The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1894-12-27

Williams confronted him with : mes
sage. ,y
maj. Maynard's compliments" hi
said, bowling low, ''snd will Mr.. North
please come up TO the majors study 70,
) few moments?'' s5S
It flashed upon North's mind instant
Nv that there must not appear in his
manner the slightest hesitancy about
comply ing with this request, and he
therefore assented at once; but he was
in no enviable state Of mind as he fol
lowed Williams up the broad staircase.
Oddly enough he had never calculated
upon the probability Of his being com.
PEELED to meet Maj. Maynard. and he
had not prepared his mind for such an
emergency. He had no time now to do
more than to rally his self-possession
and nerve himself to meet the unex.
pected in whatever shape it might pre-
sent itself to him. falling back upon 1,
mcasurably clear conscience as q sus-
tanning factor.
The majors sstudy = so-called, al
though there was nothing in the ap-
poin,ments of that luxurious den or in
the occupations daily pursued within
it's four walls to warrant such q dcsig'
nation-was situated near the first land
ing of the winding stairway.
AS North entered he perceived q gem
tleman in q richly embroidered dress
ing.gown, lying at full length in q re-
clining chair. In his first glance North
recognized in this person the irascible
invalid whom he had within the past
hour encountered on the street.
This speedy Identification of his as
sailant affected North somewhat as an
earthquake shock might have done; but,
concealing his feelings as well as posi-
BILE, he advanced with the greeting:
'tGood morning, Maj. Maynard. be-
ieve this is the second time to-day that
l have had this honor"
A silent, sneering scrutiny was at
first his only answer, and North was be-
ginning to feel seriously annoyed, when
at last the major, motioning toward a
chair which North declined, began in a
hooking way:
"Oh, you're not 'preoccupied' now,
eh? You recognize me, do you, Mr..
North? Heavens and earth. sir! lisa
wonder that you didn't come in pretend
ing that you had never seen me before.
Do you often get drunk, North?"
Never, sir!:' returned North indig-
nantly. q.,>
''Never! Oh, very likely-very likely,
indeed! Then have no explanation of
your extraordinary behavior this morn
ing: none whatever. Now, North, am
going to ask you few plain questions,
and 1 expect you to answer them. Do
you hear me, North?" w.
Certainly, Maj. Maynard returned
North, with delicate sarcasm in his
emphasis, Il hear YOU For the
majors voice had been anything but
s'soft and low -g
''Well," pursued that gentleman, inn
periously, ''are you going to answer
me?' E,.
That will depend altogether upon
the nature of your questions" said
North, looking him steadily in the eye.
/ 1t is perhaps unnecessary for me to
say that shall use my own discretion
in the matter . 81
oh, You will, eh? Use yourown dis
cretion, sir? Heavens and earth, I'LL
not stand this!'' roared the major, per-
fectly furious at North's hauteur.
"You'll find, sir, that your best discre-
ton will be to treat me with proper
respect. Now, I've kept myself posted
about this case. Oh, you needn't ask
me what case! You know perfectly well
that allude to that forged will. It's
very mysterious affair, North, very mys-
terious, and, I have my own suspicious
about it. Now want to know in plain
terms, without any cowardly evasions,