1914-06-13 — Page 5

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.

SHORT STORY.

AFTER THIRTY

BY JULIAN STREET

[This is a distinctive story with a new flavour. It is clever and original, and it reflects quito daringly the spirit of contemporary life, Maclure's, from which it comes, has not öften had anything better in ils pages. Wickett meats charming married women at dinner and' arrangea to meet her next day

at the Cale Lafayette. But she does not como.l (Concluded from last Saturday)

The noise of service aud of conversation was waited from the

1837...

EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY JUNË 13, 1914

แ

up mechanically, and bung then The way to make money out of on a closet hook. Then she went sweepstakes is not to bay,tickets, but to make them. The first upstaire.

A streak of light, falling across thing the promoter has to do is to But the hall, told her that her secure a good title; for, in spite him husband's bedroom door stond of the aspersione which a great open, She moved toward it. Englishman cast upon games, "That wasn't it," she declared. As she came into the light, he the English people do apparently attach much value to them. The It was because you, dreaded to saw her. he laughed at by your wife."!" "Hello, dear!" ho cried, promoter may style himself. The waiter, interrupting with letting fall the ends of the soarta Sports Club, a Co-operative Society, or a Syndicate. Auy of finger-bowl and check, was as he was about to tie.

these is quite attractive; perhapa welcome na the sight of sunlight to prisoned men. Wickelt paid.

She entered. He met her in Syndicate is the beat; it sug- him. To went away.

the middle of the room, kissed goats great wealth. Having then "Mon eny," said Mrs: Riley, her, and rubbed his cheek play secured a title, eny the "Derby "that women are the ones who fully against hera, which was still Diddlers' Syndicate," he next ecol with the air of out-of-doors.proceeds to get an address, which cannot keep a secret ! "

"Did he give you a good he can easily do by renting a box lunch ?" he naked, with a smile, at a Swiss Post Office for a nomi- "What do you suppose your Aren't you glad you decided to [nal paymont, To deal with the

naked, with a laugh not altogethermore to say upon the subject, If you hoped that, why were

after that; clearly, it was quite you an urgent on the phone?" He felt the spirit of adventure exhausted. Wickett tugged dos- "Ob," Wickett hedged, "I ainking with

folded winga.perately for something brillinot wanted to see you." They moved toward the dining-to say, but could not oven think Truth suffered a relapse. room. As they entered, the old of anything intelligent. Mean-Mrs. Railey would not lot Frenchman whom he had noticed while Mrs. Railey poked, at borlia in peace. in the waiting-roam, almost two enlad with hor fork. Presently a hours before, omerged. He step: smile camo over her face.

"Tell me something," she said pad aside politely for Mrg. Railey, and reviewed her, as she suddenly, looking at him with passed, with the eye of a con- the first animation sho had noisseur. Thon he caught sight sliown. Didn't you feel, this of Wickett, and seemed to recog-morning, as if you'd give almost nizo him. "Ah!" said his anything to got out of this he was irritated to no small twinkling brown eye. "So abe engagemeut? She continued to degree. Then, when he had just is arrived at last, your beautiful regard him with a shrewd, about succeeded in waking his friend! And a little quarrel quizzical look,

"Ob, no!" he replied, with He was too orushed to answer. mind an almost perfect black, read it in your faces. That the switch-board operator called is right, my children. Love, superlative yet unconvincing

"Not quarrel, and love again, while fervour.

at all! out" Mr. 'Wickott!"

Didwife thinks of me?" she went on. you are young After sixty you? He had lied like n "She admires you, I'm sure! Trust me, it is so there is not gentleman-

uneney he put in quickly. gentleman. Truth could not be the zest in life."

There were plenty of tables resurrected easily. It lay dead, now. They chose one by a win-between them, on the table, dow, and sat sedately. The upon à bier. luucboon be had ordered on ur-' riving was now quite out of the Some dishes were question. no longer to be had, others not to bo desired at so late an hour. Like most New Yorkore of his

Wickett fairly leapel. In instant he was in the booth.

