The Best American Humorous Short Stories

porch when her father and mother returned. Mrs. Ellsworth was sitting at the center window above, placidly look

Evelyn now, for the first time, saw the real humor of the situation. She smiled as she thought of Ralph. She ow

ctively chewing a straw, and handed him an envelope. Mr. Van Kamp tore it open and drew out a note. T

ELMONT V

econd-floor front rooms. Herewith I am enclosing the fifteen dollars you paid to secure the suite. You are quite welcome to make use, as my guest,

respec

ASTMAN E

roomy. Evelyn picked up the bills and tucked them into her waist. She never overlooked any of her perquisites. Mrs. V

his is a house of public entertainment. They can't turn us out in th

rth would be too clever to be caught by it. He would say that the house was not

ourceful sort of chap who knew how to make money behave its

im take down the sig

his head

tion, and not at all sportsmanlike. The course you suggest would bel

o talk with

s place," he state

e Billy. He did not merely t

w m

t was used to charging by this ti

reached in his pocket with the reflection that the spot

y, sitting bolt upright. "Ef you air a-figgerin' on that, Mr. Kamp, jis' you save yore time. I gi

r, the thing had resolved itself rather into a contest between Ellsworth and himself, and he had done a little making and breaki

ctly what Mr. Ellsworth ren

ied Billy, and then he

pot cash f

out leisurely, and placed them in his bill book, along with some smooth yellowbacks

t the furniture, was t

Ka

ned on the ex-horse-trader. The crow's feet reappeared about his eyes, his m

e Billy. "No, the

but the

' th' mere house,' says he, an' he gits it. A bar

the furniture

w how to do business with thi

romptly counte

ncle Billy to himself.

ourselves comfortable

rked up. All wa

n used for nothin' yit, senct I built it two years ago. I jis' hadn't

t on Uncle Billy's character, and