The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-04

there, except perhaps a girl whom ne had
seen at the window once or tEice and VINO
struck him as rather pretty On this occa-
son she was not visible. and Arthur mere
~ looked over there because hs had 10
look somewhere, and he was tired 81 the
walls OF his own cage.
70 saw a desk with open Id and filtered
with documents. The large man. with gray
sede whsakers, vino usually sat AZ the disk.
was not 70 be seen. Indeed. the roffSn
seemed empty. Presently. however. Arthur
saw q hand and an arm clothed III a gray
sleeve reach out over the desk and take a
paper thersfrom. No other portion Of the
Individual came into view.
The incident was without significance.
and Arthur would not have noticed Il IL
his mind had not been absolute bank
~ the time.
II may have been quarter Of an hour
later that Arthur's eyes agar wandered
across the way. The side~whiskersd gen
tIeman wac standing before the desk, ard
two others wsre just behind him, looking
over his shoulders. This trio appeared TO
have a good deal on their minds.
Mr. Sideboards-as Arthur lad christened
the big man-waz engaged ia a furious
search for something. and the others were
desperately anxious either that he should
find II or that he shouldn't II was hard
TO tell which at first.
The thing sought was not there. and by
and by the three men stood before the
window and looked at one another vita
despair written on their countens noes.
Then the two others turned upon Mr.. Side
boards with some sort OF exhortat.on
which resulted In MS going through his
pockets with painful thoroughness. The
result was failure and CONSERVATION.
Evidently these men hal suffered seri-
S1.m - a f-. ffx
the gray sleeve account for IT.
Il should be noted here tina; Arthur-usu-
ally called ArtIe BY his in;imates-had
womaniHt streak In his nature. Outwardiy
Il reveaied itself ia his pink and white skin.
a. delicate al the tinting OF a she'll in the
gentle glance Of his large hazel eye. In his
immaculate attire and In his soft. sweet
voice.
His face was deiicately handsome, but
the perfection Of the features was slightly
mArred by the fact that his nose had been
broken while he WAS playing left tackle on
his college football team. This little irreg-
uiarity lent strength 10 his profile. ana
might have served an a warning to any one
who WAS tempted 10 trifie with Artie. A
really prudent person might also have OBJ
served that the upper part Of his coat
sleeves was cut unusually wide. SO that he
could bend his arms without bursting any
thing.
Matching the sheli-like skin, however.
was somewhat obtrusive sympathy.
Whenever Artle saw a person In trouble
the womanish par, of his nature yearned
first To find out what was the matter. and
second to render all the assistance In his
power whereas il would have been more
manly TO mind his own business ard let
the suffering stranger so right on suf
fering
Psrcsiving those people on the other side
OF the way to be IN trouble Arfa con-
ceived II To be his duty 10 so over there
and get into 1t with them. He had COS
sipy desire 10 tell what he knew about the
hand ana the gray sleeve So Artla ran
right across the street. just as II he had
no troubles Of his own.
II was easy 10 find the office where the
pretty girl worked and the important tiocu-
mert had been lost. Artle had carefully
noted It's position. When he reached the
door. he saw that Morris & Gay, attorneys
and counselors at law. were the lessees.
Entering. he encountered the pretty girl
She was neatly dressed In a gray suit OF a
rather masculine style with standing COL
lar and cuffs of linen. just like mans
OF her Artie learned that Mr.. Sidehoaris
was really Mr.. Morris. and later that that
gentleman would see the visitor.
Great was the surprise Of Mr.. Morris and
his companlons~ene Of whom was Mr. Gay
and the ether client named Iidgeneld--
when Artie told his story.
This Is IN the highest degree important. :"
sad Merits. An importan. document. al
most indispensable In this Ridgeneld suit
hAH been stolen from my desk /. IL most
extraordinary he continued. that !
should have left the desk open when 1
stepped out. I am most particular ON such
matters"
the act OF smiling secretly behind his part
ner's back. With this as hint Artfa
glanced again al Mr. Morris desk ard
made uc his mind that that gentleman was
not Of tho particular Kind II WAS the
desk Of most disorfeFiy person. piled
deep with forgotten correspondence every
pigeonhole dripping neglected memoranda
upon the general heap hslos.
Are you surc that the document sxn't
there asked Arsta lu his gentlsyt tone.
''rertatn' Certaln''' rvpi e. Morris as II
Don't touch Il again. Gay, Yoa'n dssar-
range shingst"
As Morris bent owe as Il 90 protect his
desk Cav came around behind Art3e ana
SAID IN hls ear;
1T really isn't there. I've been through
everything
who Was n the coiear'' asked Art!e
''Nesofy h0g Mas carpenter. AID sse
WAS a, her desk ia TIE ether rom re
rie1 Morris she saw $50 one ceme n.
That's fAe clever part e r.. Soase one mast
have seitea the oppartao = iuSt when 4
was ripe ha6nt lseea 0Nt e here How
loag wAs t. Cay
How Ia ! sno.y 80 demanded Cay. y
went away before yoo S.3"
True true SaiA NavTt-. "Tf forget
ter. fowevrr ! eoulta'i have nrs-n eoae