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[Illustration: See p. 34 "I'M AWFULLY SORRY, TOO, DAD"]
By Rex Beach
Room service at the Ajax is of a quality befitting the newest, thelargest, and the most expensive hotel in Dallas. While the standard ofexcellence is uniformly high, nevertheless some extra care usuallyattaches to a breakfast ordered from the Governor's suite—most elegantand most expensive of all the suites—hence the waiter checked over hiscard and made a final, fluttering examination to be sure that thechilled fruit was chilled and that the hot plates were hot before herapped on the door. A voice, loud and cheery, bade him enter.
Would the gentleman wish his breakfast served in the parlor or—No, thegentleman would have it right in his bedroom; but first, where were hiscigarettes? He hoped above all things that the waiter had not forgottenhis cigarettes. Some people began their days with cold showers—nothingless than a cruel shock to a languid nervous system. An atrociouspractice, the speaker called it—a relic of barbarism—a fetish ofignorance. Much preferable was a hygienic, stimulating cigarette whichserved the same purpose and left no deleterious aftereffects.
The pajama-clad guest struck a light, inhaled with abundantsatisfaction, and then cast a hungry eye over the contents of therubber-tired breakfast table. He, too, tested the temperature of themelon and felt the cover of the toast plate.
"Splendid!" he cried. "Nice rooms, prompt service, a pleasant-facedwaiter. Why, I couldn't fare better in my best club. Thanks to you, myfirst impression of Dallas is wholly delightful." He seated himself ina padded boudoir chair, unfolded a snowy serviette and attacked hisbreakfast with the enthusiasm of a perfectly healthy animal.
"Is this your first visit here, sir?"
"Absolutely. Dallas is as foreign to me as Lhasa. It is the Baghdad ofmy dreams and its streets are strange. Perhaps they are full ofadventure for me. I hope so. Anything exciting can happen in a townwhere one has neither friends nor acquaintances, eh? You are awell-read man, I take it."
"I? Why—"
"At any rate, you have heard it said that this is a small world."
"Yes, sir."
"Good! I merely wish to deny authorship of the saying, for it is false.This is a large world. What is more, it is a world full of cities likeDallas where men like you and me, Heaven be praised, have neitherfriends, acquaintances, nor relatives. In that respect, it is a fineworld and we should devoutly give thanks for its Dallases andits—Dalsatians. Jove! This ham is delicious!"
The waiter was accustomed to "morning talkers," but this gentleman wasdifferent. He had an air of consequence, and his voice, so deep, sowell modulated, so pleasant, invested him with unusual distinction.Probably he was an actor! But no! Not in the Governor's suite. Morelikely he was one of the big men of the Standard, or the Gulf, or theTexas. To make sure, the waiter inquired:
"May I ask if you are in oil, sir?"
"In oil? Bless me, what a nauseating question—at this hour of the day!"
"'Most everybody here is in o