don't think that excuse will avail you in a court of justice.''
``Court of justice!'' repeated Luke, turning pale.
``He won't have me taken up, will he?''
``He will unless you arrange to restore all the money.''
``I've paid you part of it.''
``That I shall hand over to him. Have you the rest?''
``I've spent a few dollars. I've got eight dollars left.''
``You had better give it to me.''
Reluctantly, Luke drew out his pocketbook, and passed over the eight dollars to Mr. Merrill.
``So far, so good,'' said the tailor. ``Now when will you pay the rest?''
``In a few weeks,'' said Luke.
``That won't do. How much do you earn a week?''
``Fifteen dollars.''
``How much do you pay for board?''
``Four dollars.''
``Then you will be able to pay eleven dollars at the end of this week.''
``I
can't get along without money,'' said Luke, doggedly.
``You will have to till you pay back the money, unless you prefer appearing before a court of justice. I believe you owe me over thirty dollars. When are you going to pay it?''
There was a significance in his tone, which arrested Luke's attention.
``I'll pay you as soon as I can,'' he said. ``I haven't got any money now.''
``You are fully able to pay for your clothes promptly, and I advise you to do it.''
``I'll pay you as soon as I can.''
``If you neglect to do it, I may as well tell you that I shall let it be known that you stole Walton's pocketbook. The whole story would be told, and people might think as they pleased. But it is much better for you to avoid all this by paying your bills.''
Luke Harrison left the tailor's shop in a very unhappy and disgusted frame of mind.
The prospect of paying his debts under compulsion was far from agreeable, and he cursed his folly in so soon making use of Harry Walton's money.
``If I
had only had the sense to wait till it blew over,'' he said to himself, ``Ishould have escaped all this. I didn't think Merrill would act so mean.''
That was his way of looking at it.
``Now I'm in for paying his infernal bill besides,'' he continued. ``It's too bad.''
Just then he came upon Frank Heath, who hailed him.
``Luke, I was just looking for you. Come and play a game of billiards.''
``If you'll promise not to beat me. I haven't got a cent of money.''
``You haven't? What have you done with those bills you had this afternoon?''
``I've paid 'em over to Merrill,'' said Luke, hesitating. ``He was in a deuced stew about his bill.''
``Don't you owe him any more? Have you paid all up?''
``Not quite.''
``When are your new pants going to be ready -- those you told me about?''
``I
don't know,'' said Luke, with a pang of disappointment.
``Merrill's making them, isn't he?''
``He agreed to; but now he says he won't, till I have paid the whole bill.''
``Seems to me your credit ain't very good, Luke.''
``It's good enough, but he's hard up for money. I guess he's going to fail. If you'll lend me a couple of dollars, I'll go around and have a game.''
Frank Heath laughed.
``You'll have to go to someone else, Luke,'' he said. ``Perhaps you're going to fail, too.''
Luke passed a disagreeable evening, feeling that he was a victim of ill luck. It did not occur to him that the ill luck was of his own bringing on.
