is!" She loved, t "People will think so, if they happen to come along and see that waist. Please come instantly and let me finish hooking it. You act like you did when you were ten. You never would stand still." "Yes, and I remember how you used to yank my pigtails. I haven't really | foifeivun you yet." "1 believe it's going home that's the matter with you. Well, 1 for one shall bo glad to leave this horrid country. Chinsivion pvnwwlioro tn v, ^ vt v, in j viii i 4 v; \ 11111 at your table, und< r your feet. And in the streets, Chinamen and .Malays and Hindus, and 1 don't know what ether outlandish races and tribes. \\ ny, what's all this?" cri. d Martha, beiulj ins to the iloor. Elsa ran back to the room. She pave a little gasp when she saw what it was that Martha was holding out for her Inspection. It was Warrington's letter of credit. She had totally forgotten its existence. Martha could not hell) seeing it. Elsa explained frankly what it was and how it had come into her possession. Martha was horrified. 1 "Elsa, they might have entered your room; and your jewels lying about everywhere! llow could you bo so careless?" "Hut they didn't. I'll return this to Mr. Warrington in the morning; perhaps tonight, if 1 see him at dinner." "lie was in the next room, and we never knew it!" The tinal hock snapped in place. "Well, Wednesday our boat leaves;" as it' this i:ut a period to all further discussion anent Mr. Par*ot & Co. Nothing very sor! ous could happen helween that tin:** and now. "Wednesday night." TOlsa hcran to sin:' again, but not so joyously. Tito petty things of every-day life were j lifting their heads once more, and of i lit c< ssity she must recognize tin m ! She sat at the consul general's table, informally. There was gay inconsequential chatter, an exchange of recollections and comparisons of cities and countries they had visited at sopj urate times; but. neither she nor he mentioned tlie chief subject of their i thoughts. She retrained because of a strange yet natui:. 1 shyness of a S woman who has found h< rsclf; and ho, because from 1:is angle of vision it was host that Warrington should ! pass out of her life as suddenly and 1 mysteriously as he had entered it. Had he spoken frankly he would have saved Hlsa many a hitter heartache, ? many a weary day. Warrington was absent, and so were his enemies. If there was any truth in reincarnation Elsa was confident i that in the splendid days of Home she had beaten her pink palms in applause of the gladiators. Pagan; she was all of that; for she knew that she could have looked upon Mallow's face i with more than ordinary interest. Nevermore would her cheeks burn at the recollection of the man's look. In her room, later, she wrote two j letters. The one to Arthur covered several pages; the other consisted of a single line. She went down to the cflice, mailed Arthur's letter and left | the note in Warrington's kev box U was not an intentionally cruel letter tflie had written to tiio man in America; but it' siie bad striven toward that effect she could not have achieved it more successfully. She cried out a {rain st the way he had treated his brother; the false pride that had hidden all knowledge of him from her. Where were the charity and mercy of which he had so often preached? Pages of burning reproaches which seared the soul of the man who read them. She did not confide the state of her heart. It was not necessary. The arraignment of the one and the defense of the other were sufficiently illuminating. Soundly the happy sleep. She did not hear the removal of Warring- ] ton's luggage at midnight, for it was stealthily done. Neither did she hear the fretful mutter of the bird as his | master disturbed his slumbers. Nothing warned her that he intended to spend the night on board; that, having paid his bill early in the evening, her note might have lain in the key box until the crack of doom, so far as he was likely to know of its existence. No angel of pity whispered to her, Awake! No dream magic people tell about drew for her the picture of the man she loved, pacing up and down the cramped deck of the packet boat,! fighting a battle compared to which that of the .afternoon was play. Elsa slept on, dreamless. When she awoke in the morning she I ran to the mirror?all this fresh j beauty she was going to give to him, j without condition, without reserva-' tion, absolutely. She dressed quickly, singing lowly. Fate makes us the happiest when she is about to crush us. Usually she had