"Hello!" lis voice quavered, "Jello?" It was her voice," but ovan in that single word it edemed to lack the eginpathotic timbre of the night before.

According to the etiquette of such occasions, they did not mention nomea.

"What happened?" he cried

of one!"

other room; along with palate "I've been here ever since quarter class, Wickett had a fatbous!

"Beon where?"

tempting odours. Save for one

pride in his ability to order." A other man, who had come in late,

good luncheon would not mend be was alone in the ante-room). At the old Martin's

matters, perhaps. but it might old University Place, of course! His companion was an Frenchman with white hair and He should not have said of help. Ife considered the menu beard, and humorous dark oyes course," and tried to smooth it carefully, selecting, "discarding, framed in a patchwork of wrink-ovor by aaking solicitously: revising. Moanwhile his guest. les Placid and observant, he

"Where did you go?

sat motionless, save far a font

mcat

"Not exactly," she retreated, In the longer silence that followed, Wickelt heard a waiter dropping ire into a ginge, in a far corner of the room. He took a drink of water,

"Perhaps you'd like some dessert?" be suggested finally.

"No, thanka."

"Nothing else?"

"She must admire me!" the lady commouted ironically.

"She does!" ho protested "She told me to go ahead!".

Mra. Railey turned on him a look of righteous anger.

"She evidently considers me dangerous!"

"You would not wish her to thinle you that?"enid he. Then,

when she failed to make reply, he added righteously: "I know I don't wish to be thought dangerous.

Console yourself!"" torted drily.

"No, thinks; it's gotting Inte.” He looked at his watch, and said, "Yes" Then he called the The waiter brought his abungo. waiter and asked for the check. Good waiter! Wickett look up a vague portion of it. His guest He asked in a rather cheerful. Wickett folt the tapping through voice. The awful afternoon's was dramming on the cloth with I've his boot-sole, and it did not tend adventure was almost at an end.

nervous finger-tips.. Mrs. Railey had been looking, "I don't blame you in the to soothe him.

To the head waitor who hadidly, about the room. Suddenly toast," anid Wickett, for hating attended, patiently, he gave his ho saw hor oyes dilate. She drew me. I'm terribly, aslammed, and order looking on he did so to sharp broath and let it go iu ought to be." Mrs. Railey for a confirmation of smothered exclamation, at the deep dejection. each dieh selected.

same time bowing her head, as "Guinea-hen?" she interrupt- if to conceal her face.

fayette?" she demanded, a note of impatience in her voice. been waiting around both the other Martins."

waited philosophically for some "Don't they call it the" Lapping rapidly upon the carpet. one, and watching, Wickett, who was so plainly eager and a- patient, ho remembered episodes of his own youth, and laughed inwardly.

"Ah, my old one!" The gentleman rose suddenly and shook both hands of another Frenchman who had entered. Linking arms, they passed into the restaurant, leaving Wickett

alone in his discomfiture.

Judgment, assisted by vanity, told him that there had been

fle groaned. Didn't I say University Place?" he naked "It was terribly stupid of me. I'm awfully sorry !!

"Oh, that's all right," she said, with discouraging indifferenco It wasn't a very sensible plan anyway, I'm afraid. I suppose you're half femished? I'm just sitting down, to luncheon here,

home."

at

some mistake. He would not

"Oh, don't!", Lo eried" think that she had disappointed bina deliberately. Could she must see you! We can't leave etike this! Meet me half way have gone to Martin's, or Louis Martin's? Possibly. But somewhere - Delmonico's it would not do to telephone, Sherry's- and have her name howled through the rooms by pages. Ha did not wish, either, to call up her house, but, after careful deliberation, cuncluded it to be his only course.

"But I'in hungry, Hanger in death to adventure."

"No, it's not! "to howled into the instrument.

"And I've dismissed my car."] "Také a taxi !'" "Don't you think we had better postpons it?"

"No, I don't! Postponement jie death to adventure."

meet?

ire

e suddenly. It was the first word she had spoken at the table. "If you don't mind, I'd rather not have the guinea-hen. Just

a

a

Fle looked his

"Hello, Fred."

go, after all?"

