Part 52 (1/2)

”W'at's eatin' you? Is they an answer?”

”They ain't no answer,” P Sybarite adot no time to stick round here kiddin'”

”One e at the Monastery Apart”

”Well, an' what 'f I did?”

”Only this”

P Sybarite extracted an immense roll of bills from his pocket; transferred it to his other hand; delved deeper; eventually produced a single twenty-dollar gold-piece

”Take this,” he said, tossing it to the boy with princely nonchalance

”It's the last of a lot, but--it's yours”

”What for?” Western Union dee Bross, _he_ developed plain symptoms of apoplexy

”You'll never know,” said P Sybarite ”Now run along before I come to”

In the shadow of this threat, Western Union fled precipitately

P Sybarite rose; yawned; se Bross

”I'e,” he announced; ”but before I go--tellbefore you're eligible for the Matrimonial Stakes?”

”She said soloomily

”It's yours--doubled,” P Sybarite told hiha department at a hundred a week; and if you don't earn it, ot up very suddenly

”I'll go send for the doctor,” he announced

”Onehand upon his arht--at the Hotel Plaza

Don't be alarmed; you needn't dress; we'll dine privately in Marian's apart that was”

”Honest!” said George sincerely ”I don't knohether to think you've gone bughouse or not You've always been a bit queer and foolish in the bean, but never since I've known you--”

”And after dinner,” P Sybarite pursued evenly, ”you're going to attend a very quiet little wedding party”

”Whose, for God's sake?”