The Master Man
By Ruby M. Ayres
latriem tried to thank him
for the evening. *
“It’s been such a real treat,”
she said, trying to smile. “It
seems—oh, such ages since I
really enjoyed myself.”
“It’s not my fault that you
are here,” he answered with a
rueful smile. “I’ve just offered
you Clayton Wold and my un
worthy self and all my world
ly goods.”
“And if I’d taken you at your
word and said ‘Yes, please-’ ”
she told him, trying to speak
lightly, “you’d be busy now
thinking what a worldly heart
less creature I am, and wishing
to goodness you had never asked
me.”
“Should It” He looked at
her wonderingly. “Do you mean
me to understand then that you
are not worldly and heartless?”
The sensitive color flushed
her facs.
■“You told me—ever so long
ago—that I was,” she answered.
Michael turned away without
answering.
Why had he asked her to
marry him he wondered. It had
been far enough away from his
intentions when they started
out. lie did not care for her, he
was positive that he did not
care for her, and yet he was con
scious of a very definite sense of
disappointment because she had
refused him.
Jt would nave open sucn a
satisfactory ending from both
their points of view—such an
eminently sensible arrangement,,
and yet—did he want his mar
riage to be just a “sensible ar
rangement ?”—he knew that he
did not,
Patricia had taken a letter
from the shelf and had opened
it.
She read it through quickly,
then hlighed, a little excited
laugh.
“It’s telepathy! That’s what
it is! Oh, how wonderful! This
is a letter from Mrs. Smith!”
Michael’s heart gave a thud of
excitement.
“Mrs. Smith!” he echoed
blankly.
‘‘ Yes-1 T was telling you about
her only this afternoon, you re
member? And saying that I
should like to go and live with
her. And now she has written to
ask me! Oh, I think it’s too
wonderful! She says she has got
my address from Mr. Philips—
Mr. Rolf’s lawyer—and is writ
ing to ask if I won’t go and live
with her till I’m more settled.
Oh, isn’t it kind of her! If you
knew how comforting -it is . to
know that someone really wants
you after all, when you’ve been
so lonely and miserable that you
could just have died!”
She gave the letter to Michael
to read; there were tears of hap
piness and excitement in her
eyes.
“And shall you go?” Michael
asked.
“Shall I go! Why, of course,
I shall! It will be like going
home after this place. And she’ll
help me. She was always so
kind. Oh, I don’t know any
thing that could have made me
happier.”
Michael looked at her with a
curious expression in his eyes.
“Not even coming back to
Clayton—with me?” he asked
ironically.
Patricia returned his gaze
steadily.
“'Ehat’a different,” she said.
“There’s something about this
letter that makes-me feel as if
I’m really wanted—as if she
really cares what becomes of
me.’r
“I see; and you mean that I
didn’t make you feel like that?”
She did not answer, and he
turned to the door.
“I may still come and see you
sometimes- I supose?” * he
asked, looking back at her.
“If you care to,” said Patri
cia. “You have been very kind;
thank you very much—I don’t
deserve that you should have
been so kind to me at all, I
know.”
He hesitated a moment, then
he came back and took one of
her hands in a hard grip.
“If I had asked yon to marry
me this evening for the good,
old-fashioned reason,” he said,
“because I love you, and could
not be. happy without you, what
would your answer have been?”
She tried to look away from
him, but liis eyes compelled her,
and her heart was heating so
fast that it seemed to he chok
ing her. Then ate lanaed her
self to smile.
Ik
“I don’t think that you’re the
sort of man who would ever find
it impossible to be happv with
out Rny woman, are you)"
Michael’s face hardened; he
turned away.
“I hope not,” he said almost
roughly. “I’ve other things to
do with my life.”
CHAPTER IX.
Michael went out into the
night feeling angry and ruffled.
Her complexity irritated him.
He walked away with angry
strides, and had just reached
the corner of the road when a
hand was laid on his arm, and*
turning sharply,.Michael looked
into Bernard Chesney’s white
face.
“I saw you at Marnio’s with
Patricia; I followed you home,”
Chesney explained hoarsely. His
eyes looked their fury into
Michael’s. “I suppose you think
you've been clever—lying to me
and keeping her to yourself. But
you can’t do it any longer; I've
found her, and nothing you can
say or do* will keep me away
from her.”
Michael shook his friend's
hand away; this encounter was
the last thing he was in the
mood to meet; he did not really
care at all that Chesney had'
found Patricia; in his heart he
tid not believe that anything
Chesney could say or do would
have any weight with her, but
his own sense of implication ir
ritated him.