She took one of his bands and patted it abstractedly.

lettere, he may either live in Switzerland himself, or, as is often done, advertise in the sport- "It was funny," she said slowly, ng papers for a clerk who will and it was dreadful, and he's forward the letters in paroels to really very nice. I'll tell you England, where the business is about it at dinner. Now I must chiefly transacted." dreas,"

The next and most important She dropped his haud and. moved away. But at this door stap is to scoure clients, and this

can be achieved either by pur

she turned.

five."

And Truth, the tried littlo god, who had followed her ups airs, sat down, and crossed his lege, and sighed a happy sigh; for he felt very much at home.

insert

"It's too much effort. There's chasing lists of addresses, or, nothing in adventure after thirty- what is much more effective, get

ting a weekly paper to boom the concern for a consideration, of fully so as to avoid a breach of coures. This must be done care- the Lottery laws. A elever way

is · · to of doing it replies to alleged Jorre- spondents certifying as to the honour and repute of this par ticular syndicate, and stating in other replies that all other con- cerne are to be avoided like the The Prizes--And the Blanks. plague. In all the literature is sued by the syndicate it is con- sidered important to describe

SWEEPSTAKES.

The Government of Lucerne the scheme as 's really genuine There was another. ghastly has decided to suppress the Eng-sweepstako," and to warn the pause. Then, with a bewildering fish sweepstuko and betting public against all others, which To Wicket for action was as change of zoood, she said to his offices in that canton. The lead may be summarily dismissed as "swindles." There is an ineradio- graphic is that of any notress be almost sweetly: "I've bees of Lucerne will, in all probability, had ever seen, in the familiar very disagreeable gueal, Mr.

be followed by Geneva and other able belief in many minds that situation on thestage. His heart Wickett. Please don't remementone, so that in a short time denunciation of fraud is a certi- something light, that won't spoil sank. Yet, at the same time, ber me, forever, as ill-tempered." Switzerland may have to be ficate of honesty.

some little devil of mischief It was a sudden glimpse of her reckoned, in betting law parlance, With some difficulty, the order inside him whispered: "She as a fascinating woman again. as that thing most dreaded of was amended. His salad did not should say, 'My God! My He was on the point of making a English bookies, a "place" within

my dinner."

"I thought you were hungry?" he said, as cheerfully as he could.

"I was," she replied wauly, Bet somehow ny appetite hos gone."

"Don't lock around! "No. Is it?"

"I think it is your wife!" she aid in a low, tense voice,

Wickett leaned back in his chair. A sigh of relief escaped him, and a smothered grin broke slowly over his fentures,

1)

Artistic. Verisimilitudo..'

suit her, either Nor the Rus husband! However, she did brilliant reply, when she gather the prohibitions of the law. A popular idea with promotera orgian dressing. Even the cold not say that. What she saided up her bag and gloves and France, Belgium, and Holland is to state in their circalars that

comfort of a hot ropast, was was:

arose from the table. Then they have previously driven forth they are giving, a share of tho denied him for the meal degen

moved toward the door. As ho these houses, whose existence is money to charities. This never erated, under. Mrs. Railoy's

passed the woman who had been an attempt to circumvont the fails, for England is a country of mistaken for his wile, Wickett strictures, into something like a

House Act of 1853 widows and orphans, as may be Betting cold buffet.

looked at her with a strange, Doubtless other lands afar off will often seen from a cursory reading

Of numb interent. How could any be sought for hospitality, nad in of Parliamentary debates, ono have thonght she looked some a temporary haven may be course, it may occur to a few like Mollio?" The maid who responded to his

found. But over all hangs the people that it isn't the promoter telephone call informed bim that

Outdoor, on the stops, Mrs. threat of the Postmaster General at all who is giving the money to her mistrese had gone out to

"It can't be," he rear sured her. Railey offered him her hand. to cut the postal communications, charity, but the subscribers to "Whoro does she sit?"

