Evening star., 1903-08-15
BE HAD THE MARK

/ ltOi f1ul man just Dack IrOm na9 YacauOu,
land can't say that I enjoyed 1t. It
wouldn't have been so bad If the people
who put me through the third degree hadn't
| been in possession of my own fat. but as it
happened It was the occasion of q mean
| quarter of an hour for me.
when my wife and 1 decided, on the
1st of June, to take two months vaca-
ton permitted her, as husbands who un-
derstand their jobs usually do in such cir
cumstances, to do the hunting around for
an eligible couple to occupy our Capitol
Hill fiat, rent free, during our Absence in
order to look after things. She did the in
Quiring around for the right couple, and
found them. l didn't even see them before
our fiat was turned over to them for their
two months occupancy OF 1t, for the young
couple moved their traps in after l had
started down town to buy the railroad
tickets. The man of the couple had just ar
rived in Washington to take government
Job and the young pair were glad or the
chance to find comfortable shelter. with
out having to pay anything for 1t. until
they had an opportunity to get settled on
their own account.
my wife and l went to a seaside resort
down on Long Island I'm crank on the
subject of old books. and l spend about
half my time in Washington or anywhere
else l happen to be, prowling around sec.
ond-hand book stores, looking for good
things. I've picked up some pretty choice
and valuable things for little or nothing
In this way, and as I'm not sufflclently
well-to-do to be able to hang on to rare
books myself 1 unload my bargains when
ever the chance to do so at a fine profit
comes my way.
About three weeks after leaving Wash
ington l was poking around In second
hand book plant in New York. with the
proprietor of which l have been well ac-
quainted for years. and happened to men
ton to him an old Latin volume that had
picked up in Washington secondhand
book store a few months previously and
bought in for little or nothing.
1.-The secondhand book dealers eyes
stuck out with establishment when I men,
toned the name of the old Latin book.
why, he said to me, you've got a
winner. I know a man-rich book crank
who's been trying to get hold of that book
of yours for this long time-l've had a
standing order to look out for 1t for him FOR
at least three years. l wish you had 1t
with you instead of in Washington. for my
man is going to Europe day after tomorrow
on his annual trip. If you could get 1t here
before he sails I'll bet could get whop-
ping figure out of him for It,.
THE book dealer named probable figure
that I might get for the book from the rich
collector that, as the yaller-kiver novels
put it, aroused all of my latent cupidity,'
and l determined to at least have try at
putting the dicker through.
4" See here said to the book man. I'll
have that dinky old volume here at your
placetomorrow morning-1'H chase down to
Washington for it myself right away"
well, if you get it here tomorrow
morning. I'll guarantee to sell 1t for you
inside of two hours replied the dealer, and
that was enough for me.
Il telephoned to my wife down on Long
Island that l wouldn't be back until the
following day. and nailed a train that left
Jersey City for Washington a little after
clock. 1t was about half-past ten when
the train reached Washington. and hoped
into a cab and told the driver to hustle me
up to my Capitol Hill fiat. No such idea
that might find trouble in identifying my
self to the people occupying the fiat had en-
tered nv head.
Il noticed, in going up in the elevator of
the fiat house. that there was a new night
elevator man on. but l only noticed that in
a casual sort of way. There didn't appear
to be much doing in my nat, for couldn
see any light over the transom but touch
ed the button. any way. After quite a de-
lay I heard a moving about inside, the hall
gas was lit. and then a tall. muscular-look-
ing young man In pa1amas-a young man
with a somewhat suspicious look in his eyes
opened the door,
"'Good evening" said to him. Sorry to
disturb you by running in at this hour of
the night, but I'm Blank-leSSee of this hat,
you know-and I've hustled all the way
| down from New York for the purpose. ETC.,
and shot ahead and explained my errand
to him. telling him that the book wanted
was in an old trunk in the fats store room,
that it wouldn't take me minute to get 1t,
and that 1 would then leave him to his
slumbers with the hope that he'd soon get
to sleep again. and all that.
THE young man regarded me, as l say,
and continued to regard me. out of pair
of decidedly questioning. not to say decid-
edly doubtful eyes. He had. in fact, only
permitted me to edge inside of the door into
| the hall. and was interposing his distinctly
powerful frame in front of me to bar any
| further progress which 1 might be contem-
plating.
=" That's all very well, my friend the
strengthening with the square jaw
said to me when had finished. but how do
1 know that you're Mr.. Blank? l never
saw you before. and I'm responsible for the
contents of this fat Have you got any
| thing on you to identify yourself"
"'That's praiseworthy caution on your
part. my dear sir said to him. and reach
| ed into my breast pocket for my card case.
| 1t wasn't there. / had changed my cloth
| ing in the morning and forgotten to shift
| the contents of my other pockets. There
wasn't even an envelope with my name on
| 1t in any of my pockets I began to feel.
as 1 no doubt looked. hang-dog, and that
| didn't. could see elevate the young man s
estimation of me.
why, say. l said. the elevator man
can tell you that I'm and then l sud-
denly broke off, remembering that the night
elevator man was new man, employed
since my departure on my vacation.
didn't care to arouse any of the other ten
ants at that hour of the night to identify
| Hlc, anu, ali tOlu, IelC III d OlCkenS OF a
fix. 1 remembered, too, that my wife had
packed away all of the family photographs
before we left, sc that these caretakers of
my fiat had no chance to recognize me
from my pictures. Then I had a happy
thought. We had left the fox terrier pup
behind to be taken care of along with the
fat.
by Jove,' 1 exclaimed to the young
man. where's the dog? He at least will
recognize me-
1.-THE young man took a couple of steps
to the kitchen door, and the fox terrier
that l had pampered and fused over since
his birth-the Internal mutt!-scampered
out and began to bark and snap at my legs
as If he had never before seen me. nor
could l bamboozle him into making out as
If he knew me. Fact is, I had to keep
lashing out with my feet to keep him from
taking a bite or two out Of my legs. By
this time the young man looked just about
ready to make a grab for me. to hang onto
me until he could telephone for the police.
"At this measley juncture the young
mans wife, in hastily donned skirt and
house jacket, made her appearance. She
had heard everything that had gone on in
the hall, and she nodded pleasantly but in
a business-like way, to me.
Listen she said in Portia-like man.
ner. addressing me. "A lady who knows
you and Mrs. Blank by sight visited me
couple of afternoons ago. She had re-
GENTLY returned from New York Che to1d