In Which Archie Feeds the Famishing By P. G. WODEHOUSE
and Pie Leads to Peace Illustrated by JEFFERSON MACHAMER
___ _s
_
I
THE lobby of the Cosmopolls hotel
was a favorite stamping: ground
of Mr. Daniel Brewster, Us
proprietor. He liked to wander about
there, keeping a paternal eye on
tilings, rather In the manner of tlie
t jolly Innkeeper of the old-fashioned
novel. Customers who, hurrying In to
dinner, tripped over Mr. Brewster
were apt to mistake him for the
house detective, for his eye was keen
and his aspect a trifle austere, but,
nevertheless, he was being as Jolly an
.Innkeeper as he knew how.
Most of the time, Mr. ferewster
stood In one spot and Just looked
thoughtful; but now and again he
would wander to the marble slab be
hind which he kept the desk clerk
and run his eye over the register to
ace" who had booked rooms— like a
child examining the stocking on
Christmas morning to ascertain what
Santa Claus had brought him.
As a rulp, Mr. Brewster concluded
this performance by shoving the
hook back across the marble slab and
resuming his meditations. But one
nlght-ln the early, spring, he varied
this procedure hy starting rather
violently, turning purple, and utter
ing tin exclamation which was mani
festly an exclamation of chagrin. He
turned abruptly and cannoned Into
his son-in-law, Archie Moffam, who,
in company with Lucille, hla wife,
happened to be crossing the lobby on
his way to dine in their suite. Mr.
Brewster apologized gruffly, then,
recognizing the victim, seemed to re
~ grot having done so.
“You mustn’t bully Archie.” said
Lucille severely, “because he’s an
angel and I love him, and you must
learn to love him, too.”
"Clive you lessons at a reasonable
rate,” murmured Archie. Mr. Brew
ster regarded his young relative with
a lowering eye.
“What’s tho matter, father dar
ling?” asked Lucille. “You seem up
am upset,” Mr. Brewster snort
ed.
"Why, what’s happened?” •
“Those darned McCalls have regis
tered here.”
"No!”
"Bit beyond me. "this,” said Archie.
“Deep waters and what-not. Who are
the McCalls?’’
“Some people father dislikes.” said
Lucille. “And they’ve chosen his hotel
to stop at. But. father dear, you
mustn't mind. It’s really a compli
ment. They've come because they
know it’s the best hotel In New
Tork.”
Lucille steered her husband to the
elevator.
“Poor father:” ’ she said, aa they
went to their suite. “It’a a sham*.
They must have done It to annoy
him. This man McCall lias a place
next to some property father bought
In Westchester, and he's bringing a
lawsuit against father about a bit of
land which he claims belongs to him.
He might have had tact to go to an
other hotel. But, after all. I don t
suppose It was the poor little fellow’s
*W^ fault.'He does whatever Ills wife tells
him to.
"Mr. McCall is one of those little,
meek men. and his wife's one of those
big, bullying women. It was she who
started all the trouble with father.
Father and Mr. McCalt were very
fond of each other till she made him
begin the suit. I feel sure she made
him come to -this hotel Just to annoy
father. Still, they’ve probably taken
the most expensive suite In the place,
x which Is something.”
Archie was at the telephone. Ills
mood* was now one of quiet peace. Of
all the happenings which went to
make up existence in New York, he
liked best the cozy, tete-a-tete dinners
with Lucille In thelr^aulte, which,
owing to their many engagements—
for Lucille was a popular girt with
many friends—occurred all too
seldom.
“Touching now th® <*u**tlon ^ o.
browsing and sluicing,” he said. "I’ll
he getting them to send along a
waiter."
“Ofi, good gracious:"
‘-•What's the matter?”
".I've Just remembered. T promised
fiKhiolly I would go and see .lane
Murchison today, I must rush. She s
sure to make me stop to dinner. I
tell you what. Order something for
me. and. if I'm not back In half an
hojir, start.”