"We are friends?" she asked, and that, of course, will be the the "sweep But that is only luncheon. That was something,

"Don't look!" she cautioned, He took the hand.

end of all,

one of the minor risks of sweep. "Where?" be demanded." "Well," she gave in reluct. Yet, on the night before, he

"From the bottom of my "She did not say,

Bit"

Butly, "if its as bad as that bad thought thoir tastes alike!clutching his hand spasmodically.

The exploits of the foreign stake promoting. Another idea "When Mrs. Railey returns," "Heaven bless you!" he said

A gastronomic chasm yawned "She'll see you. She is directly, heart!" he answered gratefully betting houses, nefarious enough much approved of in to publish please ask fervently. he instructed her,

between them. Elbows on the back of you, three tables away." "Where shall

As they descended the steps though some of them have been, on the back of the tickete a cloth, and chia on, hands, sho "Don't worry," he saida coth she said:" her to call up Gramercy 6840."

"I'm sure it isn't Mrs. "What you did-telling, I have in recent years been com- photograph of a bankers' deposit Then he hung up the receiver, "St y where you are," the gazed out of the window. The ingly. quickly. It wouldn't do to leave laughed If you went out you sun cast long shadows in the Wickou. But, if it is, it's all mean was really the right pletely catdone by the raids of receipt containing the amount of the sweepstake-monger. There the prize money. This is usually his name; to be sure, there was might get lost again."

street. Wickell looked at her. right. Of course I'm going to thing, after all, you know."

He shook his heart, donbtfully. are fashions in gambling as in done by getting the loan of a no harm in it, hat it might Wickett went directly to a Yes, she was handsome; no one look." He did so, and turned

"You are very gonerous."

everything else. At the presont cheque for the embarrass her, He felt himself window commanding the street, could deny it. Not on handsome, back, quickly, to reassure her: to be a slinking rather than a sly and

'Helping her into a taxi, he was moment the most popular vogue depositing it for a day perhaps, mounted guard.

Taxis though, as he had pictured her. Nothing like her. I knew it Lothario, and did not like the came and went. He watched And their tastos! Suddenly he wasn't. My wife is a thorough grateful to her. for not suggest is the sweepstake. To a certain. This leads the public to believe feeling.

them eagerly. When he had thought of Mollis. Mollie never bred. She wouldn't have the ing that they drive uptown to extent it has always been with that their prize money at least is But we have travelled a secure; they will never make. Another half hour dragged stood there "for some time, a would have let things ang away bad taste to come here under the gether.

It has been on adventure, in long, way from the sixpenny inquiries at the bank to see if it itself through the lagging clock. motor-cab arrived with a solitary like this! Mollio would havo circum" He stopped short in

a way, after all," she smiled, or abilling sweep" on the Darby. is still there. He was becoming very hungry: lady. She wore a lan suit trim- wanted a good luncheon. She the middle of the fatal word.

Meu. Railey's hoad flew back, through the open door.

Sweepstake-mongering is now a When the day of the drawing Those whom he had soon go in med with some dark fur, and a liked what he liked.

And we are a little bit alike highly organised industry, on arrivos it is important to invite were now emerging from the taque of the same skin.. His The two devoured their eggs Bor oyes flashed, large and angry.

l'estragon with but slight

"You told!" she whipped out, in some things, aren't we?' duoting its operations from dining-room; there was a plons- heart jumped. No; she won

The blood surged to his face. We are even more alike than abroad to avoid the penalties of all the Froes to be present. They ant odour of post-prandial oigar heavier than Mrs. Railey, and soaeoning of conversation, Ho

you suppose!" she agreed, with the Lotteries Acts. The lure is can usually be depended upon smoke on the air. He took to not ao bandéome. He remained made a desperate effort to rosume He swallowed bard..

Why"-he foundered, "the a humorous nod.

a big prize for a very trivial to ignore the invitation. In pacing the ball, stopping, now on watch for half an hour. Then, last night's relation.

