He ran down the stairs in a manner wonderfully airy for one so stout.
Emma watched him until he disappeared around a bend in the stairs.
Then she walked hastily in the direction of sixty-five.

Down in the lobby the fat man, cigar in mouth, was cautioning the
clerk, and emphasizing his remarks with one forefinger.

"I want to leave a call for six thirty," he was saying. "Not a minute
later. I've got to get out of here on that 7:35 for DeKalb. Got a
Sunday customer there."

As he turned away a telephone bell tinkled at the desk. The clerk bent
his stately head.

"Clerk. Yes, ma'am. No, ma'am, there's no train out of here to-night
for DeKalb. To-morrow morning. Seven thirty-five A.M. I sure will. At
six-thirty? Surest thing you know."




III

CHICKENS


For the benefit of the bewildered reader it should be said that there
are two distinct species of chickens. There is the chicken which you
find in the barnyard, in the incubator, or on a hat. And there is the