The waiter arrived, booked the
order, and departed. Archie hail Just
completed his toilet after a shower
bath when a musical clinking with
out announced the advent of the
meal. He opened the door. The waiter
wag there with a table congested
with things under covers, from which
escaped a savory and appetizing
odor. In spite of hla depression.
Archie's soul perked up a trifle.
Suddenly he became aware that he
was not the only person present who
was deriving enjoyment from Hie
scent of the meal. Standing beside
the waiter and gazing wistfully at
the foodstuffs, was a long, thin boy
of aliout 1G. He was one i f those boys
who seem all legs and knuckles. He
1 id pale-red hair, sandy eyelashes,
and a long neck; and hla eyes, as he
removed them from the table and
raised them to Archie's, had a hungry
look.
"That smells good," said the boy.
He Inhaled deeply. “Yes, sir." he con
tinued, as one whose mtisd I* definite
iy made up; 'Umt atnellH good!”
Before AiVhJe • ould reply, the tele
phope bell rang. It was Lucille. • on
firming her Jifophecy that dans would
insist on her staying to dine
“Jane," said Archie Into the tele
phone, "Is a pot of poison. The
waiter la here now, setting out a rich
banquet, and I shall have to est two
of everything hy myself-"
He hung up the receiver, and. turn
ing. met the pale eye of the tong hoy,
who had propped himself up In the
! doorway.
"Were you expecting somebody to
dinner?” asked the hoy.
"Why, yes, old filend; T was."
• “I wlah—”
•'Oh. nothing.”
J4 Archie was not an abnormally rapid
' thinker,-hut he began at tbls point to
get a clearly defined impreaalon that
this tad. If Invited, would waive the
formalities and consent to Join hla
meal. Indeed, the Idea Archie got
was Hint, if he were not Invited pret
ty amui, he would Invite himself.
’•Yes.” he agreed; “It doesn’t smell
fcfid- what?”
“It^jlje^oud," I*** ho*'- “Oh,
%
doesn't it? AVake me up in the night
and ask me if it doesn't.”
“Vou've dined, T suppose—what?”
said Archie.
"I never dine.”
“What?”
"Not really dine, I mean. I only
get vegetables and nuts and things,”
“Dieting?”
"Mother is.”
"I don't absolutely catch the drift,
old bean,” said Archie..
The boy sniffed with half clbsed
eyes as a wave of perfume froAn the
poulet en casserole floated past him.
“Mother's a food-reformer.”' he
vouchsafed. "She lecture* on It. Sb*
lone after the other in the same ring
Ion the same evening, and given eni
a. handicap, too. 'R would have otn
swallowed tills 'ere o'Oowd. without
turning a hair, as a relish with 'is ten.
I'd got a couple 'undred dollars on
Mm. and thought myself lucky to get
the odds. And now—"
Mr. Blake relapsed into a tortured
silence. .
"But what's the matter with the
blighter?" asked Archie. "Why cun t
he go over the top? Has he got Indi
gestion?"
“ 'Indigestiop!' " Mr. Blake laughed
another of his hollow laughs. "You
couldn't give that boy Indigestion If
you feil '1m on snfety-rnzoV blades.
"Seems last night, Instead of'golng
and resting Ms mind at a picture^
palace, like I told him to, 'e sneakefl
off to some sort of a lecture down on
Eighth avenue. 'E said 'e’d seen a
piece about it in the papers, and it
was about rational eating, and that
kind of attracted Mm. 'E sort of
thought 'e might pick up a few- hints
like. 'K didn’t know what rational
to his, one of the first persons lie
raw as lie entered the lobby of the
Cpsmopolis was tbe long Tx>.v.
• “Well, well, wait:’- said Archie.
“Were we are again—what?" He
prodded the boy amiably in the lower
ribs. "You're just the chap 1 was
looking for. (lot anything on for tho
time being?"
The boy said he had no engage
ments.
