it was my first whack
playin' back stop at a weddin', and perhaps I put up a punk
performance; but inside of half an hour the job was done.

And of all the happy reunions I was ever lugged into, it was when
Rossiter's folks and the Ogdens got together afterwards. They were so
tickled to get them two freak left overs off their hands that they
almost adopted me into both families, just for the little stunt I did
in bilkin' them P. D.'s.

XII

TWO ROUNDS WITH SYLVIE

If it hadn't been for givin' Chester a show to make a gallery play, you
wouldn't have caught me takin' a bite out of the quince, the way I did
the other night. But say, when a young sport has spent the best part
of a year learnin' swings and ducks and footwork, and when fancy
boxin's about all the stunt he's got on his program, it's no more'n
right he should give an exhibition, specially if that's what he aches
to do. And Chester did have that kind of a longin'.

"Who are you plannin' to have in the audience, Chetty?" says I.

"Why," says he, "there'll be three or four of the fellows up, and maybe
some of the crowd that mother's invited will drop in too."

"Miss Angelica likely to be in the bunch?" says I.

Chester pinks up at that and tries to make out he hadn't thought
anything about Angelica's bein' there at all. But I'd heard a lot
about this particular young lady, and when I sees the colour on Chester
his plan was as clear as if the entries was posted on a board.

"All right, Chetty," says I; "have it any way you say. I'll be up
early Saturday night."

So that's what I was doin' in the smoker on the five-nine, with my gym.
suit and gaslight clothes in a kit bag up on the rack. Just as they
shuts the gates and gives the word to pull out, in strolls the last man
aboard and piles in alongside of me. I wouldn't have noticed him
special if he hadn't squinted at the ticket I'd stuck in the seat back,
and asked if I was goin' to get off at that station.

"I was thinkin' some of it when I paid my fare," says I.

"Ah!" says he, kind of gentle and blinkin' his eyes. "That is my
station, too. Might I trouble you to remind me of the fact when we
arrive?"

"Sure," says I; "I'll wake you up."

He gives me another blink, pulls a little readin' book out of his
pocket, slumps down into the seat, and proceeds to act like he'd gone
into a trance.

Say, I didn't need more'n one glimpse to size him up for a freak. The
Angora haircut was tag