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.t. - , - . - . mr v WMAA Jb -Then TJncle Abner took me. He -uldn't absolutely boss me, for certain Moneys bad been left with which spe cific things were to be done for me. He tad to have me educated at the schools and college which my father designat ed?" V ' " ; W : ' ' .v:V - "v -Y: "And he disapproved, of them: y I know he did A sheepskin from jonesville academy is his idea of the evidence of the higher education-for a Jones along with Bide details on first aid to a stick of chewing gum." "He always, wishedto have you take an interest in the gum business." "I did, till another, kid slipped me a stick one day, when It was absent-minded and I began to chew it. Then and there-I made up my mind to devote my life's endeavor to something which vrould not stick in' your teeth. Judge Bpotswood, lobsters don't. ',; Hy boy, I wish you never had seen Xe York!" . . . . ' ' ' ' "No, you don't, judge, you wish you -were going with me when I start. "Are you going to. stay away?" " "Uncle says thatjn these days each" man should have a specialty if he would be successful. I'm "going to specialize on staying out of Jonesyiile. I'm hoping for success." ; - ' , ' "Have you no friends here whom you dislike to leave?"' '-yv-'y "You and the judgess, judge,' and Clara. I'll miss Josie, too. And there 3XQ some down at the 'factory. Bill Higgins, I like him. He used to enter tain me when we went in swimming and he got the cramps. Awfully funny when he had the cramps, Bill was; peevish but very funny. I shall miss Bill. But Jonesville. as a whole, judge I'm not going to miss Jonesville ex cept the way a man may miss a tooth that has been pulled for cause." .- .' The judge sighed. "Well, I had to tell you." . v The young man looked at him with a strange earnestness. "Judge, would you get mad if I should kiss you?" "And you are really. going, right .away?" '.-"- ; "It's going to be the quickest; get away Connecticut ever heard of." v CHAPTER III. Almost as speedily as he had told the judge he would, Broadway pre pared to leave Jonesville. There was a stormy session when the old lawyer told Abner Jones that he had made the revelation to the boy, but the old man's threats against him were quickly si lenced when the judge reminded him that what he had proposed to him was fraud and that an action for conspiracy might be brought against him. The car wheels, sang to Broadway as he journeyed west and southward. He gave cigars to the conductor, to the trainmen,-to the engineer as soon ;as the train waited long ; enough for him to get to him. , He bought all the newsboy's papers, novels," magazines -and sent him through the cars to give them to the ladies. Then, on his re turn, alight with smiles, he bought the last ounce of his candy and told him to appropriate it to the use of his own weet-tooth. Arriving in New York a red-capped station-porter saw him from afar and recognized the strong financial candle power of his expanding . smile. ; Gal vanized into extraordinary action he rushed toward him, calling to two friends to join him Instantly and help him bear the two bags Broadway car ried. The traveler had to give the third negro his hat, so that he might 'seom to earn his tip; but he did this gladly. The taxi-cabman flew, , scram-. Jing from his box, at the mere intona tion of the porters' voices. -. " "Where to, sir?" he inquired. '- "Is this New York?' his fare asked, smiling gently In a way which made the chauffeur think he was - a wan derer, returned unto his own, and wish ful of facetiousness. . - "You bet it is; just little Old New York." . "I thought so; It seems so familiar. Well, I want to go to Broadway," :-: : "What part of Broadway, sir?" (Ob- mmmmm ...... '-V-v.... Mrs. Spottwood. r v Cerva that fhtc. rLryiA I 'ATI persistently ,saia ."sir. " , was a , tribute; Broadway knew it waa a trib- life nJ tx. a ,- v ' ; TV"! 4 -M a m a m- m a 'Y'w. - ' a. auu it warmea nis neart. a . y "Oh, all of it- . ; A . y ? "Take jfou to all : . of - Broadway?". Even the taxi-cabman was astonished. "I want to look it over, for I'm going to buy it if I like it as "much, as I al Wave honn : t ; - ';,-"-'":.