"Then I want you to stagger
round with me to a chappie 1 know on
Sixth avenue. It's only a couple of
blocks away. I think I can do you a
bit of good. Put yon onto somethtng
tolerably Pipe, if you know what 1
mean. Trickle along, laddie; you
don't need a hat.'"
They found Mr. Blake brooding
over his troubles still. .
The long boy scanned the poster. A
gleam appeared in his rather dull eye.
"Well?''
"Home people have all the luck,
said the long boy feelingly.
"Would . you like to compete—
what?” f -
The boy nulled a sad smile.
“Would l? Would I? Say—”
"1 know,” Interrupted Archie.
The word was like a battle-cry.
At about 9 o’clock on the following
morning, in a suite at the Hotel Cos
rnopolis, Mrs. Cora Hates McCall, the
eminent lecturer on rational eating,
.was seated at breakfast with her fam
ily. Before her sat Mr. McCall, n lit
tle, hunted-looking inun, the natural
peculiarities of whose face were ac
centuated by a pair of glasses of
semicircular shape, like half-moons
with the horns turned up. Behind
these, Mr. McCall’s eyes played a
perpetual game of peek-a-boo, now
peering up over them, anon ducking
down and behind them. He was sip
ping a cup of anti caffeln. On his
fight, toying listlessly with a plateful
of cereal, sat his son, Washington.
Mrs. McCall herself was eating a
slice of health-bread and nut butter.
For she practiced as well as preached
the doctrines which site had striven
for so many 'years to inculcate In an
unthinking populace. Her day always
began with a light but nutritious
breakfast, at which a peculiarly un
inviting cereal, which looked and
tast’ed like an/dd straw hat that had
been run through a meat chopper,
competed for first place In "the tils
broke off. "What is the matter,
Washy?’’
It seemed that the habit of shudder
ing at the thought of pie ran in the
McCall family, for, at the mention of
the word, a kind of internal shimmy
had convulsed Washington's lean
frame, and over ids face there had
come an expression that was almost
one of pnin.
"Pie—” proceeded Mrs. McCall, In
her platform voice. She stopped
again abruptly. "Whatever is the
matter, Washington? You arc mak
ing me nervous,"
“I’m all right.”
Mrs. McCall had lost the thread of
her remarks. Moreover, having now
finished her breakfast, she was in
clined for a little light reading. One
of the Subjects allied to the matter of
dietary on which she felt deeply was
the question of reading at meals. She
was of the opinion that the strain on
the eye, coinciding with the strain on
the digestion, could not fail to give
the latter the short end of the contest;
and it was a rule at hey table thut
the morning paper should not even
be glanced at till the conclusion or
the meal. She said that it was up
setting to begin the day by leading
the paper, and events were to prove
that she was occasionally right.
All through breakfast, The Citron
makes pop and m# llv* on vegetables
and nuts and things."
Archie was shocked.
"My dear old chap, you must suffer
agontes—absolute shooting-pains!" He
had no hesitation now. Common hu
manity pointed out his course. "Would
you car# to Join me In a bits now?"
“Would I?" The boy smiled a wan
smile. "Would I? Just stop me on the
street and ask me!"
"Come on In, then," said Archie,
rightly taking this peculiar phrsse
for formal acceptance. “And clohe
the door. <Ths fatted calf is getting
cold."
Archie was not a man with a wide
visiting list among people with fami
lies, and It was so long since he had
seen a growing boy in action at the
table that he had forgotten what 1«
la capable of doing with a knife and
fork when it really squares Its el
bows. takes a deep breath, and gate
going. The spectacle which he
nessed was consequently *t first a
little unnerving. The long boy’s idea
of trifling with a meal appeared to
be to swallow It whole end reach out
for more. He ate like a starving
Eskimo.
On th* following morning. It
chanced that Archie needed a fresh
supply of tobacco. It was hi* cue
tom, when thle happened, to repair
to a small sho’p on Sixth avenue. His
lelntlons with Joe Blake, the pro
prietor, were friendly and Intimate.