“Do what you like, only don’t
come pestering me,” he said
•shortly. “You know where she
is living—go and call by all
means. The bell doesn’t ring,
but if you knock long enough
you’ll be let in, I dare say.”
And he strode off and disap
peared into the darkness.
Chesney stood looking after
him uncertainly; he had waited
up and down for half an hour
for Michael to leave Mrs. Flan
nagan’sXand he was burning
with jealousy.
How long had Michael known
where Patricia was? And why
did lie allow her to live in such
a neighborhood, he asked him
self indignantly.
The best was but a poor best
for Patricia, to his way of think
ing. How dared Michael allow
her to be in such squalid sur
roundings.
He looked at his watch in the
light of the street lamp—not yet
half past nine—not too late to
call and see her.
.tie knocked at Mrs. Flanna
gan’s with an agitated hand.
W hen at last the door opened
and Patricia herself stood there,
he could find no words. But he
was quick to see the eagerness
die from her face when she rec
ognized him, and to hear the lit
tle note of disappointment in her
vmce as she said:
11 did not expect to see you.
Won’t you come int”
Chesney followed her in si
lence. As soon as they were in
the sitting room with its bright
fire and scent of violets, he
caught her by both hands.
“Patricia—it’s too good to be
true! I've hunted for you
everywhere. It’s the purest luck
I saw you at Marnio’s tonight
j with Rolf. I followed you home
and waited for him to leave. Oh,
{Patricia, can’t you say that you
are just a little glad to see met”
She let her hands lie passively
in his.
“I think ybu are forgetting
the way in which you answered
my Iasi letter,” she said proud
ly, and the color rushed to her
face. “I think everything was
said between us then.”
He bent and pressed his lips to
her hands.
“1 love you! I’ve always loved
you,” he stammered. “I was
mad when I sent that letter. It
was not really I who sent it—
1 wanted to come to you—you
don’t know what I’ve suffered .
since, knowing what you must
tlunk of me. Marry me, Patri
cia, and let me take you away
from all—this . . .**
He looked round the room
with a little shiver of distaste.
“ \\ hat in Heaven’s name is
Rolf thinking about to let you
stay here foi* a single day?” he
demanded passionately. “Does
n’t he care at all if you are un
happy, or how you have to live T
With all his money, surely it
would be a little thing to see
that you were comfortable.”
Patricia looked round her with
a faint smile. Somehow during
the last two days this room had
not seemed quite so bad and itn
‘oossible; Michael had been
there, and had looked at home
and almost comfortable in it.
She realized he had been right
when he had said that, she
might have come to many a
worse place.
“I am not staying anyway,”
she said after a moment. “To
morrow I am going to live with
some friends. They have of
fered me a home till something
definite can be decided/ upon.
Oh, please don’t look so tragic!
I’m really not unhappy.”
“IIow long has Michael known
you were here?”
“The day I came he found me
—two days ago.”
Chesney’s face darkened.
“He told me he did not know
where you were. Just a lie, I
suppose, to keep you from me.”
She did not answer, and he
went on again passionately.
“I shall never let you go
again. Patricia, when will you
marry me? We’ve wasted too
much time. I’ll make you so
happy, my queen—all the past
shall be forgotten.”
She listened apathetically. A
few weeks ago she would have
given her soul for his kind pres
ence and protection, but now it
seemed to count as a very small
thing that he was offering her
everything for which she had
once almost asked him.
She smiled fantinly, shaking
her head.
“I haven’t any money now,
Bernard,” she said gently, “I
haven’t anything in all the
world except just a few clothes,
and a few little things which J
brought away from Clayton with
me. I’m not the Miss Rolf you
knew any more-”
“But you can be,” he urged
.eagerly. “We can wipe out all
the past. I’ll give you every
thing you want. Only marry
me* Patripia, and you’ll soon for
get this nightmare, and be happy
again.”
She shook her head.
“But I don’t think I want
j to,” she said* slowly, as if Tn
some wonderment 'at herself.
“I’m not really unhappy-and
I’ve learned, oh, I’ve learned
such a lot of things since I lost
my money.”
“You shall be happier than
you’wp ever been if you’ll be my
wife/’ he urged.
But she would give him no an
swer, and she sent him away, un
happy and puzzled. ^
He had Michael to blame Mr
the change in Patricia, he was
sure, and he hated Michael for
it.
Michael cared for her him
self—that could be the only ex
planation—in a fever of jealousy
he rushed off to Michael’s
rooms.
