Yours in haste,
Tom Blake.
Blake the phlegmatic—Blake the most easy-going and laziest of clubmen! Dick wondered what was to pay as he closed his desk and got his overcoat and hat. After a few words of explanation to Colonel Byrd, he left the office and hastened up to Stoneleigh Court.
Blake’s apartment on the sixth floor faced on Connecticut Avenue, but from the side windows there was a magnificent view of the White House grounds and the Washington Monument, whose wonderful white shaft seemed to float aloft, detached from the solid earth, a part of the fleecy clouds themselves; while still farther to the south a glimpse of the Potomac River could be caught now and then as it twisted and turned along the Virginia and Maryland shores.
Dick had plenty of time to admire the view before Tom made his appearance, dressed immaculately.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, old man, but I had to shift after traveling all night, first getting some sleep; never closed my eyes all night in a beastly upper berth. Lunch ready, Lambert?” as his man came to the door. “All right, come along, Dick.”
Dick sighed with satisfaction, as he helped himself to a juicy piece of beefsteak and some French fried potatoes. He was almost famished, and Tom was in like condition. For a short time conversation languished while they both attended to the wants of the inner man.
“Where have you been, Tom?” Dick finally asked, helping himself to a hot muffin.
“Philadelphia,” answered Tom, his speech somewhat impeded by a large mouthful which he, with difficulty, swallowed in a hurry. “I had to go over there to see about the strike in the Warren textile mills. I’m a big stockholder in the concern, so had to take an interest in the blooming business. Can’t say I was much help; couldn’t seem to understand the rights of the row. Far as I could make out, the workers wanted more wages.”
“Most people do,” interrupted Dick, laughing.
“I know, but the business doesn’t warrant a raise, hasn’t paid a dividend for months. The strikers claim they can’t even buy the necessities of life at the present scale of wages. The whole trouble is, no one knows nowadays what are necessities and what luxuries, and no one attempts to live without them both.”