The discovery that Mr. Blake was
English and had. Indeed, until a few
years hack, maintained an establish
ment only a dozen doors or so from
Archie's London club had served a*
a bond.
Today he found Mr. Blake In de
pressed mood. After a short and
melancholy good mornl/ig, he turned
to get the tobacco In silence.
Archie’s sympathetic nature was
perturbed. ,
“What's the matter, laddie'."’ he In
qulred. "You would seem to be feet
Ing a hit of an onion this bright morn
Ing—what—ye*—no? I ran see It
with the naked eye.'f
Mr. Blake Indicated a poster which
hung on the wall behind the counter.
Archie had noticed It as he came In.
It was printed In black letters on a
yellow ground, and ran as follows:
CLOVER-LEA*' SOCIAL ANI)
OUTING CLUB GRAND CONTEST
PIE EATING CHAMPIONSHIP OK
THE WEST HIDE
SPIKE O’DOWD
«'hatnploni
vs.
BLAKE’S UNKNOWN
Kor
A PURSE OF $!i0 AND SIDE WET
Archie expressed a kindly hope that
the others lAiknOtvn would bring
home the baron.
Mr. Blake laughed one of those hol
low. mirthless Isughs. k
"There ain’t any blooming Un
known,’’ lie said bitterly. Tills man
had plainly suffered. "Yesterday,
yes; hut not now."
Archie sighed.
“’In th* hiidst of life.’ Dead?" lie
Inquired del'calely.
"As good .is," replied the stricken
tobacco Slat. De rust aside hla arti
ficial restraint and became voluble.
"It’s 'aid, sir; It’s blooming ’ard.
I’d got the svent all tewed up In i
parrel, and now this young fsller-me
lad ‘as lo give me the knock. This
lad of mine - sort of cousin, ’# Is—
corns* from leondon, like you and ms
_V, giways ad, ever since he land
ed In this country, a most amusing
knack of stowing away grub. I’d ,’avs
backed ’bn against a ruddy orstrldg*
Orstlldgs! I’d 'avs backed ‘lin against
art a *o*en orstrldges—take ’em on
• » « , , # i. # '**%.*•
eating wu, but It sounded to 'im as If
It must bs something to do with food,
and > didn't want to miss It. 'E
came In here Just now.” said Mr.
Blake dully,- “and 'e was a changed
lad. Scared to death 'e was. Said the
way 'e'd been going on In the past,
It was a wonder 'e’d got any stum
mick left. It was a lady that give the
lecture, and this boy said It was
amazing what ahe told 'em about
blood-pressure end things 'e didn’t
even kndw ’e 'ad. She showed 'em
pictures—colorsd pictures—of what
sppens Inside the injudicious eater s
stummlck who doesn't chew his food,
"Wake you up In the night and ask
you! I knew I could rely on you, old
thing.” He turned to Mr. Blake.
"Here's the fellow you've been want
ing to meet the finest left and right
hand eater east of the Kockles: He'll
fight the good fight for you.”
Mr. Blake's English training still
retained a nice eye for the distinc
tions of class.
“But this young gentleman’s a
young gentleman,” he urged doubt
fully. yet with hope ehlning In his
eye. "He wouldn't do It.”
“Wouldn't do what?” asked the
boy.
like or her husband and ton witn a
mdre than usually offensive brand of
imitation coffee. Mr. McCall was in
clined to think that he loathed the
near-toffee rather more than .the ce
real, but Washington held strong
views on th« latter's superior ghastli
ness. Both Washington and hie fath
er. however, would have been fair
minded enough to admit that It was s
close thing.
Mrs. McCall regarded her offspring
with grave approval.
"I am glad to see* Lindsay.’ she
said to her husband, whose eyes
sprang dutifully over the glass fence
uiul it wan like a hurtle field. K »ald
'e would no more, think of eatln' a lot
of pie Uiun 'e would of ehootln’. Tin
self, and, anyhow, eating |de would
he a quicker death. I reasoned with
Trn, Mr. Moffntn, with tears In my
eye* llut there wuen't any doing
anything with hint. 'K give me the
knock and 'opperi It down the street
to huy nut*. Two 'undred dollars
and more gone pop. not to talk ©f
the BO dollar* > would have won, and
me to get 2B of!’’