He stormed up and down'and
accused him of having taken
Patricia from him.
‘ lou’ve always pretended to
despise her," he raved. “You
said she was selfish and worth
less, and yet* you thought it
worth while to take her away
from me, and keep me from ever
seeing her again."
He stopped and looked at
Michael with furious eyes. “Is
that what it is?" he demanded,
chokingly. “Are you going to
marry her yourself?"
Michael turned in his chair
and looked up at his friend with
a frown.
“I most certainly am not!"
he said, emphatically. “My
dear chap, if you don’t believe
me, ask Patricia yourself. She ’ll
[tell you."
Chesney answered stormily
that he did not believe anybody.
He considered that he had been
treated abominably; made a
complete fool of.
Michael yawifed.
“Oh, shut up!” he said, irrit
ably. ‘‘Don’t come here and
treat me to all these heroics.
You know where she isj you’ve
seen her, and you can see her
every day of your life for the
next 40 years for all I care."
Chesney looKed at him with
sulky suspicion.
“I don’t believe you. You al
ways were deep. I believe you
always have cared for her, and
cause she won’t look at you.”
Michael took up a paper.
“Go on! You won’t annoy
me if you talk till you’re blaok
in the face," he said, imperturb
ably.
Chesney paced the room.
“Very well, -then," he said,
suddenly. “If what you sav is
true, will you undertake not to
go near her again? Not to seo
her at all?"
Michael read on steadily.
“She’s going to stay with
some people ^t Kensington."
Chesney went on eagerly. “She’s
given me their address/ and told
me I may go to see her there.
Well, win you keep out of the
way—give me a chance. She
used to like me—I know she did
►
Jt was all very boyish and
rather pathetic, bnt Michael waa
only conscious of a sense of
disgust.
“I won’t go near her- -unless
she sends for me,” he said,
grimly. ‘‘And as that’s extreme
up unlikely we need say no
more.”
‘‘You’ll give me your, word
on it?”
“Yes, if you think it’s worth
anything.”
Chesney took his departure;
and Michael sent the paper spin
ning across the room.
It was all a storm in a teacup.
Patricia did not want a boy like
Chesney hanging round.
But the next day seemed an
eternity, and the next a lifetime.
Michael could settle to nothing.
He felt all the time as if he were
waiting for something to happen
—something that would alter
the whole rather weary aimless
ness of his existence. ~
Twenty times he almost broke
his word to Chesney and went
to Kensington.
It Patricia wanted him she
could send, was his argument,
and as she had not sent, pre
sumably she did not want him.
But he went round to Mrs.
Flannagan’s to assure himself
that she was no longer there.
Mrs. Flannagan grieved to
say that she had lost her lodger;
such a nice lady and all! She
called upon the saints to witness
that she had done her best to
make the pretty lamb as com
fortable as if she had been .her
own child.
Michael said he was sure she
had, and gave her a sovereign.
Three days later a letter came
from Patricia.
It was written from her moth
er’s, and seemed a little de
pressed, he thought, as he eager
ly read its contents.
It began, ‘‘Dear Mr. Rolf,”
and in it she told him that she
was quite comfortably settled
and that he need no longer worry
about her.
‘‘1 wislj, I had thought about
- coming here sooner, nobody
could be kinder to me than Mrs.
Smith is. She could not do
more for me if she were my own
mother.”
Michael smiled as he read the
words.
Already he was vaguely jeal
ous of Mrs. Smith. He could
have -found it in his heart to wish
that she was not making Patricia
quite so comfortable.
Patricia added: “I give you
my address Jn case you might
want it—Yours sincerely, Patri
cia Rolf.”
Michael^ wrote a reply at
once. He said he was glad that
she was happy and that he had
heard Chesney had been to see
her. He himself was very busy,
and more out of devilment than
because it was the truth, he
added that he was going to dine
at the Shackles the following
night.
(Continued Next Week.*
I - 0- -
A ready.
There ia a country where the thrush
es fling \
Their very hearts away in melody;
Where dryads have a home in
every tree,
And fauns dance down the meadows,
murmuring
Fantastic spells; where golden lilies
swing
Their fragrant bells, and bees hum
drowsily
And breezes woo the sky anemone
With wistfulness that breathes the
soul of spring.
Here summer may not burn, nor au
tumn rest
His chilling touch, nor winter's
winds hold sway,
Beneath Its boughs the wonder of
the May
Shall never fade, nor Love tire of his
quest.
Of happiness, nor beauty lose Its
truth;
Since Arcady is but eternal youth.