her breakfast served in the joom, but this morning she was determined to go downstairs. She was excited; she brimmed with exuberance; she wanted Romance to begin at once. "Good morning," she greeted the j consul general, who was breakfasting ! alone. "Well, you're an early bird!" he re-1 t IHfll plied. By the way. our romantic Parrot & t o. have gone." "Con??" Klsa stared at him. "Yes. Sailed fcr Saigon at dawn, and I am rather glad to see hi in ;;o. 1 was afraid ho might interest you too much. Good heavens. Klsa, wbat is the matter?" "No. no! Don't touch me. I'm not tlie fainting kind. Did you know las*, night that lie was gojng ." "Yes." "I shall never forgive you. Never, never! You knew and did not tell me. Do you know who Paul Kllison is? He is the brother of the man at home. You knew he was stealing away and did not U 11 me." She could not have made (lie truth any plainer to him. Ho sat back in his chair, stunned, voiceless. "I am going to my room," she said. I "Do not follow. Please net as if nothing had happened." He saw her walk bravely the length of the dining-room, out into the office. What a misfortune! Argument was out of the quest ion. F.'sa was n * ;w child, to be reasoned with. She. was a woman, and she had come to a woman's understanding of her heart. To place before her the true angles of the case, the heartless banishment from the world she knew, the re-ret which would bo hers later, no matter bow much she loved the man. ... 1 He pushed back his chair, leaving his coffee untasted. He possessed the deep understanding of the kindly heart, and his one I thought was Elsa's future happim^s. Could he save her from the day when she would learn Romance had come from within? No. All he could do ( was to help find the man. j He sent five cablegrams to Saigon, to the consulate, to the principal hotels?the most difficult composition he had ever attacked. Hut because he had forgotten to send the sixth to meet the packet boat, against the possibility of Warrington chancing his mind and not land'ng, his labor was thrown to the winds. Meantime Rlsu stopped at the office desk. "1 left a note for Mr. Warrington v lu> has gone to Saigon. 1 see it. in his key box. Will yon please return it me ?" The clerk did o<>t liwitn?n <-?.> - " \ V OH 111* Btant. Ho gYavely returned the note ro her, marveling at her paleness. Elsa crutdicd I lie note in her hand and moved toward the stairs, wondering if she could reach her room before she broke down utterly, lie had gone Ho had gone without knowing that all he wanted In life was his for the talcing. in her room she opened the ne'e and through blurred vision read what she had so happily inscribed the night before "Paul?I love you. Coiuo to me. Hlsa." She had written it, unashamed. She fiimg herself upon the bed and there Martha found her. "Idsa. child, what is It?" Martha cried, kneeling beside the bed. "Child, what, lias happened?" Klaa oat up, seined Martha by tho shoulders and stared into the faithful eyes. "Well, 1 love this man Warrington and he loves me. But he has gone. Can't yon see? Don't you understand? Have you been as blind as 1? He is Paul Hllison, Arthur's brother, his twin brother. And they obliterated him. It is Arthur who is,I the ghost. Martha, the phantom. All. I have caused ycu a good deal of worry, and 1 am going to cause you trnf ? '-v T 1 A ^ * invjitT. i uui going 10 saigon; up and down the world, east and west, until 1 find him. Shall I go alone, or will you go with me?" Then Martha did what ever after en- j den red her to the heart of the stricken girl?she mothered her. " 101 sa, my , baby! Of course I shall go with you, always For you could not love any i man if he was not worthy." Then followed the strangest quest 1 doubtless ever made by a woman, j From Singapore to Saigon, up to j Bangkok, down to Singapore again;! to Bate via, over to Hongkong, Shang- j hai, Pekin, Manila, Hongkong again. | then Yokohama. Patient and hopeful, l Elsa followed the bewildering trail She left behind her many puzzled ho tol managers and booking agents; foi it was not usual for a beautiful young woman to go about the world, inquiring for a blond man with a parrot Sometimes she was only a day late Many cablegrams she sent, but upon her arrival in each port she found 1 that these had not been called for. I Over these heart-breaking disappointments she uttered no complaint. The world was big and wide; be it never 1 so big and wide, 10 Is a knew that some 1 day she would find him. I Tn the daytime