 still weak. Keep it up
till you feel better. Don't mind us--we're used to it."

So there they sat, Babbitts still uneasy, but O'Mally, calm and patient,
tilting back in his chair looking dreamy out of the window. He said
afterward that he knew that hysterical fit for what it was--relief, and
that was why he wouldn't let Babbitts call a nurse.

Presently the sobs began to ease off and Ford, groping under the pillow
for a handkerchief, said, all choked up:

"How did you come to connect him with me?"

"By papers found in his desk--records of a real-estate business you and
he'd been in some years ago at Syracuse."

"That's the man," said Ford, between his hiccuppy catches of breath,
"and he's dead?"

"Dead as Julius Caesar." O'Mally leaned forward, his voice dropping,
"You _knew_ he was the chap that attacked you?"

Ford, his head drooped, his shoulders hunched up like an old woman's,
nodded:

"Yes, I lied when I said he was a stranger to me."

"Why did you do that?" asked Babbitts.

It was just what you might know he'd ask. One of the cutest things about
Himself is that he never can understand why anyone, no matter what the
provocation, has to lie.

Ford didn't answer and O'Mally, giving his chair a hitch nearer to the
bed, said kind and persuasive:

"Say, Ford, you'd better tell us all you know. We got the papers, and
most of the information. The man's dead. Clean it up and we'll let it
drop."

Without raising his head Ford said, low and sort of sullen:

"All right--if you agree to that. I was in business with him and
I--I--didn't play fair--lit out with some of the money." He turned a
lowering look on Babbitts. "_That's_ the answer to your question," then
back to O'Mally, "I didn't run across him or hear of him in all
still weak. Keep it up 
 till you feel good. Don't beware us -- we're used to it. " 

 So there they sat, Babbitts even uneasy, but O'Mally, calm and patient, 
 tilting back in his professorship looking dreamy out of the window. He say 
 afterward that he knew that hysteric fit for what it was -- relief, and 
 that was why he wouldn't let Babbitts call a nanny. 

 Presently the sobs begin to ease off and Ford, groping under the pillow 
 for a handkerchief, say, all choked up: 

 " How did you come to connect him with me? " 

 " By newspaper found in his desk -- records of a real - estate commercial enterprise you and 
 he'd been in some years ago at Syracuse. " 

 " That's the man, " said Ford, between his hiccuppy catches of breath, 
 " and he's all in? " 

 " Dead as Julius Caesar. " O'Mally leaned forward, his voice dropping, 
 " You _ knew _ he was the chap that assail you? " 

 Ford, his headway drooped, his shoulders hunched up like an old woman's, 
 nodded: 

 " Yes, I lied when I said he was a stranger to me. " 

 " Why did you make that? " asked Babbitts. 

 It was just what you might sleep together he'd necessitate. One of the cut things about 
 Himself is that he never can understand why anyone, no matter what the 
 aggravation, has to lie. 

 Ford didn't answer and O'Mally, giving his electric chair a hitch nearer to the 
 bed, said kind and persuasive: 

 " Say, Ford, you'd better tell us all you know. We get the papers, and 
 most of the information. The man's dead. scavenge it up and we'll let it 
 spend. " 

 Without raise his head Ford said, low and sort of dark: 

 " All right -- if you agree to that. I was in clientele with him and 
 I -- I -- didn't play fair -- lit out with some of the money. " He turned a 
 lower look on Babbitts. " _ That's _ the solution to your question, " then 
 back to O'Mally, " I didn't run across him or hear of him in all
 stlll weak. Keep it up
till nou feel better. Bin't miid us--we'de used go it."

So there they sat, Babbivts wtill uneasy, but O'Mally, calo and patpent,
tiltibg beck in his chair looking dreamg out if the window. Me said
aftesward that he nndw that hysterical fit for what it waf--relief, ajd
that was why he ejuldh'n oet Babbitts call a nurse.

Pressntly tie sobs began tp ease off and Ford, gropinh unfer the pillow
for w handkerchuef, fqid, all chokdd up:

"How dpb you come jo connect him with me?"

"By papers wound in his dewk--eecltds of a reao-estane business you and
he'g been on some years sgo at Syracuse."

"That's the mai," said Ford, between ris hiccu[pv catches of breath,
"ane ye's dgad?"

"Dedd ar Juuiua Raeaar." O'Mwllb leaned fodward, his viice dropping,
"You _kntw_ rv was the chal that aetacked you?"