Charlotte Becker, In the New York
Herald.
-.- -
1
+<
■>n
I
'■%'
V
>
f ‘
40
■ X
•m b*
Between Quarrels.
From the New York Globe.
Mrs.—How well I remember the
night you proposed to me! You looked
like a fool.
Mr.—Appearances ars net always
1 deceptive, my dear.
problem. The government cannot
continue indefinitely to operate the
ships at a heavy loss, as it is now
doing. The business community un
hesitatingly recommends the sale or
lease of the Bhips to responsible
firms under reasonable guarantees of
service and of maintenance of new
routes deemed necessary by the de
partment of commerce and other
authorities.
The Basker-Farley plan presents
difficulties, and the attorney general j
does well to call attention to them.
But the general objection of ‘‘illegal
ity” should not be regarded as fatal
If the plan is basically sound, since
the power which congress has with
held it can grant to the shipping
corporation, provided such action is
desirable.
A New Gasoline Substitute.
From 'fhe Kansas City Star.
Dynalkol, a new motor fuel, has
been specified in Instructions of the
ministry of defense of Czecho Slvakia
for use in the operation of motor
driven vehicles under the direction
of the ministry and other depart
ments of the government are being
urged to adopt similar regulations.
Dynalkol is the commercial name
given to a composite motor fuel con
sisting of 60 parts benzol and 40 parts
alcolfol. It Is being manufactured by
Czechoslovak refineries and sold by a
newly organized alcohol distributing
company. In favor of Its use is the ar
gument that domestic products (in
cluding molasses from the beet sugar
factories) are utilized in its manu
facture, and also that it is consider
ably cheaper than gasoline. It has
been selling at 3.50 crowns per kilo
against 5.40 crowns asked In Prague
for gasoline. In view of its endorse
ment by the government it promises
to become an important product fo$
the motor-fuel and alcohol industries.
Tax-Exempt. .
From the Lincoln State Journal.
A London journalist with a large
salary tells an American writer that
it takes five months’ income each
year to pay his ti«es. A few farmers^
in school districts where school taxes
are. very high might claim an equal
distinction. A few American million
aires whose supertaxes reach to the
upper levels would pay nearly as
large a proportion of their income fn
taxes had they not thought to Invest
their wealth in tax-exempt bonds. The
average American is probably not
spending more than time's of his
twelve, months’ Income in taxes. The
prevalence of indirect taxes In this
country makes a calculation on this
point difficult.
■ .«*. » » --
A Job for the Politicians.
From the Springfield Republican.
Mayor Curley of Boston, with his
accustomed energy, not to say ve
hemence, has taken up the demand
for legislation that would remove
the tax exemption from all future
issues of federal, state, city and
town bonds. If other politicans,
similarly credited with zeal for the
jvelfare of the great mass of the
people, will lend their aid, the move
ment will have a much better chance
of success than if it is left to inde
pendent publicists and tax experts.
v A Lesson From Rome.
From the New York Herald.
In ancient Rome there were those
who kept saying, from one generation
to another, that the empire was
doomed unless its people returned to
the good old ways, and the govern
ment quit wasting money. They hat
ed Vespasian’s coliseum. They con
sidered it a sign of social illness that
the populace, noble and plebeian a
like, should rush to see the Nubian
giant slug the herculean Goth, while
th^ temples remained desertgd.
When these disagreeable persons
spoke in the street they were hoot
ed down. Rarely could they get the
politicians in the senate to listen to
their diatribes; usually the members
rushed away toward the toga
rooms. All the Babbitts of growing
Rome called—these disturbers "old
fogies.” They were,, In truth, dull,
tiresome and fond ‘ of statistics.
Nevertheless they were right. The
empire sagged, slumped tumbled.
History repeats Itself. On the same
day that 85,000 persons crowded
themselves Into the Polo Grounds to
see the Dempsey-Firpo fight, Lewis
E. Pierson, president of the Mer
chants’ Association, addressed the
annual convention of the American
Society of Certified Public Account-v
%nts' on the subject of government
extravagance.
With elaborate citations from the
record Mr. Pierson showed how this
city Is getting head over heels in debt
New York is traveling faster than
other municipalities toward ruin, but
ajl large American cities are on their
way. Most of the states and the
federal government are moving in the
same direction. Tax-free securities,
representing the borrowings of state
and municipalities, increase at the
rate of about |1,000,000?600 a year,
and total more than 110,000,000,000 at
present.
