THE SEMI-MONTHLY MAGAZINE SECTION
KEEPING UP WI
ri II",
From the iog of the Bar and Bottle
m OWEN JOHNSON
Hhuitxtiotw by OSCAR CES&RE
I KKIjINANI) I'. TT "KEY'S MAN. Rawdon, ap
a red in tl.e di.-ordc-r'-d bedroom, ten minutes aftfr the
cm h'H. clock had noisily announced the noon hour without
producing any visible effect upon the potted body in tin
ned, one hand of which was still encased in the white
t:loe of the evening before, while one foot still elunir to
the acquaintance of a shoe, which wandered from th-
Rawdon, ax a perfectly trained English servant
should do, noted ith invincible solemnity that the statue of Vnus wa
clothed in certain thoroughly masculine articles of apparel, that to the chan
delier wiifi attached a white tie to whioh was affixed the master's watch, while
the master's cane and top-bat were balanced on opposite bedposts. Havmt;
perceived which, not without a certain anxiety, he advanced and haunt;
roughed correctly, said :
"Mr. Ktukey, sir."
Instantly there was a convulsion under the bed covers and a roly-pol
hoily shot to a sitting position. Mr. Ktukey was not handsome. lie had a
puffy nose, a hungry month, the lazy eyes of a hippopotamus and a rowdj
shock of russet hair.
"Rawdon," he said severely, glancing at the clock, "have I not told you
that 1 wish to rise promptly at noon 1"
"Please, sir, I had some difficulty in entering the apartment. The keyhole
was stuffed up, sir."
"Tho keyhole?"
"There were several bills of large and small denomination, which bad
been inserted, sir. It gave me quite a bit of trouble, sir."
"I ee."
STUKEY nodded gravely to signify that tho explanation was accepted, cast
from him tho sheets and regarding tho white glove and the one shoe without
surprise, said to himself:
"What was the name of the fellow I mot last night wonderful chap?"
Then, coming slowly to his feet, ho suffered Rawdon to envelop him in tho
heated bathgown of Robin's-Kgg-Mlue, and disentangled bis foot from tho super
IIiioiih hoot.
"I don't feel so badly, Rawdon," lie said with some surprise.
"No, sir."
"What the deuce was tho name of that glorious chap, Watson Waters,
that 'h not it." All at once, he remembered : "Rawdon, my pocketbook."
Rawdon, at attention, scutched the floor, the ceiling and the middle spaces.
"I usually leave my trousers in the piano," said Stukey, comprehending.
"What else havo you found?"
"Please, sir, I have n't been in the remainder of tho apartment," said Raw
don; "your waistcoat anil one shoe was in the icebox, sir."
"Shall I take u hot shower, a bit of breakfast, or shall I investigate," said
Stukey slowly to himself. Curiosity overcame his
merclv physical aches and he led the way into tho
studio diningrooin, with as much dignity as the re
bellious state of his nerves would permit.
The first thing that his eye perceived was tho en
tire breakfast set, neatly arranged on tho floor, dia
metrically across the room from the bared mahogany
table. t)n the latter, he observed n card, surrounded
by four studs placed in constellation, in mathematical
order.
"I havo your trousers, sir," said Rawdon in a
matter of fact tone.
Stukey approached the table, admiring tho pre
cision of tho decoration and seizing tho card, ho read:
"Mr. Jack Wattiville
"reminds Mr. '. P. Stukey that he is to meet
him at one o'clock sharp at the Alonzo Grill to settle
the wagers of the evening and to arrange a neiv
programme of festivities."
"I have your pocketbook and cigarette case, sir,"
said Rnwdon respectfully, in the distance.
"Wagers of tho evening," muttered Stukey to
himself in vague unease. "I don't remember any
wngers. Who the deuco is this fellow Wattiville,
and how did 1 meet htm? I remember, I remember
. . . what do I remember? All I remember is his
getting into a taxicnb and telling tho chauffeur to
drive to Philadelphia. That was very late. Rawdon !"
"Yes, sir," said Rnwdon, arriving joyfully with
the missing coat from tho linen chest. "Hero it is, sir."
"Never mind that," said Stukey; "get the Social
Register. Look up tho namo Wattiville. Let me
know at once, in my bath. 1 've got an appointment
at one o'clock."
Three minutes later, as with closed eyes and
grateful bead he stood under the soothing heated
shower, Rawdon uppeared:
"Brother of the detert, (alaam I
Prompt at a bill chaser, pink a a maiden; fit as a fiddle!"
"Mr, Stukev."
"Well?"
"No such name, sir."
"Look in the telephone book."
"Yes, sir."
"Who the deuce is the fellow, any how," ho said, ns ho oinorgod, "and what
did we do? I don't like that reference to wagers."
"Mr. Stukev, sir."
"Well. Rawdon?"
"With an i or an e, sir?"
"With an i."
"No such name, sir."
"lie said he always went home to sleep in Philadelphia. T do remember
that," said Stukey slowly. "Rawdon, mv checked suit and I '11 dress in lavender."
"Yes, sir."
"Rnwdon, count my money, will you? Let mo know what I brought back."
"Very well, sir."
."The fellow may be a lloater or a card sharp,"
ho said, musing, contemplating his discouraged left
eye. "1 started out with two hundred, if I remember.
On second thought, I guess it 's just ns well to keep
out ot it."
"Two hundred in your pocketbook, sir," said
Rawdon reappearing, "a fifty dollar bill that was in
the telephone, sir, and thirty-two that was stuffed in
the keyhole, sir."
"You are sure?"
"Perfectly, sir."
"Rawdon", what did I take with mo last night?"
"Two hundred, sir."
"You 're sure?"
"Perfectly, sir."
"My trousers, fiiiek!"
A T TWO MINUTES of one Ferdinand P.
. 1 , , 1 1 T in 1"
"I item to remember a great audience cheering me madly."
Stukey,
taxi,
saying to himself for the tenth wearv time
"Why, I don't feel nt all bad."
At the same moment, from tho next arriving
tnxicab bounded out a tall, robust figure, radiant
with good cheer nnd the zest of the morning, and
turning to the driver, cried jovially:
"Keep a hundred dollars for yourself, Lorenzo;
pay the mortgage off the farm !" Saying which, he
turned and perceived Stukey, who wus considering
him in great perplexity. "Brother of the desert,
salaam!" ho cried with a cordial wave of the hand;
"prompt as a bill chaser; pink as a maiden; fit as a
fiddle."
"Wattiville," said Stukey, who sought to give
to his accent something between an exclamation and
an interrogation.
"My boy, yon are marvelous such color, such
eyes," continued Wattiville, linking arms and mov-