Archie took hie tobacco and walked
pensively back to the hotel. He was
fond of Joe Blake, and grieved for
the trouble that had oome upon him.
It was odd, he felt. , how thing*
seemeil to link thetnselves tip to
get her. The woman who had delivered
the feleftil lecture to the injudicious
enter* of the West Hide could not he
other than the mother of hi* young
gueat of last night.
As If destiny were suiting her plans
...» .. .
"Why. snve the old homestead by
taking on the chumplon. Dashed sad
rase, between ourselves. This pour
egg's nominee has given him the
raspberry nt the eleventh hour, and
only you ran save him. And you owe
It to him to do something, you know,
because It was your Jolly old mater's
letfure Isat night thaj made the nom
inee quit. You must charge In and
take hla idace Sort of poetic Justice,
don't you know, and whatnot." He
turned to Mr. Illakc. "When I* the
conflict supposed to start? Twothlr
ey? You haven't any Important en
gagement for two-thirty, have you?
"No. Mother's lunching *t some la
dles' club nnd giving s lecture after
ward. I can slip away."
Archie milled his head.
"Then leg It where glory wait* you,
old bean."
The long hoy was gaging earnestly
at llw poster.
"I'lsT he said In a hushed voice,
tr
dm he heard id* name, inni waany
ha* recovered 111* appetite. When he
refuaed hi* dinner last night, I was
n fin Id that he might lie alckenhtg for
aomethlng. Kapectnly a* he had quite
h fluahed look. You noticed hie fill Bil
l'd look?’
’’He did look fluahed.
"Very fluahed. And, when he aald
Hint he hml no appetite, I am bound
to any that I wn* anxtoua. Hut he
la evidently perfectly well thl* morn
ing. You do feet perfectly well thl*
morning, Waahy?"
The heir of the McCall* looked up
from hla cereal,
"t’h huh." he *ahl.
Mr* McCall nodded
"Surely now you will ngiee, I4nd
any, that n eureful and rational diet
la what a Imy ticeda. 1 ahud.lri
when I think of the growing boy* who
are permitted by Irreaponaitde people
to devour meat—candy—pie—” She
i
Icle had been lying neatly folded be
side her plate. She now opened It,
and with a remark about looking for
the report of her yesterday’! lecture
at the Butterfly club, directed her
gaze at the front page, on which she
hoped that a city editor with the best
Intereats of the public at heart, had
decided to place her.
Mr. McCall, Jumping up and down
behind his glasses, scrutinized her
face closely as she began to read. He
always did this on these occasions,
for none knew better than he that his
comfort for the day depended largely
on eome unknown reporter whom he
had never met.
Today, he noted with relief, all
seemed to be well. The story actual
ly waa on the front page.
Mre. McCall gave a aharp Shriek,
and the paper fluttered from her
hand.
"My dear!" aaJd Mr. McCall with
concern.
Hla wife had recovered the paper,
and waa reading with burning eyea.
"Waalilngton!’ A banllsk glare shot
serose the table and turned the long
boy to stone—all eacept hla mouth,
which opened feebly. "Washington!'
Is this true?
Washy closed his mouth, then let it
slowly open again.
"My dear!’’ Mr. McCall's voice was
alarmed. "What is it? "What is the
matter? Is anything wropg?
‘"Wrong! Head for yourself?
Mr. McCall was completely mysti
fied. Where, Mr. McCall asked him
self, did Washington come in?
He looked st the |«per and per
ceived Immediate enlightenment.
1 lead-lines met his eyes.
noon stuff in this boy.
about a ton of it
Son of (Ntra Bates McCall, Famous
Food Reform lecturer. Wins Pie
Eating Championship of West Side.
