Produced by Al Haines [Frontispiece: "Well if I ever! Look where your shoulders come!" says Vee.] ON WITH TORCHY BY SEWELL FORD AUTHOR OF TORCHY, TRYING OUT TORCHY, ODD NUMBERS, ETC., ETC. ILLUSTRATIONS BY FOSTER LINCOLN NEW YORK GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS Copyright, 1913, 1914, by Sewell Ford Copyright, 1914, by Edward J. Clode CONTENTS CHAPTER I. CHANCING IT FOR VEE II. PULLING A SLEUTH STUNT III. WHEN IRA SHOWED SOME PEP IV. TORCHY BUGS THE SYSTEM V. BREEZING BY WITH PEGGY VI. GLOOM SHUNTING FOR THE BOSS VII. TORCHY IN ON THE DRAW VIII. GLADYS IN A DOUBLE BILL IX. LATE RETURNS ON POPOVER X. MERRY DODGES A DEAD HEAT XI. THE PASSING BY OF BUNNY XII. THE GLAD HAIL FOR TORCHY XIII. AUNTY FLAGS A ROSY ONE XIV. CUTTING IN ON THE BLISS XV. BEING SICCED ON PERCEY XVI. HOW WHITY GUNKED THE PLOT XVII. TORCHY GETS A THROUGH WIRE ILLUSTRATIONS "WELL, IF I EVER! LOOK WHERE YOUR SHOULDERS COME!" . . . . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ "BY GORRY!" EXPLODES IRA AS HE GETS HIS FIRST GLIMPSE SISTER HAS LANDED A SMACK ON HIS JAW BELIEVE ME, IT WAS SOME ARTISTIC MAKEUP! "AH, FLUTTER BY, IDLE ONE!" SAYS I THEN MY ARM MUST HAVE SLIPPED--AND THE SIDE CLINCH WA'N'T DISTURBED WE WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF PRACTISIN' THE SIDEWISE DIP, WHEN WHO SHOULD SHOW UP BUT THE HAPPY BRIDEGROOM! WE WAS RIGHT IN THE MIDST Of THE SCRIMMAGE WHEN IN WALKS VEE ON WITH TORCHY CHAPTER I CHANGING IT FOR VEE Say, what's next to knowin' when you're well off? Why, thinkin' you are. Which is a little nugget of wisdom I panned out durin' a chat I had not long ago with Mr. Quinn, that I used to work under when I was on the door of the Sunday sheet, three or four years back. "Hail, Torchy!" says he, as we meets accidental on Broadway. "Still carrying the burning bush under your hat, aren't you?" I grins good-natured at his old josh, just as I used to about twice a week regular, and admits that I am. "You wa'n't lookin' for me to fade to an ash blond, was you?" says I. "Ah!" says he. "I see the brilliance is not all on the outside. Well, what use are you putting it to? Who are you with now?" "Same concern," says I. "Corrugated Trust." "As First, or Second Vice President?" says he, cockin' his head on one side humorous. "Add 'em together and multiply by three," says I, "then you'll be warm." "I don't quite get the result," says he. "Ever hear of an office-boy-de-luxe?" says I. "They don't print it on the letter-heads yet, or paint it on the ground-glass, but that's my real label. I'm the only one in New York, too." Mr. Quinn chuckles and goes off shakin' his head. I expect he's disappointed that I've stuck so long in one shop without climbin' further up the ladder. That's what he was always preachin' at me, this ladder-climbin' advice. But say, hod carriers do that. Me for an express elevator when the time comes.