Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-09-08

as nice as you please.'
| II suppose" began Nancy hesitst-
ingly, II suppose it would be scarcely
UNSUITABLE for us to open that letter."
/ Tho landlord responded promptly:
| "Oh, no, certainly not. And besides
tit wouldn't do you any good. I
think-in fact, I-Ikinder guess what's
in that letter"
Guess? How? I don't understand
you''
The sly landlord winlred 10 profusely
! that he actually succeeded in stimulat-
| ing Maxey's limited knowledge Of hu.
man depravity into a comprehension of
the situation
| ''Oh, see. You mean you have al.
ready opened the letter.
| 1.-The letter is Just as good as ever It
was" returned Mr.. Belfry evasively.
"It is sealed up as good as before, but
man keeping q humble lodging house
can't afford to countenance any under
handedness you know. l like to know
/, the nature of any mail I'm carving.
| Belfry is cautious, or he's nothing"
Maxey smothered his secret CONTEMPT
and smiled.
! "Well" he questioned, land what
did the letter say"
1.-The letter said, +" replied Mr.. Belfry,
marking off the words on the tips of the
fingers of a not superlatively clean hand,
"the letter said: Leander Dye-Come
to me in the evening at 16 Livingston
street. Come for your own interests and
fail to come at your peril. have some
money for you. Tho sister That was
the only signature. What do you think
Of that?''
Maxey was silent.
"As for me-, went on the sly land
lord, "all these circumstances look
queer.
''What did Mr. Dye leave in his
room?"
HE left two trunks locked and moth
ing in them but old clothes, one of them
women's and the other mems. There
warn't much f1nery. His rent amt up
for over two months, you understand. -
Understand. What sort of a looking
man is Mr.. Dye?''
''Belfry's notion of it is that he's
some very badly run down parson Bel
fry may be wrong but that's the way
he sizes up L. Dye He might have been
enjoying himself too much and the con-
gregation got down on him. It's my ex-
perience, Mr.. Maxey, after years in the
lodging house line, that most of the re-
verses of this world can be traced, more
OF less direct, to shy-canery. If a man S
down and you go hunting around in his
| dc fny- ftnn <e ,t
you'll run against a piece of shy some
where, and bigger rather than hitler.
generally, too. That's Belfry's ulti-
matum.
The sly landlord might have moralized
for half an hour if the impatient Maxey
had not interrupted him:
Il understand all about that. But
what am after now is Mr.. Dye. Can
you tell me the exact date of his coming
ard his DISAPPOINTMENT
Ms. Belfry referred to greasy pocket
diary.
He came On Dec Z, Mr. Maxey, and
he went on Dec. o.
Maxey' hair rose Mt once, but he con.
trolled himself and went on:
VERY well, Mr.. Belfry. now have
proposition to make TO you-one that
may prove exceedingly profitable &c
yourself If you will by hook or crook
gentle means if possible, forcible
means If necessary-bring that Mir. Dye
to my rooms the day Inc sets foot within
this house again, or failing to do tina,
keep him a prisoner until can be sent
for-if yOu can do this, will reward
\ v-Drl
probably see you again very soon
Maxey, having transacted his business,
arose TO go. The landlords eye rested
abstractedly Oh the $40 bill living on tn,
table, but again he did not seem to Sc,
!. it.
"Belfry Is always glad to accommo
date gentleman. he said Il want
no pay for what do I'll see that tn,
rascal Is kept for you or brought to yo,
for the sake of helping a gentleman il
trouble. 1t will be all right. sir Trus
Belfry. If he ever sets his foot III thi.
house again, Won will know it, if you ar,
at home, within 30 minutes -
And be sure" cautioned Maxey
that he sees me before he reads thai
letter"
The sly landlord chuckled and deliv
cred himself of comprehensive wink.
I'm not an idiet. he murmured
whatever ! am, and I'm sonlewha
used to shy. Mr.. Maxey-shy for shor,
You understand
by the way, suggested Maxcy
turning almost ON the doorstep as :
thought occurred to him, .'of course yor
don't know who lives at 1G Livingston
! street,
"Oh, don't I, though? may mention
that Belfry looked that up at once
Shes widow, and she's very rich ant
very stingy. Her name is Fcrsythe. -
There was q ringing in the artist.
ears as he went out into the Lighted
street again. All the way back to Bal
lavoine place four little words of the 81,
landlord were sounding in his mind:
Her name is Forsythe
Was it possible that this was the lady
whom Lamar was 10 marry?