--' . ? r The cabman eyed him . shrewdly, de cided that he -was atiiteV, sane and ber, resolved to tie -to him with ' ; a tenacitj which never could 4be. shaken off, climbed to -his narrow' .seat be neath its narrow hood and yanked dorn the, flag upon the taximeter. . My name Is Gridlev Rir " ha'vnin. teered."; Y".t-r: ...:- . - y rYou may fire when reav n'rfrJW" Broadway answered, and then GridleV pulled , the lever. y-:t '. mh -Before ; the day . was over Jackson Jones had thought' a fortv-ho limousine a sixty-horsepower tourihg- wr; an a. runabout.- , Gridley : had turned In his resignation to his -company, and been measured for five suits of livery, of expensive cloth, exclusive cut, extraordinary color. Having done this he had asked a girl'to marry him, had been accepted, had taken sixteen drinks and gone to see her mother, had then been thrown out a Jilted man anil had returned to -Broadway Jones, de-. icimiuea io live single, and attached to him forever. The Episodes had so bered him and he was quite himself when Broadway asked him what apart ment he would recommend for .living quarters. ' . ' ? "Quiet; placed he asked. : i "Not for your new employer Broad way answered. J'l want ' It to be on Joy street, between Happy boulevard and Don't Care alley. The noisier the better if the noise is always laughter. I want It named The Smile and I want it furnished In bright red, . Take me somewhere .where they'll sell me a good butlerfancy brand, no matter what the price. , I want a butler who can go and buy a home 'for me a home that glitters and is glad. Throw on the high-speed clutch," ; Gridley took him,, in 'his brand-new car (which ran as smoothly and as noiselessly and swiftly as a pickerel swims), to an employment agency which he had heard about, and there Broadway signed the lease for an ex traordinary person, principally namedn Rankin. He looked like a bishop, talked like a British lord, walked like a .major-general, bowed like a diplo mat, never - smiled, always said "Yes, sir,' and "thank you, sirt" whenever there was room for these impressive words, was ready to" be measured for as many" suits of livery .as had been ordered for the chauffeur and assured his . new - employer that it would give him pleasure both to find and furnish an apartment for him. "When will you have it ready for me?" : v. ' "Tomorrow morning,4 sir." ? Then you know what apartment you are going to take?" "Not. yet, sir. "Breakfast at, say, ten, sir ? 1. v "Rankin, you will do. Make It elev en.' Engage a cook and second-man." . "I have already telephoned for them, sir.'- ' - - , .. - "X have raised your wages, : Rankin, for long and faithful service. Let me see you've " been r with me ' forty min utes. See to it that you do as well In future." A "I shall, sir; and I hope you'll do the same, sir." - : 'Find Mr. Robert Wallace in the tel ephone book. He's in the 'advertising business."1 - A moment later Rankin turned back from the little table at the side of the large parlor which supplied headquar ters for the ex-Jonesvillian for the time being. "I have- him on the wire, sir." - v "111 talk.to hlm."v Broadway took the telephone re ceiver from his butler's hand and cried into the mouthpiece: "Hello! Is that you, Robert Wallace? .v . Well, this is Jackson Jones. . . , . Yes; the same you met in Jonesville when they pinched you, that reckless night when you were driving at four miles an hour. ". . . No; I've come down to stay. I'm asking you to dine - with me tomorrow evening. . V . Can you come? . Good. Ill telephone again, or have" my butler telephone, and let you know just where. . . AU right. Fine! . '. . : Goodby." -: Robert Wallace was his guide, his mentor and his friend for some four f weeks. After, that he was his friend and mentor, but resigned as guide, for Broadway took the reins. He had a passion and a genius for investigating metropolitan affairs of 'lightsome na ture. The business marts of Gotham were offensive to him. He thought it silly for mankind ; to waste its time in work and said so. The teeming fas cination of the nar sides "-of the town, so dear to sociologists who love hu man nature best after it has sweated or suffered off its varnish, found , no devotee in him; he