E-text prepared by Darleen Dove, Roger Frank, Mary Meehan, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations in color. See 33117-h.htm or 33117-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/33117/pg33117-images.html) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/33117/33117-h.zip) THIRTY by HOWARD VINCENT O'BRIEN Author of "New Men for Old." Illustrated by Robert W. Amick New York Dodd, Mead and Company 1915 Copyright. 1915 By Dodd Mead & Company TO MY MOTHER WHO SOUGHT ALWAYS TO MAKE ME LOVE THE TRUTH, THOUGH KNOWING THAT MY TRUTH WOULD NOT, IN THE NATURE OF THINGS, BE HERS. [Illustration: "What right have you to put such impudent questions to us, anyway?" he demanded hotly] CONTENTS I AN UNINVITED GUEST II A BLOW--AND A RESOLUTION III "YOU DON'T KNOW MR. IMRIE" IV OIL AND WATER V A SLEEPER WAKES VI DEAD IDOLS VII "IF PEOPLE ONLY _KNEW_!" VIII THE GREATEST GAME IN THE WORLD IX BURNED BRIDGES X A BLUFF CALLED XI "TEARS ... AND THEN ICE" XII ONLY A WOMAN XIII THE PILOT GOES OVERBOARD XIV A SECRET REVEALED XV "THIRTY"--AND ANOTHER STORY ILLUSTRATIONS "What right have you to put such impudent questions to us, anyway?" he demanded hotly. It was hard to refuse Imrie--a million times harder than all the rest "I say, you know," he said between puffs, "business is the--greatest--game--in the world" The air was surcharged with expectancy THIRTY CHAPTER I AN UNINVITED GUEST Roger Wynrod was the first down to breakfast, and he was feeling far from well. But a glass of bitters, followed by half a grapefruit and a large cup of coffee, made him more nearly his usual cheerful self. He had a word and a smile for each one of the houseparty, as they straggled in, albeit the memory of last night's disastrous game haunted him uncomfortably. The fact was that once again he faced the necessity of appealing to his sister for further funds, and he had his doubts as to how she would take it.