The National tribune., 1899-09-14

TO nef Will De tuel0
directly"
The porter ambled away, and casting
look at my finger-nails, and giving a new
adjustment to my neckwear, followed him
TO the reception-room. He said with Of
fensive disregard Of etiquet, That's the
clerk" and passed on to the door.
MYSTERIOUS STRANGER.
wish could tell you about this woman
as she first Impressed me. Hotel clerks
see so many women that they cease to be
interesting. They meet fat and old women
whose husbands send them to wait till they
come, and who do not know when their
husbands will arrive; wives, who come to
ask if their husbands had left yet; maids,
who want to know if Mr.. Nevins still keeps
sample room B; sisters, who tell us that ma
has sent to find out if brother Charlie is
drinking in the bar; actresses. who exact
information about their trunks held against
the board bill Of last year; women from
nowhere going to no place, who want to
ask the clerk about trains on which they
never intend to travel, and the whole lot.
But this lady was none of these She
was young enough to wear the fashion
ably-cut gown she had on-a gray cleth
skirt and Eton Jacket with cerise front
showing under the Jacket, gray felt hat
with an eagles quill thrust through the
side Of it, with a scven-spot vail pulled over
the upper part of her face, leaving revealed
pretty part of her smiling contour The
face as to outline was lovely, but lacked
something. being pallid under its powder
and perhaps sharper artificial colors .
.t,,a,, -
teeth, arched eyebrows, straight mouth,
and oval frame from which looked out the
peculiarly large, violet eyes that some
women have, and are yet distinctly of the
brunei class. They were very shar d,
ready, inquisitive eyes,-honest, too,-
and 1 made up my mind that she could
have room whether she had baggage or
not. She didn't look exactly fast, but
she did look honest, and yet she did not
look to be a lady. j have changed nv
mind about that definitely. ] married her.
q am the clerk of the hotel" said, bow
ng gracefully.
sit down; want TO speak to you on
business" she replied, without more than
inclining her head. Now, can You keep
your mouth shut about another PERSONS
business, and take tip of 81 or So for
doing it,"
Twas shocked, but my savoir faire-that
is, the fine ability of hotel clerks never to
be surprised-did not desert me, and
said with cold dignity: Il always keep
my mouth shut. and never take tips of 81
or s.. nor tips from ladies at ALL"
THE SPECIAL LADY AGENT.
"An right; do not get excited. My
name is Jane Barnsworth, the Special
Lady Agent, you know: a detective doing
business at 1893 Locust street, in all cases
OF criminal investigation. but not in di-
vorce cases-straight business only. See2"
L did see. / had heard of the woman
before. Observe how | slip from the
word Lady to that of woman 1 hate de-
tectives. They are class OF people who
get hotel clerks and reporters to do their
business, and then tell the people how
shrewd they are. "Yes; see, Miss Barns
worth. But what do you want?"
Il want you 10 assign me the adjoining
room to person whose name I shall
Indicate Oh the hotel register after it is
placed there. do not want you to allow
any arriving guest to have his or her name
signed by another. If two or more persons
come In to register. and one writes in the
book. get the pen away from him or her
VINO writes first. and let the second write
has own II a gentleman comes with his