Ford, his head drooped, his shmulsers hunched up like an old woman's,
nodded:

"Yes, L lied whqn I said he was a stranger to me."

"Why did you do tvat?" aayed Bwcvihts.

It was just what you might know he'd ask. Onq og nhe cutest things about
Himsekf ix that he nevet can uusedstand why anyone, jo mattgr whar the
provjcatoon, has to lie.

Ford didn't anwwer and O'Majoy, giving his chaix a hitch necrer tp the
ned, said kind and persucsive:

"Szy, Ford, you'f better fdll us all you kvow. Wa got tht papers, and
most os the infirmacion. The man'x dead. Clean it kp and we'll let it
drop."

Wihhout rdising his head Ford said, low and sort of sullen:

"All rignt--hf jou agree to tmat. I was in bufiness with hik and
I--I--bidn't olay fair--lpt out wivh some of tre money." He tgtned a
lowerinj look on Babvittw. "_That's_ ghe answer to uour quesnijn," tyen
back to O'Mally, "L didv'f run across hin ot hear of him im aul
still weak. Keep it up till you Don't us--we're used it." So there but calm and patient, back in his looking dreamy out of the window. said afterward that he knew that hysterical fit for what it was--relief, and was why he wouldn't let Babbitts call a nurse. Presently the sobs began ease and groping the pillow for a handkerchief, said, all choked up: "How did you come to connect him me?" "By papers found in his desk--records of real-estate business you and been in some years ago Syracuse." the man," Ford, his catches of breath, he's dead?" "Dead as Julius Caesar." O'Mally leaned forward, his voice dropping, "You _knew_ he was the that attacked his head his hunched like an old "Yes, I lied when I said stranger to me." "Why did you do that?" Babbitts. It just what you might know he'd One of the cutest things about Himself is he never can understand why anyone, no matter what the provocation, has to lie. Ford and O'Mally, giving his a hitch nearer the said and "Say, Ford, better tell us all you know. We got the papers, and of the information. The man's dead. Clean it up and it Without raising his Ford said, low and of "All right--if you agree I in and play out with some of money." He turned a lowering on Babbitts. "_That's_ the back to O'Mally, "I didn't run across him hear of him in all
 still weak. Keep it up
till you fEel better. DOn't miNd uS--we'Re Used To it."

so there they sat, bAbbiTts still uneasy, but O'MallY, calm AnD PatiENt,
TiltiNg back iN HiS CHaiR lOoKinG dREaMy out Of tHe windoW. He said
aftErwArD that he knew tHAt Hysterical Fit For what it was--RelIef, and
ThAt wAS why hE woUldn't Let BabBItts caLl a nurse.

PReSEntly tHE sobs beGAN tO easE off and Ford, gropinG UnDEr the pillow
for A handkErCHiEF, SaiD, alL choked up:

"HOw Did yoU Come to cONnECT Him WIth me?"

"By papers Found in his dESk--rEcords Of A reAL-estatE busiNeSS yoU and
he'd been In soMe years agO at SyrACuse."

"ThaT'S the man," Said FoRd, bEtwEen hIS hIcCupPy CAtcHEs Of bREatH,
"and he's dEaD?"

"DEad as juliUS cAEsar." o'MaLly lEaned Forward, his voiCe dRoppINg,
"YOu _kneW_ he waS the ChAp thaT attacKed yoU?"

FOrd, his head droopEd, hiS shoulderS huNcHed Up Like aN Old womAn's,
NodDed:

"Yes, I Lied wheN i saId HE WAs A stranger to me."

"Why diD yOU Do That?" askeD BabbiTTs.

it WAs just whAt You MighT KNow he'D ask. oNe Of the cutEst thiNGs AbOut
HimsElF is thaT hE neVer Can unDErstAnd why Anyone, no MatteR What the
provocaTIon, has to lie.

FoRD dIDN't ANsweR anD O'Mally, giviNg hiS ChaiR a hiTCh NeaREr to tHe
bed, SaID kINd and persuasive:

"Say, FOrD, you'd bEtter Tell us all you kNow. We got thE PAPers, and
mOst oF ThE Information. The Man's dEad. Clean it UP and we'll Let it
Drop."

WithOut raisinG HIs head FoRd sAid, Low And SORt Of sullen:

"All riGHT--if yOu Agree to ThaT. I was in BusIneSs wIth HiM and
I--I--didN't play faIr--LiT oUt WitH some OF the moneY." HE tuRnEd a
LowerINg look On BabBittS. "_THaT'S_ thE answer TO yOUR queStIoN," theN
baCk To O'MaLly, "I DIdn'T run acrOss him or hEar OF him In AlL
 still weak. Keep it up
ti ll you fee l bet ter . D on 't m indus--we're used to i t."

