The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-02-04

poker and knocked the Goals into a
blaze. This done, he turned round on
me with the poker still in his hand
The serenest gravity sat on his large
pale features.
why have I done this?" he asked
I suppose to get possession Of the
poker"
Quite right. May I inquire into your
next mover
Why said I. feeling in my tail
pocket, 81 carry a pistol"
Which I suppose to be damp?"
BY no means. I carry it, as you
see, in an oilcloth case"
He stopped and laid the poker
carefully in the fender.
That is a stronger card than I pos
SeSS. l might urge that by pulling the
trigger you would certainly alarm the
house and the neighborhood, and put a
halter round your neck. / say, 1 might
urge this, and assume you to- be an
intelligent auditor But it strikes me
as safer to assume you capable of
using a pistol with effect at three
PAGES. With what might happen sub
sequently l will not pretend to be con-
cerned. It is sufficient that I dislike
the notion Of being perforated. The
fate of your neck He waved a
hand. We'll, I have known you for
just FIVE minutes, and feel but moder-
ate interest in your neck. AS for the
inmates Of this house, it will refresh
you to hear that there are none. /
have lived here two years with a but
Ter and a female cook, both of whom
dismissed yesterday at a moments
notice for conduct which I Will not
shock your ears by explicitly naming
Suffice it to say, I carried them OF
yesterday TO my parish cnurcn, two
miles away, married them, and dis
missed them in the vestry without
characters. I wish you had known the
butler-but excuse me: with the 1nror-
nation I have supplied, you ought to
find no difficulty in fixing the price
You will take to clear out Of my house
iEstanter.'
"Sir," I answered. ct have held a pis-
toll at one or two heads in my time; but
never at one stuffed with a nobler dis
erection. Your chivalry does not, in
deed, disarm me, but prompts me to
desire more of your acquaintance. I
have found a gentleman and must sup
with him before I make terms"
The address seemed to please him.
He shufied across the room to a side
board and produced plate of biscuits,
another of almonds and dried raisiHs,
a glass and two decanters.
Sherry and Madeira" he sid.
There is also a cold pie in the larder.
If you care for it"
"a biscuit will serve" . replied. ITO
tell the truth, I'm G1Dce for the bucket
than the nrc1ger, as the grooms say;
and by your leave, the brandy you
were testing just now is more to my
mind than wine"
There is no water handy"
There was plenty out of doors to
last me with this bottle"
I pulled over my chair and laid my
pistol on the table and held out the
glass for him to fill Having done so,
ne helped himself to a glass and a
chair and sat down facing me.
II was talking just now Of my late
butler" he began, with a sip at his
brandy. HAS 1T struck you that when
confronted with moral delinquency I
I'm likely to let my indignation get the
better Of me?''
Not at ALL 7 answered heartily, re-
illing my glass
1t appeared that another reply would
nave pleased him better.
HIN! / was hoping that perhaps /
lad visited his offense too strongly.
KS a clergyman, you see, was bound
o be severe; but, upon my word, sir,
iince he went I have felt like a man
Who has lost a limb"
He drummed with his fingers on the
10th for a few moments and went on:
'One has a natural disposition to for
i've bUtlers-Pharaok, for instance, |
cit it. There hovers around buffers
hat peruliar atmosphere which |
noticed as encircyng |
ings, an atmosphere in which COM |
non ethics lose their pertinence. But
1ine was a rare bird-a black swan |
frTfI
utter; he was a quick and brightly /
fitted man. OF the accuracy of his |
aste and the unusual scope of his en-
eavor you will be able TO form some /
piniOn when I assure you he modelled !
imself upon me-
/ bowed over my brandy.
II am a scholar; yet I employed him /
D read aloud to me and derived pleas
re from his information. I talk as a /
cholar; yet he learned to answer me
/ language as precise as my own. My
ast-Off garments fitted him not more
'reproachably than did my amenities
{ manner. Divest him of his tray.
nd you would find his mode of enter
lg a room hardly distinguishable from
~ own, the same urbanity, the same
leTtness of carriage, the same SUPER
ne Difference towards the weaker sex.
Il-all my idiOSyncrasies / saw re-
ected i'm this, my mirror; and can YOU
Oubt that I was gratified? He was
" alter ego-whlch, by the way.
akes it more extraordinary that If
lould have been necessary to marry
i'm to the cook"
Look here" 1 broke in. "You want /
butler"
ooh. you really grasp that fact, do /
PUP" he retOrted.
And you wish to get rid of me as
ION as may be"
Il hope there is no impoliteness in