By VICTOR BRIDGES
AUTHOR OF
"A Rogue by Compulsion," Etc.
A. L. BURT COMPANY
Publishers New York
Published by Arrangements with GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
Copyright, 1913,
BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY
To M.
THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED
ANOTHER MAN'S SHOES
When you are really hungry, and have precisely one andsixpence to spend upon your dinner, the problem is one whichrequires a certain amount of consideration. I hesitated forsome time between —— and the ——. At —— they giveyou four quite decent courses for a shilling, which leavessixpence over for a drink and a tip for the waiter. On theother hand, the tablecloths are generally dirty, and theatmosphere of the place about as poisonous as that of aChinese joss-house.
In this respect —— is altogether its superior; but as aset-off, you don't get anything like as good a shilling's worthin the way of food. And food being my chief considerationat the moment, I finally decided on Parelli's.
As I pushed open the door, the first person I caught sightof was Billy Logan. For a moment I thought I must bemistaken, but a second glance showed me the long red scarrunning down from the corner of the eye, which Billy hadbrought away with him as his sole memento of anunsuccessful insurrection in Chile.
He was busy eating, and I walked quietly up to his tablewithout his seeing me.
"Hullo, Billy!" I said. "What on earth are you doingin this peaceful spot?"
He looked up with a start. "Why, it's Jack Burton!"he cried. "Great Scott! man, I thought you were dead."
I pulled out a chair and seated myself opposite to him."Sorry to disappoint you, Bill," I observed, "but I'm notfit to die just yet."
"It was that ass, Goldley," explained Billy, reachingacross and gripping my hand, as though to make sure thatI was really flesh and blood. "He told me you'd beenknocked on the head at some God-forsaken place in Bolivia."
"Yes," I said dryly. "I believe there was a report tothat effect. It suited me not to contradict it."
Billy grinned. "Well, I was a bit doubtful about it atthe time. I couldn't see you getting wiped out by a dago."
"I precious nearly was, all the same," I said. "Here,waiter, table d'hote, and a bottle of lager."
"You're dining with me," interrupted Billy.
"In that case," I said, "I'll have a bottle of burgundyinstead of the lager."
"Bring two," called out Billy. "And now let's hear allabout it," he added, as the waiter slid rapidly away. "Lasttime I saw you was at that little dust-up we had in BuenosAyres. D'you remember?"
"I do, Billy," I said. "It was on account of that I wentfor a health trip to Bolivia."
Billy chuckled. "I gather you didn't exactly find it."
I lit a cigarette, pending the arrival of the hors d'oeuvre."I found something better than health, Billy," I said. "Ifound gold."
"Lord!" said Billy. "Where?"
"I don't think it's got a name," I replied. "Anyhow, Ididn't wait to find out I was on my own, and the wholecountry was stiff with Indians. Look here." I pulled upmy sleeve and showed him the traces of a very handsomepucker left by a well-directed arrow. "That's one of theirvisiting cards," I added.
Billy looked at it with the eye of a connoisseur. "You'relucky it