There followed a lyrical outburst.
So uplifted hn^ the reporter evident
ly felt for the Importance of his news
that he had been unable to confine
himself to prose.
"My children. If you fall to shine
or triumph in your special line; If.
let us say, your hopes are bent on
some day being prealdent, and folks
Ignore your proper worth and aay
votive not got s chance on earth.
< beer up, for, In these stirring day*,
fame may lie won In many ways. Con
sider, when your spirits fall, the case
of Washington McCall.
Ills mother (nee Miss Coil Rates!
Is one who frequently orates upon the
proper kind of food which every menu
should Include. With eloquence the
yvmld she urnus for chops and steaks
and pork and beans. Sucb horrid
things she'd like to crush and make
us live ou milk, and ntusli. But. oh.
the thing that makes her sigh Is
w hgn she sees us eating pie! (We
heard her lecture Inst July upon
"The Nation's Menace- Pie I Alas, the
hit It irmde was small with Master
Washington McCall.
For yesterday we took a trip to
see the great pic eating champion,
where men with bulging cheeks and
eyea consume vast quantities of pies
A fashionable West Side crowd be
held the champion, spike (I'llowd,
endeavor In defend his throne against
an upstart. Blake's Unknown. He
wasn't an Unknown at all. He was
young Washington McCall.
"The champion was a willing lad
He gave the puhlto all he had. Ilia
was s genuine fighting soul He'd
lots of speed and much control No
yellow streak did he etlnoe; he
tackled apple pic and mince. This
Was the motto on his shield "tVIViwds
may buret. They never yield." Hlaj
eyes he grill to start Still tad!. He
eased hla bolt another Uo\p. Poor
fellow! With a single glance, eh'
saw that he had not a chance A
python would have had to ci^wl and
own defeat from young McCall
"At last—long last—the finish
came. His features ■ overcast with
shame, O'Jkrwd. who faltered onee or
twice, declined to cat another slice.
He tottered off, and kindly men ral
lied round with oxygen. Hut Washy.
Cora Batcfl's son, seemed disappointed
It wm done. 11" somehow made those
present feel he'd barely started on his
meal. We asked him, '‘Aren't you
feeling bad?" "Me!" said the lion
hearted lad. "Lead me"— he started
for the street—"where I can get a
bite to eat.” Oh, what a lesson does
it teach to all of us. that splendid
speech? How better can the curtain
fall on Master Washington McCall?"
Mr. McCall read this epic through;
then he looked at his son. If such a
thing had not been so Impossible, one
would have said that hia gaze had In
It Something of respect,- of admira
tion. even of reverence.
"But how did they find out your
name?" he asked, at length.
Mrs. McCall exclaimed impatiently,
"Is that all you have to say?”
"N'o, no. my dear; of course not.
But the point struck me as curious."
“Wretched boy,” cried Mrs. McCall,
'were you insane enough to reveal
your name?”
Washington wriggled uneasily.
"Ilullo-ullo-ullo! What ho? What
ho?"
Archie, was standing In the door
way. beaming ingratiatingly on the
family.
The apparition of an entire stranger
served to divert the lightning of
Mrs. McCall's gazp from the unfor
tunate Washy. Archie, catching It
between the eyes, blinked and held on
to the wall. He began to regret that
he had yielded to Lucille's entreaty
that he should look In on the McCall’s
and use the magnetism of hia person
ality upon them in the hdt*e of induc
ing them to settle the law-suit.
"I think,” said Mrs. McCall Icily,
"that you must have mistaken your
room.”
Archie rallied his shaken forces.
"Oh, no; rather not! Better Intro
duce myself—what? My name’s
Moffam, yqji know. I'm old Brew
ster's son-in-law. and all that sort of
rot. If you know what I mean.” He
gulped and continued. "I've come
about this Jolly old lawsuit, don't you
know."
Mr McCall seemed about to speak,
but his wife anticipated him.
