The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-10

I {,
fees to companies or professional men.
Inc names OF the occupants were paint
ed at the bottom on the wall, but there
was no such name as the Franco Mid,
land Hardware Company, Limited. [
stood for few minutes with my heart
IN my boots, wondering whether the
whole thing was an elaborate hoax or
not, when up came man and addressed
me. He was very like the chap | had
seen the night before, the same figure
and voice, but he was clean shaver and
his hair was lighter.
Are you Mr.. Hall Pycroft9" he
asked.
j "Yes,' said I.
/ on! | was expecting you, but you
are trlt1e before your time. l had a
note from my brother this morning in
which he sang your praises very
II was just looking for the offices
when you came.' ,.t@
I'VE have not got our name up yet,
for we only secured these temporary
premises last week. Come up with me,
and we will talk the matter over"
! l followed him to the top Of very
lofty stair, and there, right under the
states, were couple Of empty, dusty,
little rooms, Uncarpeted and incur.
tanned, into which he led me. l had
thought of great office with shining
tables and rows of clerks, such as ]
! was used to, and dare say l stared
rather straight at the two deal chairs
and one little table, which with a led
ger and waste-paper basket, made up
the whole furniture.
4 "Don't be disheartened, Mr. Ply
/ croft, said my new acquaintance, SEQ,
ing the length of my face. "Rome was
| not h111I n
money at our backs. tho we don't cut
much dash yet in offices. Pray sit down
and let me have your letter. - '..;'
L gave it to him, and he read it over
very carefully.
You seem to have made vast i'm.
} preston upon my brother Arthur,
said he; Hand I know that he is pref
| don, you know; and by Birmingham;
but this time [ shall follow his advice
Pray consider yourself definitely en-
What are my duties9' I asked.
You will eventually manage the
;. great depot in Paris, which will pour a
feed Of If English 5 erocke1y into into 4 the
agents in France. The purchase will be
completed in a week, and meanwhile
/ you will remain in Birmingham and
, make yourself useful. "
} "How?'
For answer, he took big red book
out of drawer
HThis is directory Of Paris,' saif
he, g with the trades after the names OF
the people. want you to take it home
!. with you. and to mark off all the hard
ware sellers, with their addresses. Il
would be of the greatest use to me tt
, have them. - 80
"Surely there are classified lists9'
;. suggested. u 49,. :.
"Not reliable ones. Their system il
E different from ours Stick at it, and le
{ me have the lists by Monday, at II
=, tinue to show zeal and intelligence yo1
: will find the company a good MASTER
I went back to the hotel with the big
y book under my arm, and with very con
', ficting feelings in my breast On tn
i one hand, | was definitely engaged an'
a had hundred pounds in my pocket; Of
= the other. the lock- Of the offices, tn
. absence Of name On the1wall, and othe
), Of the points which would strike a bust
ness man, had left bad impression q
> to the position Of my employers, How
= ever, come what might, had my none.
SO [ settled down TO my task. All Sun
, day [ was kept hard at work, and -ye
/. by Monday I had only got as far as H
[ went round to my employer. foun
> him in the same .dismantled kind o
:; room, and was told to keep at it unit
Wednesday it was still unfinished, so
0 hammered away until Friday-that is
: yesterday. Then I brought it round t.
< Mr.. Harry Primer.
: t'Thank you, very much,'' said he
! fear that underrated the difficult.
9 Of the task. This list will be Of yer.
y material assistance to me. -
q 1T took some time said 7.
4" And now,' said he, II want you t
r, make a list of the furniture shops, fo
Ii they all sell crockery' ..-.@
Every good.' =.
= HAnd you can come up tomorrow
o evening, at Z, and let me know how yo
are getting on. Don It overwork your
n self. A couple Of hours at Days MI
g sic hall in the evening would do you n
J harm after your labors.'' He laughe
as he spoke. and saw with thrill thu,
his second tooth upon the left-hand sid
n had been very badly stuffed with golf
y Sherlock Holmes rubbed his hand
I with delight, and I stared with aston
ishment at our client.
g, . You may well look surprised, D
:. y Watson at; but it is this way said he
a chap in London, at the time that h
r. laughed at my not going to Mawson
r happened to notice that his tooth wa
! stuffed in this very identical fashion
t. The CLINT of the gold gin each cas-
% caught. my, eye, you see; When | P,u
that with the voice and figure being til
e. same, and only those things altere
+. which might be changed by razor or
W wig, / could not doubt that it was tn
Y same man. Of course you expect tw
le brothers to be alike, but not that the
ct should have the same tooth stuffed
n the same way. He bowed me out, and
'r found myself in the street, hardl
10 knowing whether I was on my head {
10 my heels. Back I went to my hote
N put my head in a basin Of cold waite
and tried to think it out. Why had
e sent me from London to Birmingham
ID Why had he got there before me7 An
s. why had he written letter from hin
ii self to himself? 1t was altogether to
m much for me. and I could make no sens
FL of it. And then suddenly it struck m