Page:Keeban (IA keeban00balm).pdf/68

 polite, in fact, and almost in our highest circles. The only underworld about was the bit she packed with her; but it was quite a bit, believe me. And it's growing."

"That means," I guessed, "something's going to happen where she is?"

Jerry looked away and thought and looked again at me. "That's one place something's fairly sure to happen soon; of course, there are several others. It's funny, Steve, to see ourselves now."

"From where you are, you mean?"

"That's it. Take me, for instance, as I was. Down there, in the east end of New York, was my particular friend, Keeban. I knew nothing of him; he knew nothing of me, probably, till a bunch from Princeton ran onto him and took him for somebody they knew. They sure must have puzzled him, but they started something in his head which he half tried out by 'touching' another Princeton bunch for a hundred and getting it from Davis. About that time—as long as eight years ago—Keeban 'marked up' me."

Marked up? I repeated.

"Marked up my name on his board as good game for attention when he could get around to me. What made him put it off so long, I don't