Orange County observer., 1903-07-23

it, justifying himself with the remem-
brance of his face in the mirror there
that morning.
"Now it's all right. It's a very good
story repeated the copy reader reas-
suringly, jotting down the address.
Taylor did not wait at the office to
see how his announcement of the dis
covery of the lost novelist looked in
print, but while he was lingering over
his coffee in a French restaurant up
town newsboy offered him the paper.
They had given the interview promi-
nent place; it read very well. ne
thought.
AfterWard, while he was waiting
for car in front of the playhouse Il
newsboy offered him the paper. Taylor
took it hastily. He had caught sight
of his ubiquitous name again. It was
the night edition that had first printed
the story of his disappearance. It's
headlines were as assertive as those of
the afternoon. They stated with much
positiveness:
TAYLOR HAS NOT BEEN FOUND"
His landlady had waited up for him.
"Mr. Taylor" she cried, hurrying out
Of the back parlOr and catching him
on the stairs, ''I've been having the
funniest time this evening. There's
been at least a dozen newspaper re-
porters here asking for Livingston Tay-
lor, the novelist. None Of them seemed
to believe me at first when I told them
I had never seen, much less, boarded
him. I told them that you were the
only Mr.. Taylor I had. They've got
you mixed up some way. Funny,
wasn't it?"
very" answered Taylor from a dry
throat. He had listened to. the narra-
tive with an expression of mingled
amusement and CONSERVATION. AS he
went to bed he wondered what they
would have to say to him at the Office
in the morning.
They had nothing to say. There was
an Ominous-looking envelope in his let
ter box. The typewriter note within,
signed by Duncan, was very brief.
Taylor glanced at it and sauntered out.
no longer member of the Globes staff.
He was chagrined, for newspaper work
!, was beginning to fascinate him, but
his paramount feeling was one of re.
lief. He now had nothing to conceal.
He decided to continue to gather in
New York material for his next story.
On his way uptown to see Wilcox he
: drew from his pocekt q copy of the
1 Rockton Globe of the day before. He
5 had been getting the paper regularly
2 from newspaper advertising agency
2 whose door he had passed every morn
: ing. Staring him in the face on the
e front page of the Globe was long
e article about his disappearance. He
i read it with amusement until he
0 eached the last paragraph, which was
a as follows:
Y ''Miss Elsie Matthews, who was en-
gagged to Mr.. Taylor, has been pros
j trated by the news Of his strange dis
y appearance. She is under the DOCTOR
o care at her home on Riverside ave
S nue."
G "But say, old man, complained Viii
o cox an hour later, ''it's not the square
e thing for you to rush off like this. I've
d hardly had a look at you since you've
e been here. I want to get up llttl'
e dinner in your honor"
d Cali right, Harry" exclaimed Taylor
d heartily but hurriedly, 'I'll come bacl
d in about week-1'll let you know tn
is day-and then I'll eat a dozen dinners
It but now I've got to say goodby.
a wouldn't miss that train for a fortune.
4. The next day Wilcox called on Dun
e can. ''I'm sorry for his sake that yo
n had to fire young Taylor" he remarked
Is "However. Livingston Taylor has no
n disappeared any more than I have
He'll be in town in a day or two. II
t. going to give him a dinner, and l wan
re- you to be POSTMASTER, Duncan. Yo
le are the best man for that sort OF thin
lie I know" Duncan bowed and smile
IN modestly in acknowledgment of th
is compliment. He accepted the invita-
I'd ton.
ut
X Through partly drawn curtains in
at wide doorway could be seen a Ion
e. table that glistened with china an
We silver and was gay with flowers. Th
sc guests had almost all arrived. Wilco
al had by the arm a very well-groome
ad and alert-looking young man, and we
ng leading him toward another who we
- younger and slenderer, but equally I'll
ed usual in appearance.
lie Mr. Taylor I want to present NJ
an Duncan, who is TO be our toastmaste
and tell us all what fine writer yo
.ly are,' said Wilcox. grinning.
he The two stared hard at each other fl
re- an instant as they gripped hand
on ':'We've met before remarked Dunca
,rs dryly.
lp- II believe we have,'' replied Taylo
us. smiling.
1a1 When at last Duncan rose to NAL
he his speech Of presentation he wore
ew very grave expression. After he hs
ed secured the attention Of the table
he paused as if sorely troubled how
>ut say what was in his mind. Suddenl