No city makes any pretense of de
sire to get out of debt. It pays its
maturing debts with the proceeds of
new loans. When it gets ahead a
little the treasury is almost sure to
be raided by advocates of some plan
to bring on the millenium by having
the city chase private enterprise out
of some public service. Whereupon
the surplus melts away and pre
sently another loan Is needed.
The meeting adjourned in time to
let the certified public accountants,
who are really quite human persons,
get to the fight in time. Probably
Cato the censor went to the gladia
torial combats after trying to save
Rome from her follies. Nevertheless
JWWIV *v»»*
Business Sense Barred.
From the Chicago News.
Attorney General Daugherty, In an
opinion furnished to the president, af
firms that the so-called Lasker
Farley plan for dividing the govern
ment’s merchant fleet among several
corporations organized under state
charters and paying in stock for the
ships instead of in cash or notes la
illegal. _
The Rural Smock.
From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
So far as President Coolldge is con
cerned, we are off the high plane
which marked our earlier purview of
his administration. We sh^U, from
to time, offer advice and make sug
gestions. The first suggestion Is that
he call in and destroy all pictures
—motion and otherwise—which depict
his romping about on his father’s
of the faritt vote on which a republic
of thefarm vote on which a republic
an candidate must depend Is n tha
west. Mr. Coolldge should not delib
erately offend it. No western farmer
has a smock In his wardrobe or would
wear one tp g, flog fight,
******0*—————BP————MM——
MERCHANT GIVES
MORE EVIDENCE
W. F. Penny, prominent merchant of
Hendersonville, N. C., and a leader In
the civic and business affairs of his
section, gives unstinted praise to Tan
lac, which, he states, has restored his
health and overcome troubles that had
defied treatment for years:
“For many years," stated Mr. Pen.
ny, “I was a great sufferer from Indi
gestion and stomatfii trouble. Ulcera
tion set in and necessitated an opera
tion. Utter lack of digestive power
over a long period so weakened me
that I was hardly able to attend to my
business.
“Tanlac seemed to reach the seat of
my troubles at once and now I have
normal strength and activity in every
way. Tanlac is undoubtedly the best
stomach medicine to be had.”
Tanlac is for sale by all good drug
gists. Take no substitute. Over 40
million bottles sold.—Advertisement.
Sincerity.
Jud Tunklns says It’s impossible to
be absolutely sincere all the time, oth
erwise you’d often have to think up
something besides “Dear Sir" In start
ing a letter.
Mrs. Eliza Teeter
HAVE YOU A COUGH?
What Tins Woman Says is of Vital
Interest to You
Goshen, Ind.—“I had coughed night
and day for a whole year and had lost so ,
much flesh I began to look like a walking
skeleton. Two of my sisters had died
from tuberculosis and I felt certain that
my time had come. Finally, a friend re
commended Dr. Pierce’s Golden Medical
Discovery to my husband, and it made
me feel new strength and vitality right
from Hie start and m a year’s time I was
just as strong and hardy as ever. I
nave never suffered with a deep, hack
ing cough since (that was about 20 years
ago) and have always felt very "grateful
to Dr. Pierce.”—Mrs. Eliza Teeter, 413
Middlebury St.'
Whenever you feel the need of good
confidential medical advice, address Dr.
Pierce, president Invalids’ Hotel, Buffalo
A. Y., and answer will be returned with
out charge of any kind.
Why He Stopped.
“I thought McMiser had taken up
golf. He doesn’t seem to be playing
now." “Yes, he started, but be has
given It up. He lost his ball.”—Bos
ton Transcript.
Aspirin
Say "Bayer” and Insistl
Unless you see the name “Bayer” on
package or on tablets you are not get
ting the genuine Bayer product pre
scribed by physicians over twenty-two
years and proved safe by millions to*
Colds Headache
Toothache Lumbago
Earache . Rheumatism
Neuralgia Pain, Pain
Accept “Bayer Tablets of Aspirin”
only. Each unbroken package contains
proper directions. Handy boxes of
twelve tablets cost few cents. Drug
gists also sell bottles of 24 and 100.
Aspirin Is the trade mark of Bayer
Manufacture of Monoacetlcaddeator of
SalLcylicacld.—Advertisement.
Telegraph Wires In Uganda.
Telegraphs In Uganda are not al
ways reliable, as tha natives covet
and often cut down the copper wire
for making into bracelets and neck
laces.- »
Hall’s Catarrh _
Medicine
rid your system of Catarrh or Deafness
caused by Catarrh.
S»ld by dntfgwO ft tt 40 ymrt
P. J. CHENEY & CO., Toledo, Ohio
j *
<