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A LUCKY STRIKE
By George Elmer Cobb.
Robert Stewart, young, ath
letic, bronzed, and in outing cos
tume, walked up the steps of the
Empire hotel with boldness and
defiance. It took lasting nerve to
assume a happy, independent air,
" JfrJa
"A Dreadful Mistake Has Been
Made."
in his situation. His condition
was desperate.
"Just one dollar in my pocket,"
he soliloquized, "and this is a two
dollar a day house. Well, I spent
my last change sending a tele
gram to my brother in Chicago.
If he is home he will wire a re
mittance promptly. I'll risk it,"
and the yoang man entered the
lobby, registered in a free flow
ing hand and the bell boy took
him up in the elevator.
It was not a very elaborate
apartment, that into which Rob
ert was shown, but it was good
enough till the funds came, he
told himself philosophically.
Scarcely, however, had he turned
on the gas and prepared for a re
freshing wash, when there was a
timid yet imperative tap on the
door.
"Come in," sang Robert, and,
fat and consequential, yet with a
marked servility in his manner,
the proprietor of the hotel whom
Robert had noted in the lobby en
tered. "Oh, Mr. Stewart, sir," almost
gasped the pompous boniface, "a
dreadful mistake his been made."
"He has found out that I've got
only a dollar," mused Robert
darkly.
"New bellhop, sir," proceeded
the landlord. "Clerk just noticed
your name. This way, if you
please, sir if you please," and
graciously and solicitously the
speaker waved Robert to the ele
vator, bowed and scraped all the
way down three flights, and ush
ered him into a magnificent
apartment on the parlor floor.
"See here," blurted out the
mystified Robert," this expense.
"Ordered, paid for, Mr. Stew
art, I assure you," interrupted the
landlord. "Expected you, sir. A
guest, Mr. Stewart, an honored
guest. The best in the house is
at your command, sir. Indeed,
the whole city. Judge Slattery
says so. I shall telephone him
and he will be here at once to wel
come you, sir. Ah, by the way,"
continued the voluble speaker,
pointing to a suit case lying on
the bed, "that arrived this morn
ing. It was only strapped, and