th^re was tlie quest; but, ah! the nights, the interminable hours of inaction, the spaces of time in which she could only lie back and think. Up and down the coasts, across islands, over seas, the journey took her, until one day in July she found herself upon the pillared veranda of the house in which her mother liad been born. I ________ CHAPTER XIX. The Two Brothers. From port to port, sometimes not stepping off the boat at all, moody, restless and irritable, Warrington wended his way borne. There was nothing surprising in the fact that ne never inquired for mall. Who was there to write? besides, he sought only tho obsouro hotels, where he was not likely to meet any of his erstwhile fellow passengers. Tho mockery and uselessness of his home-going became more and more apparent as the days slipped by. Often he longed to fly back to the jungles, to James, and leave matters as they were. Here and there, along the way, he had tried a bit of luxury; but the years of econ .oiny and frugality had robbed him of the nullity to enjoy it. lie was going heme ... to what? Surely there v/cuifj bo no welcome for him at his Jpurnoy'a end. He would return arter L tillfllilh. ' : felpi 1 , . 'l I l ^lk; V ./ . I 1 'i'.q Im-' / -j" j - vVT"j!''!?//' | f ^ ; - M v,;'V I j??7P [ i<|| JIIJ i/U| fT ( (//A .if ilsll4r:^^' ' rM? WW ^ - s B-IHiPS ^ I AF?Iti2Sm I-'' .?? jjy 1 gu ' - ?1 " ? "I A?n Coi:.g to My Room" the manner ef pr digals in general, not scriptural, to find that lie was not want'(1. Of 1 i: own free will he had gone out of tin ir lives. He fought grimly against the thought of Elsn; but he was not strong enough to vanquish the longings from his heart and mind. Always when alone she war :n frney with him, now smiling amusedly h.Uo his face, now peering down, at the phosphorescence sri thing am; ..side, now standing with her chin uplifted, her eyes half shut, letting the strong wind3 stnke her full in the face. Many a good-night" he rent over the seas. An ok Went; that would be all. His tirst day .n New York left him with nothing :a.re than a feeling of foreboding and oop-v-sH >n. The expet ted e-.'nilnruti n < f returning to the city of his birth did no?. materialize. iSo uwd co open i .mos was he, to dis tarmes and I ho < ir- of horizons, that ho know lie no h. ? v belonged to tho city with its ti n. . i; at gorges and canyons, whoso tc rents wore human beings and whos .:huiers were thtSf hearts dr tnes'G. A ivm toheiiness bore dovn on him For months he had been drawing familiar pictures, and to find none of these was like coming home to an ei .. 'y house. The old , life was indeed gone; there were no j threads to resume. A hotel stood where his oiub had been; the house in which ho had spent his youth was no more, lie wanted to have the city; and I he desire was v itii ditiiculty ovcrcome. Karly the second morning ho started downtown to the i ) m-s ol' the Andes Construction company. I-le was cxtraoj'dinarilv in v . c. Cold sweat continually moistt rmd kin palms. Change, change, everywhere change; Trinity was iilce an old friend. When the ta>:? cab driver threw off the power and indicated with a jerk of his head a firi'iiiif snr.n iiu\t soareu up into tho blue, Warrington asked: "What p. ice is this?" "The Aiuirs building, sir The construction company occupies the top floor." "Very pood." replied Warrington, paving itnc) discharging the man. From a reliquary of the Thilch, an affair of red brick, four stories high, x this monolith bad sprung. With a sigh Warrington entered the cavernous doorway and stepped inio.an "express elevator." When the car arrived at the twenty-second story, Warrington was alone, lie pa. -.ed before the door of tl;e vice-president, lie recalled tho "old man," thln-llpi c d, blue eyed, cropM W vss 1 !; I lit ,? [ '1 ;|' t t|jC o,J 1 ' : : ? lil ! W, ^X\ MMiHilil ;; it) , _ ;t| ,'| i I I 1 1I . | Arv ' ' 4 Tflj! f . * '' ti mm wi feif: i ^ r t i '' i "A Man Like You Wasn't Made for Idleness." tive. Tt was all very strange, this request to make the restitution in person. Well ho would soon learn why. He drew the certified check from his wallet and scrutinized it carofully. Twelve thousand, eight hundred dollars. He replaced it, opened tho door, and walked in. A boy mot him at tho railing and briskly inquired his business. "1 have an appointment with Mr. Elmore. Tell him that Mr. Ellison is here." The boy returned promptly and*Bignlflcd that Mr. Elmore was at liberty. But It was not the "old man" who (Ended on Back Page) k k