The Argosy, January 1907 — page 71: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

DOWN AND involuntarily dressed himself in the very suit of clothes for which Lomark was suing him, and went out of the house. He caught himself peering up and down the darkened street before he ventured from the vestibule, on the watch for somebody to arrest him. Where should he go? To whom ap- ply for information of a nature that he actually did not dare ask for? His state of mind was really pitiable, and not to be scorned too harshly by men of more rugged temperament. He wandered about without any goal in view, but finally found himself up- town and on better-lighted and_ busier streets. The evening crowd was at its liveliest, the theaters alight, the hotels backoning. At a popular corner he ran into Blossom. “ Hullo, Wib!” was his greeting, and the latter knew by his acquaintance’s manner that news of the tailor’s suit against him had not reached Blossom, at least. ‘‘ Where away?” Wib muttered something about being out only for a walk. ‘Come in and smile,” suggested Blos- som, taking his arm and turning the furniture salesman toward a café. Harris eschewed stimulants, usually, but in his present desperate condition of mind he seized the suggestion — gladly. They sat down and gave their orders ? to the waiter. ‘By the way,” said Blossom, puffing on his cigar, “ where’s Adrian these days?” “Adrian Lowther?” “Of course. I haven’t seen him for a dog’s age.” ‘Neither have I,’’ muttered Wib. ‘“ He’s out of town, I believe.” “Humph! I heard he was going it rather high. His uncle’s soured on him, has he?” “{ don’t know what you mean.” “Why, you know, Adrian’s depend- ent upon old Uncle Mark for his pin- money; and the last time I saw Adrian he admitted he was up to his neck in debt. He owes me a hundred—poor devil!” Wib actually shivered. Blossom was one of the few club-men he knew who was careful with his money and always had plenty. He spoke of that’ hundred OUT. 253 dollars as he knocked the ashes off his cigar-end—with the same nonchalance. Yet a hundred dollars would more than save Wib Harris from—well, Wib didn’t know just what it would be, but from something awful! However, to ask Blossom to lend him money enough to pay Lomark and settle the costs of the action he had brought never entered Wib’s mind as a reason- able suggestion. Blossom might lend to a high-roller like Adrian, who came of wealthy people, and whose uncle was good for almost any amount; but the in- stant Ae hinted such a thing to Blossom, Wib knew the fellow would get up and leave him. “Do you suppose young Mr. Low- ther has left town because of his debts?” he asked hesitatingly. ‘Maybe. Can’t tell. He talked once about going West—his uncle’s idea, IT think. You know, Adrian is ‘ mama’s boy,’ and the old lady never can see anything crooked in him. Uncle Mark is no lobster, however, and I fancy Fallowsea was getting hot for Adrian. Perhaps he’s got out oF the State for a while.” Wib saw his chance =e grabbed it excitedly. “ You don’t mean that they can jail a man for debt in this State? ”’ ‘“Humph! Guess not—not a fellow like Adrian. He’s got too many friends.” | “But is there a law to that effect?” persisted Wib. ‘“ Now—let—me—see,”’ said Blossom slowly, and sipping his cordial with an air of careless ease that increased Wib’s anxiety enormously. “Somewhere I heard that discussed lately—why, yes! At the dinner-table, last night. You know, my brother’s a lawyer-sharp. There is a way these shyster lawyers get a man behind the bars—poor devils who can’t, or won't, satisfy a judgment, I mean. If I re- member right, he said there were two ways. “One is by proving, to the satisfac- tion of the judge that the debtor, when ordered to pay, has means to do so, but won't. Then the judge ordets his con- finement for contempt. “The other and more COMmmMOon way Eomichoo <S) (E@)