could not under stand why entire families should live In huddled rooms on Essex street when there were largeapartments vacant in the great hotel ' flat house next door to the vastf mansion inhabited by Mrs. Jack Gerard on Seyenty-seccnd street. Mrs. Jack Gerard ,was an old lady of incredible wealth," who 'tried to hold Time's hand, in pause. That' she had failed had been no fault of hers ,or of the beauty, parlors or cosmetic makers.; ( "They; Woujd-be so much, more com fortable if. they would go where they would have more room," Jackson con tinued, In further comment on the very poorr and would' not listen to the ear nest soul which tried to offer explana tions.:' ' ' :'-V! . Y; y ;;; A year, passed.;. Broadway carried three bank accounts, two of them not veryV large'and seldom checked upon. The third was in New York's all-night bank. He kept. busy. "I feel as if I oughtto Bee the' sun rise "often,", he explained.' "Sunrises are so beauti ful." ; o :"'v " 1 ? - He seldom heard from Jonesville In these days ' Judge Spotswood. . some times wrote to him, his "uncle never. For a time he had endeavored to keep up a correspondence . with be girls, but this had languished through his own --exceeding; occupation ' at'; more pressing -matters and Josie Richards' sorrowful conviction that he did not tell her. , in his brief, Infrequent let ters; about all the girls whom he was nesting in. New Ycfz. 2 His first shock" came vhen the All-. Night bank wrote him a fetter, asking his to call and talk of his account, and this , dld not occur until : f our : yeai s had vanished" in the"; haze of Broad-: way's lights. -It made him sit straight in his chair and bliuk as a cold (ftish from, a seltzer bottle sometimes; had. when . he had . needed It; Rankin,' en tering, asked . him if he had a pain. ' v;j"You"'. bet I : have,V said he. -''And" I'm af raid it's' serious." . - ' - "Shall I call a doctor sirH ri 1y " . "No, call a .banker." ;. Vu. .. iiv Rankin, puzzled, withdrew carefully.; He had learned to step with catlike tread when he y discovered that' his master was In- serious; m6od.-' He had no wish to anger -him.: .No butler in the history of butling had ever, had; a place so . utterly . Ideal.1 Pickings plentiful ; work trivial ; - all life had ; t Y Josie and Broadway Jones. - been c ngenial v for. Rankin since he' had encountered Broadway Jones. The day. of the bank's letter was the J first after he had reached New York when Broadway did not go about hia gay and simple routine of up Broad way in the afternoon and down Broad way at night, with movements 11 so timed that they made long pauses near the Circle and near Forty-second street seem natural. He went, home before five, :'- -.. y When v Rankin " ventured to eipress surprise at his return to the" apart ment at that hour, he snarled at him. "Go to the devil; Rankin IV he sug gested when he lingered. - - "Yes, sir; thank you, sir," said Ran kin and withdrew. , ' He reached the kitchen with a face so troubled that the Japanese boy, who had sought domestic service here with (Judging from his ' wages) the com-, mendable intention of patriotically sending home, ; each year, enough American money to build a warship for his nation's navy, showed interest "Wat iss matturr, -Ranekeen?" the sympathetic Oriental queried. "I know men," said Rankin, "and, if I didn't know that Mr. Jones Is really, a millionaire made it out of chewing gum, his family, I'm told I should say he was hard; up. . The Japanese boy stared politely; he did not understand at alt "Of course he's not hard up," Ran kin continued. "No hard-up man could have sworn at me as he did just now. It can't be money, so -it must be women." ' . - - . . y ' "Limmin,"- said the Japanese, . who had not mastered w's. "Lemons;" Rankin granted. -"You're almost right. I never saw a man j more popular. He spends his money like he didn't care for it, and does it well , because that is the fact. , He doesn't care for it. I never saw a human being who cared less. Why, he never counts the money on- his dresser in the morning. Just throws it there when he gets into bed, and" The Japanese laughed merrily. "You gettin lich!" ; " : "No; you littlo heathen; I only know he does it, that is all. I stack it up for him. Sometimes he throws it all about that 'and his clothes and fur niture. He's often merry that way. He threw me about one night A fine, strong youth! I thought it better not to say much till he went to ' slep, and then, as I crawled out from unier the bed, t cad a chance to see his arm. Quite muscular i it is Just a, it felt when he was Joking with me.