Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-05-25
CHAPTER xT.

IbdlISb Dy UUG AdBIG UI ETSu0I1CA Merivale. Just why it did so, perhaps, Nilus would have been puzzled to ex- plain if an explanation had been asked; for nobody seemed to know the object of his visit or in what way all this wif1irrs and dining could assist the prospects of the city. But Nilus was Naturally hospitable and when Mir. Merivale's presence was made known it was strmised In a general way that he was seeking an outlet for eastern capital. Perhaps he might be induced to take up an important railroad project that had been aban doned for lack of funds, and which would open up a splendid new terri tory to the trade of Nilus. Or perhaps he was looking for a place to estab- fish manufactures of some kind, and Nilus had q well-deffned idea that without manufactures she could never hope to be great city. But whatever Mir. Merivale's projects were he kept them largely to himself. Some of the wealthy cotton men may have been in his confidence: the assid- uity of their attentions to him ia vored this idea; but nothing definite got into the papers except the fact that Mr. MerivaIe had been enter tained by, the clubs and banqueted by some of the business men.
 Merivale was the sensation of the day, and the appetizing odor of nys- tery that clung about him added to the interest which his visit had ex- cited.
 Yet there was absolutely nothing interesting in the mans personality except the fact that he permitted no one to understand him. That which Is unintelligible seldom fails to awalx- en an interest, and it was so with Frederick Merivale. Tn appearance he was anything but remarkable He was cold and dull-loohng, with l fshy eye, neatly trimmed beard, a 1 flushed face, and sparse hair on the top of his head. His yellowish brown beard was parted with great pre- cision.s His manners were nice but not affable. He seldom laughed, and when he did the intention was not mirthful.
 l People knew that this man had I } stA0OG d 1CAU 0UuA VI AAAOACJp GuU5 OAACy could not guess how. His manner gave no indication whatever of his methods, and there was no way to 1 determine the process of his thoughts l from his conversation, which was dry 1 as parchment. Merivale had very lit l tie to say, and what he did say was not worth remembering either for its brilliancy, it's depth or it's perspicuity. But whatever may have been his de- 1 ficiencies in the conversational line, 1 there could be no doubt that he was gourmet of marked ability, and l that he gave his tailor carte blanche. l Every detail of his toilet was care 1 fully considered, and he would have been pronounced well-dressed man in the most fashionable city of Christendom.
 Nilus knew there was something I in Merivale, even though she could I not define it, because he had been known to squeeze Wall street pretty hard several times to his own profit and glory; and it is hardly necessary to say that the man who is suc- cess, but does not disclose his secret, possesses charm for the curious that no merely fortunate man could have.
 Naturally, Irving Warde, as wide awake newspaper man, was interested in finding out the object of Merivale's IS visit, and soon after his arrival SC. cured an introduction. As member
 of some of the leading clubs of the
 city, he contrived to see great deal I of Merivale, and though he made
 several adroit attempts to learn from I him the business which brought him
 to the city, he found himself baff1ec at every point by that apparently I dense and unsuspecting person. Ther
 he turned his attention to the ricf
 cotton men who were most frequently
 in Meiivale's society, but they were
 evidently as much in the dark a:
 Irving, although they assumed an ail
 of mystery and pretended to be in tn,
 secret. Irving was not deceived b.
 the show of mystery, however, anc
 he dropped his investigations in thi
 line.
 There was one person in the cit,
 upon whom Merivale called frequent
 ly, and this was Col. James Franklin
 As has already been intimated in thi
 story, Col. Franklin was man wh'
 dabbled in a great many enterprises
 but he had considerable reputation a
 chancery lawyer. He was a mal
 whom it was worth while to consul
 about real estate investments, ques
 Ilons involving titles and intricate is
 sues connected with the settlement O.
 estates and the rights of ownership
 Frequent consultations with Franklin
 could only be explained on the grount
 that business of considerable import
 ance was contemplated, business re
 quiring the services of an astute law
 yer. Warde knew that it would b.
 useless to try to elicit any informa
 tion from Franklin, but Hillsna1 might be induced to become garrul
 ous and tell what he knew. Tn,
 colonels clerk was a person to kee]
 his ears open, and who had an inordi nate fondness for gossip. Dissipate'
 and interruptions, he had certail
 natural cunning which had develope, in him the peculiar mania of collect in0 all fha diSereditabIA fhincs h,