ng
close to the canvas. "Look at it close up and it's just a lot of little
daubs, but you get off a distance"--he drew back, cocking his head to
one side--"and you see now. Hey--see how the thing bunches up. Pretty
neat, isn't it?" He turned from the picture and rolled his eyes about
the room.

"Well, well," he murmured. "This certainly is the real thing, J. I
suppose, now, it all represents a pretty big pot of money."

"I'm not quite used to it yet myself," said Jadwin. "I was in here last
Sunday, thinking it all over, the new house, and the money and all. And
it struck me as kind of queer the way things have turned out for me....
Sam, do you know, I can remember the time, up there in Ottawa County,
Michigan, on my old dad's farm, when I used to have to get up before
day-break to tend the stock, and my sister and I used to run out quick
into the stable and stand in the warm cow fodder in the stalls to warm
our bare feet.... She up and died when she was about
eighteen--galloping consumption. Yes, sir. By George, how I loved that
little sister of mine! You remember her, Sam. Remember how you used to
come out from Grand Rapids every now and then to go squirrel shooting
with me?"

"Sure, sure. Oh, I haven't forgot."

"Well, I was wishing the other day that I could bring Sadie down here,
and--oh, I don't know--give her a good time. She never had a good time
when she was alive. Work, work, work; morning, noon, and night. I'd
like to have made it up to her. I believe in making people happy, Sam.
That's the way I take my fun. But it's too late to do it now for my
little sister."

"Well," hazarded Gretry, "you got a good wife in yonder to--"

Jadwin interrupted him. He half turned away, thrusting his hands
suddenly into his pockets. Partly to himself, partly to his friend he
murmured:

"You bet I have, you bet I have. Sam," he exclaimed, then turned away
again. "... Oh, well, never mind," he murmured.

Gretry, embarrassed, constrained, put his chin in the air, shutting his
eyes in a knowing fashion.

"I understand," he answered. "I understand, J."

"Say, look at this organ here," said Jadwin briskly. "Here's the thing
I like to play with."

They crossed to the other side of the room.

"Oh, you've got one of those attachment things," observed the broker.

"Listen now," said Jadwin. He took a perforated roll from the case near
at hand and adjusted it, Gretry looking on with the solemn interest
that all American