-' The next day, by chance, wlJle visit ing the kitchen, Rankin had sudden inspiration. "1 wonder if te is in' love.?" he pondered. "That. "Air. Hen riot that T attended Just ; t ef ore he married that grass widow was as absent-mindedoh, quite ; absent-minded,' quite! Now, which one"" . ": Rankin suddenly came to & stand In horr6r. ' Even . to the small ' and very yellow cook It was plain . ihat tragic thoughts had flashed into his mind. "I ;wonder," he soliloquized , if. It could possibly be1 that terrible' Gerard old woman. She's had her eye on .him: ever since the first' night that she got a glimpse of .him." ; y,' ; , : . As he spok4 . his'; master, -'as request ed, was talking with the first vlce-pres-; ident of the bank. ' The man seemed rather serious-minded, ' although , . oQ. that previous occasion , when he. had marked - the beginning of .their J ac- qualntance,' when Broadway had gone to open his account with just two hundred thousand dollars, he had been "geniality 4tselt-Y-,:;:-,Y-;r;-Y.-'':;.-: ; "I merely wished to have - a little ' talk with you -ei Mr. Jones," said ha ; tryou know your balance is-er ma-1 ning rather 'low..;"-v-; " ; ' f iz-& $Jl ""r- ) l .v f t c ;'.'f , ; ? I --;;; Is what?" said Broadway, in'amaze- ment. , ; ; ; . ."Is running : rather low.', ' 'Toiu don't mean that I've---? v- "You've ;; drawn .'rather heavily against it." . ' ;v .- ' - v. ' "But -it was strongenoughto stand aterrible strain. -; y'yI yvy:;:' f "Not quite ' strong enough ' to stand without a protest the strain to which you, have subjected it, Mr. JOnes,''It's not exhausted, but It's ; :K ',' y , "Getting tired ?" Broadway himself supplied: the words. A. ' "About that. Yon have .not been haying it , .written up, you a know; ' I thought perhaps you didn't realize the figures.. I've had them all made -out for you. .." dV'.Y;; ' 4; s;-" : ; Broadway took . one r swift look at them; then sank back in his chair and took ; a longer look at them. "Well, Fll he ! " he ventured. ' .,; ';'" "I was afraid you'd "feel thai way. I only thought yoir ought to have a hint of just how things are running. "Young men lose track of things some times. I've known it to occur before." . Jackson scarcely "saw Broadway when he went out of the gray build ing, and it was thie first time he had ever trodden' Broadway 'without see ing and admiring It v . . . "Hello, : Broadway !!' cried a merry voice' from just beyond the curb. It was a blonde voice, and issued 'from a natty little motor car with a sedan chair top. , Broadway had bought that motor car and given It to the blonde, voice. "Let me put, you down ome wh'ere?" ' ' - '-.' V ; : Tm hot feeling very fit You might take me to. the morgue." : : y ( "Jump in; we'll make It the Knick erbocker." V- ' '"' ' '-' ..' But the Knickerbocker had : no charms for ; Broadway at , that mo ment. He made his stay as brief as possible ih the bright restaurant : " "Dollie, darling," he said gloomily, "I don't need a. restaurant, today; I need a hospital. How would you like me, pollie,' honestly, if I was broke?" "You? Broke?" She laughed. "No; seriously. How would you like me?"Y :; ' ;''- . : "It's nonsense; but you know what Shanley does to broken dishes." l: 'The ash can. Eh ?" r "It wouldn't be, for you, of course;, butwhat's the use of being' Mr. Grump ? Brace up ? Come on up to Churchill's and we'll drinky-drink it outy-out ;. ' . ;.: .'