His education was progressing apace, for love is the greatest of educators, and Buddy was in love--madly, extravagantly in love. Love it was that accounted for his presence in Dallas, and his occupancy of the Governor"s suite at the Ajax. A fellow in love with the most wonderful woman in the world couldn"t afford to look cheap in his home town, could he?
Of course Dallas was not Buddy"s home town, but it had been his point of departure into the world, and it was the home of his bank account, hence some pride of proprietorship was pardonable. It gave him such a pleasing sense of importance to adopt the city as his own that he adopted everything and everybody in it.
In spite of the fact that the train from Wichita Falls was behind time, one morning shortly after Buddy"s arrival, he was still abed when Calvin Gray arrived at the hotel. Instead of disturbing the slumbers of youth, Gray went directly to the detective who had telegraphed him, and for half an hour or more the two talked.
Later, during the course of a leisurely bath and shave, the new arrival pondered the information he had received. Here was a problem. Having dressed himself, he strolled around to Coverly"s place of business and interviewed the jeweler.
"Sure! He has bought quite a bit of stuff in the last few days,"
Coverly told him. "He was in only yesterday and ordered a fine piece made up. He wanted a ruby heart pierced with a diamond arrow, but I got him off that and onto a blue Brazilian solitaire. We"re mounting it in a platinum lady"s ring."
"What is the price?"
"Forty-five hundred, and the value is there."
"Have you seen the woman?"
Coverly nodded. "The boy is a good picker. I don"t blame her much, either, for I"ve seen a lot of worse-looking fellows than Buddy."
"Hold the ring. He may change his mind."
"I say!" Coverly was in dismay. "Are you going to spoil the best sale I"ve made in two weeks?"
"Oh, I"ll take it off your hands if he doesn"t. Make some excuse not to deliver it until I say the word. You don"t know the woman, eh?"
"Never saw her before."
Gray knocked several times at the Governor"s suite before a sleepy response, a succession of yawns and mutterings, told him that he had been heard. The door opened finally and the pride of the Briskow family, his eyes all but swelled shut, his muscular figure splendidly arrayed in futuristic silken pajamas, mumbled:
"What"s eatin" you, any--?" The eyes opened wider, Buddy"s face broke into a slow smile. "Why, Mr. Gray!" He extended a palm, a bit dry and feverish, and drew his caller inside. "Dawg_-gone!_ I"m glad to see you."
Gray entered with a buoyant laugh and a hearty greeting; he clapped the young giant heavily upon the back. At the blow Buddy voiced a sharp cry and seized his head.
"Easy over the b.u.mps! I"m carryin" a cargo of nitroglycerine, and I"ll let go if you jar me," he explained.
"Sorry! I know how it feels. But, man alive, it"s afternoon! I began to think you were dead."
Buddy led the way into his bedroom, piled his pillows together and gingerly lowered himself upon them. He showed his strong white teeth in a wide grin and winked meaningly. "I"ll be all right directly. It"s this here sim--sympathetic booze they talk about. Have a drink, Mr.
Gray? There"s a coupla bottles of real liquor in the closet--not this tiger"s milk you get--"
The caller declined the invitation. "Where the devil have you been, Buddy? We were getting worried."
"Who, me? Oh, I been--lookin" around."
"Your mother is nearly frantic."
Buddy stirred uneasily. "Pshaw! I"m fine. I can take keer of myself.
n.o.body don"t need to worry about me."
"Good! Now then, you young scoundrel, I"m going to order you the sort of breakfast that goes with what ails you, and while it is coming up, you are going to jump under the shower."
"Where d"you get that "jump" stuff?" the youth inquired, faintly.
"Besides, I"m clean."
But Gray had seized the phone, and as soon as he had given his order he strode into the bathroom and turned on the water. He was out again in a moment, then laughingly he dragged the aching Texan from his couch.
"Under you go," he insisted, "or I"ll wet down your whole j.a.panese flower garden."
"Some pajamas, ain"t they? I got a dozen pairs," Buddy said, proudly.
"Quick! If you think I"ll consent to hang around a lonesome hotel while you sleep, you"re mistaken. I can"t tell you how glad I am to run into you, Buddy. I"m dying to have a riotous time."
"Eh?" Briskow turned an inquiring face to the speaker.
"I"ve been hibernating in the wilderness, sucking my paw and living off my fat, like a bear. I want you to shown me this town."
A bath, a brisk rubdown, and breakfast put Buddy in fairly good fettle once more; so marked was his improvement, in fact, that Gray envied him his glorious gift of youth.
"Flying pretty high, aren"t you?" the elder man inquired, with a wave of the hand that took in the expensive suite.
"Well, I ain"t exactly broke."
"True. But I know what these rooms cost. That"s going strong for a lad like you."
"You took "em, didn"t you, when you had less "n I got?"
"Ahem! It is embarra.s.sing to be held up as an example. I"ve done a good many things, Buddy, that I wouldn"t like to see you do."
"If they wouldn"t hurt me any more "n they"ve hurt you I"d like to try"em."
"Another proof that you are still in short pants. I"m a bad person to copy. By the way, why did you quit school?"
Buddy considered his reply, then: "I reckon it was because of them short pants you speak about. I can"t stand bein" laughed at, Mr. Gray.
It comes hard to stand up in a cla.s.s along with a bunch of children and make mistakes and have a little boy in a lace collar and spring heels snap his fingers and sing out in a sweet soprano, "Oh, tee-_cher!_"
Then have him show you up. They put me in with a lot of nursin" babes.
What the h.e.l.l? I weigh a hundred and ninety and I got a beard!"
"Didn"t you learn anything?"
Buddy closed a meaning eye, and his pleasant features wrinkled into that infectious smile. "I"ll tell the world I did! After the whistlin"
squabs was asleep in their nests I went out among the whippoorwills an"
the bats. Ain"t it funny how quick folks can learn to put up with bad grammar when you got a jingle in your jeans? I guess I"ve got enough education to do me; anyhow, I can write Ozark Briskow in the lower right-hand corner and that seems to get me by."
"You wouldn"t consent to go back or--have a tutor, like Allie?"
"Who, _me?_" Briskow laughed scornfully.
"Um-m! Merely a suggestion. You are the architect of your own career."
"I"m fed up on that kind of schoolin", Mr. Gray. I--" Buddy"s face reddened, he dropped his eyes. "I don"t mind tellin" _you_--I--It"s like this--I kinda got a girl!"