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E ver~1xoiv's \Ma1gazine
looking disconsolately
across it at a pictur-
esque old hotel softly
but brilliantly lit. LDis-.
consolately, becatSe lie
knew that he imutst
dine: and dinining in
that hotel was no ven-
ture. It was one of his -
favorite caravalnstries,
and so silent and swift
would be the service.
and so delicately choice
the food, that he re-
gretted the hunger that must be appeased
by the "dead ,erfection" of the place's
cuisine. Lyven the music there seemed to,
be always playing da ca po.
The fancy came to him that he would dine
at some cheap, even dubious restaurant
lower down in the city where the erratic
chefs from all countries of the world spread
their national cookery for the omnivorotus
American. Something might happen there
out of the routine-he might come upoln a
subject without a precicate, a road without
an end, a question without an an swcr, a
cause without an effect, a gulf stream in life's
salt ocean. He had not dressed for evening:
he wore a dark business suit that would not
be questioned even where the waiters served
the spaghetti in their shirt sleeves.
So John Reginald FIrster began to search
his clothes for money because the more
cheaply you dine, the more surely must you
pay. All of the thirteen pckets, large and
small, of his business suit he explore care-
fully and found not a penny. Ilis-; bank
book showed a balance of five figures to his
credit in the Old Ironsides Trust Company,.
but--
Forster became aware of a i:ni nearby at
his left hand who was regarding him within
some amusement. Ie looked like any busi-
ness man of thirty or s,, neatly dressed, and
standing in the attitude of one waiting for a
street car. But there was no car line on
that avenue. So his proximity and uncon-l
cealed curiosity seemed to 'Forster to par-
take of the nature of a personal intrusion.
But, as he was a consistent seeker after
" What's Around the Corner," instead of
manifesting resentment he only turned ai
half-embarrassed smile upon the other's
grin of amusement.
All in" alskidl the intruder, drawing
nea rer.
" ettls so," said
F orster. "Now, ]
11' -- thought there was
Si dollar in-
" Oh, I know," said
the other man, with
laugh. " lut there
wasn't. I'n just been
throuh the same process, myself.
as Is wcomng an tin the rner.
I found in an upper \est pocket
-1 don't know how they got
there--exactly two ptlhiknics. Yo u
know what kind lof a dinner ex-
A;ttly two pennies wil tbuyl.'
-o'ou haven't dined, then?"i'' ske iForster.
i I have not. But I wmoln like to,. Now,
Pll make you a proposition. Ymu look like
at nmaln who wOull take up one. Your
clothes look neat and respectable. Excuse
personatc lities. I think mine will pass the
scrutiny of a hea waiter, also. SuppoI-se i-
glo over to that hotel and dine together. Wte
will choose frim the menu like milli naires
-or, if you prefer, like gentlcmcn in moder-
ate circumstances dining extravagantly for
once. \Whcn we have finished we will
match with my two pcnnies to sece vhith of
ths will stand the bral unt of the h, use's dis-
pleasure and venitgean r ce. .1 name is Ires.
I think we have lived in thile sae station of
life -hefre our money took wings r."
" You're on." . si liorstclin, joyfully.
lere was a venture at least within the
borders of the mysterious country of Chatce
r-anyhw, it proimisd somlethlin better
than the stale infctivtity of a table d'-h te.
The tyo were soon s heated att a corner table
in the hotel dining room. Ives chucked one
of his pennties across the table to Forster.
"Match fr which of its gives the order,"
he said.
Forster lost.
Ives laughed and g:ran to ninc liquids
and viands to the waiter with the alsorbed
but calm deliberation of one who was to the
menu born. Foter, listening, gave his ad-
miring approval of the orer.
'I an a man," said ayes, <luring the
oysters, "w]ho has made a lifrtime search
after the to-bc-continual-in-our-next. I am
not like the ordinary adventurer who strikes
for a coveted prize. Nor yet urn I like a
gambler who knows he is either to vin or
lose a certain set stake. Vhat I waint is to
encounter an adventure to which I <;m pre-
dict no conclusion. It is the brca h of ex-
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