-.' ! But Broadway would have none of such a , plan as that - He went to his apartment, and, rummaging in . every drawer and pocket, collected every bill which he could find. There' were a. hundred; of. them, ranging in all sorts of figures and for .'all softs of .articles, from diamonds tof gasoline, if rom charity1 to faro. The arrival of the sympathetic Rankin, who Relieved bis master had a headache, ; with a note from Mrs. Gerard, interrupted the bookkeeping which, for the first time in his life, Broadway had begun. , It had not been encouraging, as far as he had gone. He read the note and found it to be an invitation. : Deciding to accept it he decided, also, that it must be the last one of the sort he must accept. It had become intensely plain to him that now had come the time when he must cease his gaieties and find more money. : ' ; - ' . ; - He was a gloomy figure at the feast that, night, and his gloonv grew with every aged smile which Mrs. Gerard cast in his direction. It was plain enough to him, to everyone, that this exceedingly rich lady, of uncertain age, regarded him with very friendly eyes. She even sometimes called him "Jack son." After the dinner he took Robert Wallace downtown - with him in ' his sixty horsepower touring car. ; "Mrs. Gerard" he ventured, "seems a well-preserved old er I mean that she seems well preserved." ' - V ' "Well canned, you mean," said Wal-; lace. "But too mu.m chemical preserv ative In females is as dangerous as it is in food. How did we happen to go there. tonight? You roped' me into that, Broadway. . You didn't tell me where you - meant to take me. . You merely said we'd go to - dinner with some friends of yours." ' . , ' ;. '"Well, she's . a friend" of mine. Broadway defended rather hotly. An idea, so terrible that it was fascinat ing, had occurred to hini. . ; . "She might have gone to school with your1 grandmother. It makes me sick to see her ogle you. I think she wants to marry you." ' ; A . Broadway' burst into a laugh which he was well aware was quite too loud, too cackly and too hollow; he Reared acutely that Ills friend would recognize its falseness. ; - . "To marry me! Ho; ho! Instantly his manner changed. ' "But I don't like the way you speak about her, Bob. Remember -we have Just enjoyed her hospitality!" , " : 'v. c y..!' 'Enjoyed it! Speak for yourself, old man! If .1 had known where you were going, do you -suppose I. would .have gone . with you? I can meet grand-, mother's schoolmates at the Old La dies' hdme. 1 don't have to go to din ner with them." - " ' "Now, Bob!" v:, .;. ; -' " ';; rr. -Wallace burst .into a laugh. T be lieve : it is ipure charity,' he : guessed. "You are trying to make others happy. You' smile on her as you, wouldthrow a dollar into a Salvation Army cash pot around. Christmas time."'? " ?r . "Boh, I'm . thinking " . about , getting -married,Yv-.V;i:-;'-:;v.;.n'V; His friend sat straight and looked at him in dumb amazement, for a second! "Married?-; And Is grandma in some way related to the bride who may be?" ! -;Bob, I'need--; ; ; ' ;" ';. C' i ''ii"--' - He stopped.' Almost "hef had told his friend he needed Jmoney but he had not the courage. 1 To confess poverty on Broadway Is like confessing mur der in a church. " . ;:- :":-"' ."Need what V :,i' tV'y 'M: ; ' "A rest- ra . goinsr;- to-r6r--tiko some sort of a vacation. Dont khow i what Maybe back to y the .old home.; Any way, you won't see me around for quite . a little .iwhlle."' .;;-;: 'yyV ' 'Never j mind, old - chap! I'll tell them all that t you hare had to go away. on business. ' Go somewhere and get straightened out f You; need it There's something Wrong with you, or you : would never have' gone to that dinner, i where that ancient marlhess could ogle you the way she did. ; A ' "Well, you won't eee me.for a week ortwo." :c ; ; j:' v-;Ht-; ' "Drop me a line if you want any- th.' i y..y?--;; v" :Xi t "Jackson Jones went away "early on the following morning." )A.s ignorantof business and of ' business methods as a baby, yet he tried to scheme some way by means of which he might re coup , his staggering finances. jWlld ideas, all unpractical, . whirled through his brain.