"Mr. Brewster's attorneys ere In
communication with ours. We do not
wish to discuss the matter."
Archie resumed his discourse:
"No—hut I say, you know! I’ll tell
you what happened. I hate to totter
in where I’m not wanted and all that,
but my wife made such a point of It.
She begged me to look you up and J
see whether we couldn't do something
about settling the Jolly old thing.
How about it?" He broke off. "Great
Scott! I say—what?"
Bo engrossed had he been in his
appeal that he had not observed the
presence of the pie eating champion
of the West Side. But now Washing
ton, hearing the familiar voice, had
moved from the window and was
confronting him with an accusing
stare,
"He made me do It!" said Washy, j
with the stern joy a l* year-o)d feels I
when he sees somebody onto whose.
shoulder* hs ran shift troubls from
hhs own, “This’s the fellow who toot,
me to the place.’’
"What ara you talking about,
Washington?"
"I’m telNsg you! Ite got m# Into
the thing." •
"Is this true?" Mrs. McCall glared
Stonily at Archie. "Was It you who
lured my poor hoy Into that—that
"That hinge ovur on the , JlTesf
Side?. Oh. absolutely! Th# fact is,
don't" you know, u dear old pal of
mine who runs a tobacco shop on
Sixth avenue was rather In the soup.
He had hacked a chappie against the
champion, and the chappie was oon
verted l>y one of your lectures and
swore off pie at the 11th hour. Dash
ed haril luck on the poor chap, don't
you know' And then I g"t the Idea
that our little friend here was th#
one to step In ami save tits sltuaah:
so I broaidied th£ matter to him. And
I'll tell you one thing." said Archie
handsomely, "I ilon't know what sort
of a capacity the original chappie
had. hut I'll bet he wasn't In -your
son's class.’’
For many years, Mr. McCall* had
been In a state of suppressed revolu
tion. He had smoldered, but had not
dared to Maze. Hut this startling up
heaval of his fellow sufferer, Washy,
had acted upon him like a high ex
plosive. There was a strange gleam
In his eye. a gleam of determination.
"Washy!"
.Ills voice had lost Its deprecating"
mildness. It rang strong and clear.
"Yes, pop?"
"How many pies did you eat?"
"A good few.”
“How many? Twenty?"
"More than that. I lost count."
“And you feel as well as evsr?"
"I feel fine."
Mr. McCall met his wife# ey# wltn
quiet determination.
"Cora," he said resolutely, “I hav#
com# to a decision. I’vs been letting
you run things your own way a llttla
too long In this family. I am going
to assert myself. For on# thing, I’yo
had all I want of this food-reform feol.
ery. Look at Washy! Yesterday that
boy seems to have conaumed anything
from a couple of hundredweight to A
ton of pie, and he has thriven on It.
Thriven! I don't want to hurt your
feelings, Coray but Washington and
I have drunk our last cup of anti
caffeln. If you care to go on with
the stuff, that's your lookout. But
Washy and I ar* through." H# si
lenced his wife with a masterful ges
ture, and turned to Archie. "And
there's another thing; I never liked
the Idea of that lawsuit, but I 1st you
talk me Into it. Now I'm going to do
things my way. Mr. Moffam, I'm
glad you looked In this morning, I'll
do Juat what you want. Take me to
Dan Brewster now. and let'* call the
thing off and shake hand# on It.*’
"Are you mad. Lindsay?"
It was Oora Bate# McCall'a last
shot. Mr. McCall paid no attention
to It. He was shaking hands with
ArchieX
"I consider you, Mr. Moffam." ho
said, “th# most sensible young man I*
have ever met."
Archie blushed modestly.
"Awfully good of you, old bear.:"
he said. "I wonder if you'd mind
telling my jolly old father-In law that.
It'll be a bit of news for him.’*
(Copyrlfht. 1II8-)
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Ivut'l »la> stuffed up! Take "I'apeal
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pasaagea of haiitl' atop* noaa running,
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Inalat upon Pap* a
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