The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1896-08-06

rooms overlooking Luugate circus.
When the Press men found that Mr..
Howard was present they goaded him
into making a speech, and afterwards,
by "equest, | addressed a few solemn
words to the assemblage. On Mon
day l received a letter from my cor
respondent, written this time from the
Eccentric club, and he said he had
been present at the Press club en-
tertainment and Lad been much
pleased t. see tine man who had given
out such a quantity of in
formation to a credulous world. He
added that he would have made him
self known to me but as he learned
that Mr.. Howard was my guest he did
not intervene. | answered this letter,
Gliding him for his backwardness, and
said that now when he had seen me
it was only fair that l should have a
chance of seeing him To this he IN
swered. appointing a day when We
should lunch together at the Eccentric
club. At that time | had never en-
tered the precincts of this association,
but judging from it's NAME, | thought
it was well chosen for such a meeting.
On the night before the day of the
appointment, | was working late in
my room, which at time was at the
top of a building overlooking the
Strand. 1t must have been near mid
night when l was startled by a knock
at my door. 1t was odd that anyone
should call at that hour, although |
was aware that any acquaintance who
knew | occupied this room could have
seen from the Strand by the light in
the window that | was there; still, the
street door was usually closed at 6
o'clock and no one could enter unless
he had a latch-key, for there was no
caretaker in the house and it was Use
less to ring the bell. Aside from this,
a friend had warned me that it was
dangerous to remain alone in an I'M
tenanted house late at night. as some
II had been murdered in n similar
situation not long before. | thought
of this warning at tho moment when
| ShOuted-"COme H."
The man on the landing opened the
door but did not enter. The hall was
quite dark. and the light from the
room merely showed the lower mart
of the mans body; his face was in
shadow. He said; Excuse me for
calling at this late hour, but I saw
your light in the window and thought
perhaps you were working here. NV
name is -, and "ou were to lunch
with me tomorrow at the Eccentric
club
AS he said this | sprang to my feet.
Come in," | cried. Never mind
the lateness of the hour; | am very
glad indeed to see you"
Il annOt stay d moment he an
Swered. Il must be off at once. I
merely called to tell you it would be
impossible for me to meet you tO-mor-
row, as arranged. You will excuse
my p~oStponing the meeting, | am sure.
The cause of breaking the appoint
ment is quite unexpected, but impera-
tive, | shall let you know when | can
meet you"
That's all right" answered. u
shall be very pleased to lunch with
you at any time that is convenient. 1t
is too bad, you're having the trouble
of climbing all these stairs merely to
let me know the appointment is off.
You write so many letters that one
note, more or less. wouldn't have
made much difference and | should
have gotten it IN the morning."
81 happened to be passing, and saw
your light in the window, and it waS
such short notice that | thought it
was better not to trust to Il letter, ii
you happened to be here"
With that, he turned down the dark
stairway. | went out to the landing
and struck a match, but he said il
was not necessary and that he could
find his way down all right enough
and begged me not TO follow. which
was about to do, having descended
several steps. Hit one or two more
matches, holding them over the wei
of the staircase, and at the foot he
shouted 'Goodnight!' and that was
the last | saw of him.
After he had gone | began to won
der how he had gotten in, for i
seemed almost impossible that the
door should be open at that hour o
the night. The street door closed will
Il spring latch, and any tenant of thu
building on going out vas certain, i
it was not 6 O'Clock, to close the doc
after him, knowing that there was III
caretaker within. | wondered at til,
mans a~bruptness, and his seeming III
~friendliness after so many letters hat
passed between us.
Next morning | was shocked to rca,