-; . ;'';; ; - y .;'z ;' ''; He. must have money, that was cer tain. He had not the least Idea of just how .hie had accomplished it, but he had spent his "patrimony-p-spnt ;it all an.d more than all of it; If he had paid np the . debts he owed which all the world seemed glad ' to have him owe-that was the hard part of ttt "everyone seemed anxious to have him go in debt to them he; would haye far less thannothing left y ' . ' y " , For day's he stewed above his fig ures in a room of which he kept close guard upon the key. He told Rankin, who was curious, rthat he planned- to write a book.' ' ', ;y'; . ' ;:' " "Indeed, sir? Fiction, sir?" t y -' "Fiction? Gad, no! Fact." - - "A book of travel, sir? I've traveled quite a bit Perhaps" , ;t ; 1 "No. Or yes. Of travel up and down Broadway." y; ;y ;y?:: "Splendid, sir, if I; may be excused for taking such a liberty. I'm sure no gentleman . in : all New York is more familiar with-the subject, sir. I shall be glad to read it, sir. . I'm sure it will be quite a revelation!" T , ; "Rankin," said Broadway, earnestly, "If I wrote what1 1 really know about Broadway it would be a revelation." He grew very serious, for him. "It would put some men on pedestals, and they would not be - those who now stand highest" It would put some men behind the bars, and among, them are some men who now are free to come and go, with welcomes when they come and invitations when they leave, in every place where people gather in this town." . ' " . -; K He burst into a sudden laugh. "Great stuff, eh, Rankin? When you say Broadway you stir me up. I love it, hate it; It ; always fascinates me. There's no street like it in the world." "If, your book:: is "like that sir, it will. 'be a big r success,"- commented Rankin, spellbound. It's going to be a fine book, -Mr. Jones." , "It. wont interest Broadway. .There's only one kind ofbook that Broadway cares about" "And what is that, sir y "Check books, Rankin.! Now I'm go ing into Into" He did not know just what to call the room which he kept locked. . . "Your study, sir?" ' "Thanks, Rankin. Yes; I'm going to my study. Don't let me be disturbed. "I'll notsir." When he left that "study he avoid ed Rankin. His fingers Were ink stained from calculations, his hair was quite1 disheveled,' his eyes were wide '""'"'fcH H i", ' Y.; ' " Robert Wallace. - -;, .-. . and rolling.' . He could see no hope ahead. - .' ;' , . . He -wrote a letter to his uncle ex plaining that .. investments had " ' gone wrong' and that he heeded a small loan of fifty thousand dollars for ;three months. He was sure that. If he. got tbils he would be enabled to'flndsome way .out "By return of mail he. had an - answer in aii - envelope .which strangely bulged. ' ' He opened ; It with trembling fingers ; and . a package of Jones' Pepsin Gum fell out . . "Chew this and forget it" said the cheerful note which. Uncle' Abner had wrapped: round 1 it It said further: "I'm- going to Europe for -five years. Don't bother me again. , You've made you-,bed'now. lie; on;lt"Yfs:;'.:YYY '.That was the ilastv' fitraw. Without the least idea of - what he ViBhed to do,, the frantic Broadway started out to find somework by , which, at least he couldearh honestly ;hls board and, keepv-;::-r4VK;" ' Wail street offered nothing, for when1. he went down to see his; friends there, his courage failed entirely and instead of asking them to find a place for him he bought them, one by. one, expensive) . luncheons.. ' y . : : ' y t - " ing there to find ;some means of get ting "food to eat without getting' it on credit, and there he had some strange experiences which lasted several daysu Butwhile he just escaped the "uniform of the Salvation Army,, he did not find work and wandered back to Broadway, the apartment and more debt ; - He had no : profession, ; knew no trade Half crazed with the obsession that he must no .longer run in debt,f he decided to sell but the flat f dis- -charge the servants ... and do menial labor. Running ... through the list of his abilities he decided with frank self-contempt, that about the ' best Which he could doi was heln In a hotel aff hellhovY ' TTft Vnew'tno little ahnnt mathematics to ' keep books ; he never! would succeed as desk-clerk. But he -could not bring himself to try to get a job of that sort It would too often bring him ' Into contact with the folk he tnew. :. ; -; y'-..;. , ';.;," ; r; One afternoon,- while wandering in. an aimless funk upon a side street he saw a; card in front of an apartment house announcing that an elevator boy . . . . A. 5 - T"T " " J. - m ' was .wamea. tie rusneq m -wiia aiap rity and . determination and at the ; hai been calling on a friend there: In stead of asking for the Job he took a drive with her. " ; , -' r. Yn. 