pped on his trousers and thrust his feet
into shoes. His pajama jacket was open, revealing the naked flesh
underneath. Nor could Kars help but admire the physique now being so
rapidly prostituted.

"It's bully of you looking me up," Alec said, with as much cordiality
as an aching head would permit.

Then he laughed shamefacedly. "Guess I'm dopey this morning. I sat in
at 'draw' last night, and collected quite a bunch of money. I didn't
feel like quitting early."

Kars took up a position on the tumbled bed. His quick eyes were busy
with the elaborate room. He priced it heavily in his mind. Nor did he
miss the cocktail tray at the bedside, and the litter of clothes,
clothes which must have been bought in Leaping Horse, scattered
carelessly about.

"It don't do quitting when luck's running," he said, without a shade of
censure. "A feller needs to call the limit--till it turns. 'Draw's'
quite a game."

Alec had had doubts when John Kars' name had come up to him. He had
only been partially aware of them. It had been the working of a
consciousness of the life he was living, and of the clean living nature
of his visitor. But the big man's words dispelled the last shadow of
doubt, and he went on freely.

"Say," he cried, enthusiasm suddenly stirring him, "I'm only just
getting wise to the things I missed all these years. It gets me beat
to death how a feller like you, who could come near buying the whole
blamed city, can trail around the country half your time and the other
dope around on a rough sea with the wind blowing clear through your
vitals."

"It's cleaner air--both ways."

The boy flung himself on the bed with his back against the foot-rail.
He reached out and pressed the bell.

"Have a cocktail?" he said. "No?" as Kars shook his head. "Well, I
got to, anyway. That's the only kick I got coming to the mornings.
Gee, a feller gets a thirst. But who'd give a whoop for clean air?
I've had so much all my life," he went on, with a laugh. "I'm lookin'
for something with snap to it."

"Sure." Kars' steady eyes never changed their smiling expression.
"Things with snap are good for--a while."

"'A while'? I want 'em all the time. Guess I owe Murray a big lot.
It was him who fixed mother so she'd stake me, and let me git around.
I didn't always figger Murray had use for me. But he's acted fine, and
I guess I--say, I ran short of money a while back, and when he came
along down he handed me a