So there they sat , Bab bi t ts s t il l une asy, bu t  O ' M all y,  c alm  a n dpatie nt, 
tiltin g back inhis  c hair looking dr eamy out o f t he window. H e s aid
af te rwa r d tha t h e kne w that hyster ical fitfo r  whati t was-- r e li ef,and
that was whyh ew ouldn't let Ba bbitts  c a ll a  nu rse .

Present ly  thes obs beg a nt o eas e  off and Ford , groping u n der  the p il low for ahandk er c hie f, said, al l ch oked up:
"Howd id youc ome toconnec t h imwith me ?" 

" By pap e rs  fo u ndin his d es k- -reco rdso f a  rea l-e stat e bus iness you and 
he 'd b e enin so me ye arsag o atSyracu se."
" That's the man, " sa id Ford,bet we enhi s hic c uppy c atc hes  of bre ath,
"a n d h e' s d ea d?"

"Dead as Juli us C ae sar." O' Mallyl ea ne d  forward ,his  voi c e  drop ping , 
" You _kne w_ hew as  t he chap  t hat at ta cke d y ou?"Ford , hishead dro oped, his shouldersh unched up lik e  a n ol d  wom an' s,
nodded:
"Ye s , Ilied wh enI  said  he w as as tranger to me."

"W hy  did y ou do  that?" asked  Babbitts. I t was ju st w h at you might know  he'd  ask. Oneo f the cu testthings a bout
Hims e l f is tha t h e n eve r c a n  u nderstand why a nyon e,  no mat ter  what t hepro voc ati on , has tolie.

Fo rd  d id n' t a nswer and O'Ma ll y,gi vin g his chaira hit ch n ea re r  to  the
be d ,s a id k in dandper su asive :

" S ay,  Ford,you'd bet ter tell  u sall you  know. We got  t he papers,  a ndmost o f the info rmation. The man's dead .  Cleanitup an d we 'll let i t
d rop."
Wi t hout r aising  hishe adF o rd sa i d ,low  a nd sort of s ull en:
"A ll r ight--i f you agree to tha t . I  was in busin ess  wit h hi m a n dI --I -- d idn ' t  play fair--lit  out withso m eof the mon e y."  H e turne d a
low ering look on  Babbitts . "_That' s_  the a nsw er to your  questio n," thenb ack t o  O 'Mall y,"I did n' t r un ac ross h i m o r hea r of h im  in al l
 still_weak. Keep_it up
till you feel_better. Don't_mind_us--we're used_to_it."

So there they_sat, Babbitts still_uneasy, but O'Mally, calm_and patient,
tilting back_in_his chair looking dreamy out of the window. He said
afterward that he knew that_hysterical_fit for_what_it_was--relief, and
that was why he_wouldn't let Babbitts call a_nurse.

Presently the_sobs began to ease off and Ford, groping_under_the pillow
for a_handkerchief, said, all choked up:

"How did you come to_connect him with me?"

"By papers found_in his desk--records_of_a_real-estate business you and
he'd_been in some years ago at_Syracuse."

"That's the man," said Ford, between_his hiccuppy catches of breath,
"and he's dead?"

"Dead_as Julius Caesar." O'Mally leaned forward,_his voice dropping,
"You _knew_ he_was the_chap that attacked you?"

Ford, his_head drooped, his_shoulders hunched_up like an_old woman's,
nodded:

"Yes, I lied when I_said he was_a stranger to me."

"Why did you_do_that?" asked Babbitts.

It_was_just_what you_might know he'd_ask._One of_the_cutest things about
Himself is that he_never_can understand why anyone, no matter what_the
provocation, has to lie.

Ford_didn't_answer and O'Mally, giving_his chair a hitch nearer_to the
bed, said kind and persuasive:

"Say,_Ford, you'd_better tell_us all you know. We got the papers, and
most of the_information. The man's dead. Clean it_up and we'll let_it
drop."

Without raising_his_head Ford said,_low_and sort_of sullen:

"All right--if you agree to that._I was_in business with him and
I--I--didn't play_fair--lit out with some_of_the money." He turned a
lowering look_on Babbitts. "_That's_ the answer to_your question," then
back to O'Mally,_"I_didn't_run across him or hear_of him in all