'v:i vi. ' j. -.-.... j , xt vtao vvtiiie LUIS uiiyb prugiebBvu that-the sordid, vicious tempter defi nitely seized him in his toils. The ancient- but vivacious; dame was - very affable most agreeabe indeed. Shq was hot motherly; she was flirtatious. Art A cha ft frrTn ro n i ol "Hoi. Mnnotnr a shrewd exposition of the magnitude of - her unquestionably . enormous wealth.' It 'staggered him. - ' ?l If he had not at the moment had a simple little Josie Richards'- letter In his pocket he might have been swept' under. A thousand times he had dis covered the necessity of assuring him self, as he traveled np and down Broadway, that he did not care for Josie Richards. Shewas not the sort of girl who captivated one who knew life as he knew it; she was dear, but she; was ' simple, unsophisticated and nuaw u.w iuuai, auuiucu was wiiio bit phistlcation; he thought - as little rof : her as he t could, but now she popped into his mind and made him edg$ away from the .aged, wealthy widow. V -: When he went back to . the flat he found . awaiting him new sheaf s of bills,; none, pressing him mere : state ments. The rumor had' not started that he was not good pay. Broadway still delighted in him, still endeavored to induce him to accept its credit This gave him new distress ; he knew him selfhe knew he would ko, out that night and run more debts; , Suddenly he knew , wha t to do. It came to him without an effort of the brain. It was a tragic inspiration. Without a word to- Rankin, stealthily and ' secretly, he went forth into the afternoon In his smart runabout still driven by the taxi-cabman, who now regarded him with something akin to n ui suiy, auu, wugUL O. (Z, LLi-iOLHJy i3.UU. Wk chemist'a y y ' In . the former he male purchase of a large, grim, blued-steel automatic 'pis tol of thu largest caliber they had in stock, aid secured one box of cart ridges. It seemed a waste of money, which by rights was definitely the property of creditors,' to buy so many; cartridges, for he should need but One! However, he feared that to ask for one would pin attention to him and frus trate waat he had. in mind, so he put the heavy box :into his pocket It made Ii sag outrageously, which very much annoyed ,: him. No v man ' on Broadway was more careful of j his clothe?.. But what, after all, djd a saggeo pocket matter now ? " s Aithe chemlsf s he secured an ounce of bichloride of mercury which' had been fashionable of late among smart suicides. He had no difficulty In ob taining it. This eased him and a fur ther satisfaction -grew out'of the fact that though it -held potentialities as deadly as the automatic gun and cart ridges could hold it ma2e a little-package, not heavy iri the least, ' and so did not sag the other pocket, where he placed it veryr carefully. :; i As he whirled uptown - in the ' run about he frequently felt of the deadly things. . y -; yy ' :-; He Kked the feel of neither of theml The revolver was so ?hard,and business-like, the pill .bottle was so slipt pery, so cold and heartless! What an end was this for Broadway Jones! " Again seated in the little study, he. solemnly reviewed his life. He saw no points at which lie had made very great mistakes, save theimportant one of thinking that a quarter bfa million" is a lot of money in New York. .. r "I've been nothing but a piker," he reflected, A"and I've acted like the trade-marked r article. I ought to get' it in the neck and I am going to get it. in the neck." . .?; . This unpleasantly reminded him and he caressed ; the neck wherein he was to get it . Never;1 in the past Jvhen -he had used thatslang expression had ' it really : suggested his own neck to him orany other actual neck. Now,", It made his flesh creep and his blood run cold behind his collar. ; y: f K"Well,; here goes ! " : he whispered, .. and took out a ill,- afterwards arrang ing r the revolver, vwhich was already , loaded.' . ; ... . : .; - -. -. . .He held the pill between the fingers of a : tremulous left hand ; ; gripped in his faltering right be held the weapon.- 'Here goes ! " he . sid . again--and.' Rankin 'rapped. trcn." the "dopr.-'f ::