Then there are the
temptations."
"How do you mean?"
Kittredge flushed slightly and answered in a more serious tone:
"We must work while others amuse themselves or sleep. We must sleep while
others are at work. That throws us out of touch with the whole world of
respectability and regularity. When we get done at night, wrought up by the
afternoon and evening of this gambling with our brains and nerves as the
stake, what is open to us?"
"That is true," said Howard. "There are the all-night saloons and--the
like."
"And if we wish society, what society is open to us? What sort of young
women are waiting to entertain us at one, two, three o'clock in the
morning? Why, I have not made a call in a year. And I have not seen a
respectable girl of my acquaintance in at least that time, except once or
twice when I happened to have assignments that took me near Fifth Avenue in
the afternoon."
"Mr. Kittredge, Mr. Bowring wishes to speak to you," an office boy said and
Kittredge rose. As he went, he put his hand on Howard's shoulder and said:
"No, I am getting out of it as fast as ever I can. I'm writing books."
"Kittredge," thought Howard, "I wonder, is this Henry Jennings Kittredge,
whose stories are on all the news stands?" He saw an envelope on the floor
at his feet.
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