Don't you think," he asked, trouble was that-at least―" and then, at the telephone ewitch- becoming realless again, he made

And Truth, who had follower stake. It is difficult to get rearranging the draw the only She was breathing fast.

quietly, planted an unfolt harpoon liable figures of the numbers thing that matters is the list of the probable horses running. board, to ask if any one had call

in Wickett's back, and leaped to engaged in this business, for they The consolation prizes of 82 108. ed him.

the sost beaide the taxi driver, are continually changing their Od. may be given away in any The maschine starter with a jerk. names and addresses. They may manner thought best. The main Why did you do it, then ?" "As a protection to us both." Mrs. Railey turned and, looking pitch their tents some fine morn thing is to give them away. But Har reply was a sniff. through the little glass being in Genova, and when disap- the distribution of the big prizes "It when't equare to tell," hind her, saw him standing pointed British

1

Y

At length he grew ashamed to nak again. In order to relieve the tension on his nerves, he tried to concentrate on concrete things:

the circuit of the rooms. The trying to gaza ardently; "that woman in the tan suit was seated this delay-the nervousness of in a chair near the restaurant waiting, you know-don't you doorway.

think it gives a little tang' "Well!" she exclaimed, ris

then...

и

?

+

"Do you think it was fair?"

No.

44

>

de.

puntors" be-

amount and

"Perhaps it does," she said. ing. "It began to look as if you untrathfully; but ehe was not ́n the few French posters hanging had disappeared again!". Ber good dissemblerat lenst, not on the walls; the geometrical voice was sherp.

he said miserably, and it wasn't there, gazing after her. Then, come too clamorous, some other bus to be gone about carefully. pattern of the floor-covering, by Wickett gasped. He felt his "I hope," lo went on desper-square not to tell. But, of with a comfortable sigh, she fire morning it will be discovered in the carly days it was thought which he could regulate thr face becoming scarlet. He didn't ately, that you'll overlook my the two, telling her seemed best. loaned upon the uncomfortable that during the night " they have sufficient to publish a list of the

I told her I proposod, this idiotic cushions.

folded their tents like the Arabs winning numbers only. Bat this length of his steps, Afteh want to tell the truth now, but stupidity about all this."

It was half past five when she and ailently stolen away," to primitive ides has long been discarded. It now necessary promenading back and forte he told it because he couldn't She tried to be gracious, but thing that it was all my fault-"

had to tako har tos-cup from her Why didn't you send word alighted at her door. Twilight reappear somewhere else in more to give hames and addresser, but innumerable times, according to think of any likely lie.

to mo and call it off?"!

way gone, and the street-lamps glorious guise.

these generally present no ineu- the pattern, he discovered "I was watching at the win-mouth to answer:

"I lacked the courage to do flickered in the early winter night..

The History of a “Sweep," persble difficulties to the com- system for following it obliquely, dow," he said miserably. "I

that."

She paid the driver, crossed the

pleto sweepmonger. It adds "Oh, no!" he protested, do.

Truth leaped to life again, and walk, rang the door-bell; A The manner in which a confid-considerably to the illusion if the maid admitted her. The hall ing British public is imposed promoter can print photographs olaring to himself hat, all the grinned sardonically. same, he had said University

"I wish you hadn't lacked it glowed agreeably in the light of upon by those, sweepstake pro- of the cheques: paidy 39th Place."

Tabould have been glad,” shaded lamps. On the table, just moters can best be illustrated by winners, and can send a fow -"* Indeed it was 1".

"I'rather hoped you would inside the door, lay a derby and going through the life history of small subscriptions to charities. There seemed to be nothing back on," he owned,

a pair of gloves. She took them a sweepstake as it is lived to-day.

"Don't mention it. It was my

so that be commenced, and ended, saw you come, but I didn't know mistake as much as yours.*

in a corner. He began to count his steps, and to attach a strange importance to them. And when passing people innocently crowd- ed him, and spoiled his pattern,

you in a hat and cost. Locem to have made a hideous mess of everything to-day!"

"Were you watching for a woman in evening dress?" she

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