Part 3 (1/2)
”I'm only thirty-one”
”More news for Sweeny You'll never see forty again”
”That statement,” said P Sybarite with soratuitous contentiousness--”
”Good God!” cried Bross in alarain--and forgive reed P Sybarite pleasantly
”It's a funny world,” George resumed in philosophic humour, after a time ”You wouldn't think I could work in the same dus about you--like to-day
I always thought your name was Pete--honest”
”Continue to think so,” P Sybarite advised briefly
”Your people had money, didn't they, oncet?”
”I've been told so, but if true, it only goes to prove there's nothing in the theory of heredity”
”I gotcha,” announced Bross, upon prolonged and painful analysis
”How?” asked P Sybarite, who had fallen to thinking of other n to ht, PS Far be it from me to wanta pry into your Past Besides, I 'm scared to--never can tell what I'll turn up--like, f'rinstance, Per--”
”Steady!”
”Like that they usta call you when you was innocent, I e subsided into morose reflections It irked him sore to remember he had been worsted by theso quietly at his elbow
He was awould he have gone back on his pro discovery; likewise he was a covetous soul, loath to forfeit the promised treat; withal he was human (after his kind) and since reprisals were not barred by their understanding, he began then and there to ponder the same One way or another, that day's huain hold up his head in the coentlemen of spirit
But how to compass this desire, frankly puzzled him It were cowardly to contemplate knockin' the block off'n P Sybarite; the disparity of their statures forebade; e entertained a vexatious suspicion that P Sybarite's explanation on his recent downfall had not been altogether disingenuous; he didn't quite believe it had been due solely to his own clu don't never _happen_,” George assured hiht What I wanna know is: where'd he couple up with the ring-wisdolances at his companion supplied no clue; P
Sybarite's face ree; his shadowy, pale and wistful s, only an al's promised amuse clerk that in the probable arrangement of the proposed party he would be expected to dance attendance upon Miss Violet Pri Whereupon George scowled darkly
”PS's got his nerve with him,” he protested privately, ”to cop out the one pippin in the house all for his lonely It's a wonder he wouldn't slip her a chanct to enjoy herself with sue
”Not,” he adh stuff with Vi lookin' on I don't even like to think of ot _her_ wicks triht”
Then he , and turned his attention to h he pondered with all his itate any way to square his account with P Sybarite And when, at Thirty-eighth Street, the latterhohly disgusted to question the subterfuge He was, indeed, a bit relieved; the temporary dissociation promised just sowest, he was presently prouised as Thirst) to drop into Clancey's for a shell of beer
Now in Clancey's George found a cruh-tide of the dregs-drenched bar Rescuing the sheet, he s) its daily hed through the weekly vaudeville charts, scanned the advertiseth reviewed the news columns with a listless eye