Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1906-06-21
CHAPTER X.

BILE haste. His gait was neither that
the busy city merchant nor the ca.
lounge of the sailor out of work. Pre-
emily he seemed to recognize some fami
lar landmark. He turned suddenly up
narrow passage and. pushing open
swing-glass door, climbed flight of Leaf
covered steps. On the second floor h
stopped before a door bearing on a sma
brass plate the name, M. NJ. Easton.
Without knocking he opened the doc
and on his entrance an elderly man ros
from his seat at a low table, and. afte
quick glance, lowered his colorless eye.
bowling gravely. Tyars returned the sa
utation with a short nod.
The elderly man then turned to 60 int
room beyond the small. bare Office
When he turned his back, this city cler
was no longer elderly. His back wa
that of young man. Addressing him
self to some unseen person in the nne
room. he uttered two words only-th
name OF the visitor waiting in the QUITE
ofhce-without prefix or comment.
Come in, Tyars ~ called out a cheer
ful tenor voice, Immediately and thu
clerk. turning into an old man again
stepped aside to let the visitor pas
through the doorway.
The man who rose to greet Tyars. hold
Ing out a thin hand across the table a
which he had been seated. was singularly
slight. His narrow shoulders sloped al
larger angle from the lines of his sin
ewy neck than is usually to be found in
men of the Anglo-Saxon race. The hand
neld out was unsteady. very white and
long. The face was narrow and extreme
Iy small; at school Matthew Mark Eas-
ton had been nicknamed Monkey" Eas-
ton. Despite his youthful appearance it
was some years since he had left school.
and indeed men of his year at Harvard
were mostly married and elderly. while
Easton still retained his youth. In addi-
tlon to this enviable possession there was
still noticeable in his appearance that
slight resemblance to a monkey by which
he had acquired a nickname singularly
appropriate. 1t was not only in the small.
intelligent face, the keen, anxious ewes
and thin lips, that this resemblance made
Itself discernible. but in quickness of
glance and movement, in that refined and
nervous tension of habit, which is only
found in monkeys and all the lower ami
mails.
BY way of greeting this man whisted
two or three bars of See the Conouering
Hero Comes softly through his teeth.
and pointed to'a chair.
Smith, he said, raising his voice,
you may as we'll go to the bank now
with those checks"
There came no answer to this sugpes-
fion, but presently the door of the outer
Office closed quietly.
Il call him Smith," continued Easton
In thin and pleasant voice spiced by
distinct American accent, because his
name Is Pavloski. That unfortunately
iu1uriant crop of gray hair standing
straight up gives him foreign appear
ance, which the name of Pavloski would
seem to confirm. Besides, it takes such
a long time to say Pavloski"
While he was speaking Easton's face
had remained quite grave, and, conse-
quently. very sad. There was a short ST.
ience. Both had much to say, and they
appeared to be thinking and searching for
suitable beginning. Easton spoke first.
Il see," he said. that you are trim
and taut, and ready as usual. The ex-
ecutive keeps up to the mark"
YES" replied Tyars, my department
Is In working order. The ship is getting
on well, and l have found my first Off
cer."
The slight, delicate man looked at his
companions large limbs and half sup
pressed sigh. His wistful little face
contracted into a grave smile, and he
nodded his head.
Il dislike you," he said, In his peculiar
" humorous way, when you talk like
that. 1t seems to imply an evil sense
of exultation in your physical superior
lty, which, after all, is feeting. You
Ire only dust, you know. But-but 1t is.
rather poor fun staying at home and pull
Ing strings feebly."
1T has its advantages" said Tyars. in
IN unconsciously thoughtful tone, which
brought the restless eyes to his face at
snce. Besides" he added, more lightly.
you do not pull feebly. The tugs are
pretty strong, and the strings, you must
reach good distance"
"Ye-es" Mathew Mark Easton had a |
singular habit Of elongating the little
word into several syllables. as IL in order |
to gain time for thought. "Ye-es. I SUD-
pose 1t has. But" he said, rousine him.
'elf, Il have not been idle. That is to |
Iay, Smith-Pavloski Smith, you know.
He has been working terrifcally hard.
Poor fellow! His wife Is out there-at
Kara"
Yes, l know. You told me-" inter
rupted Tyars, and bis manner uncon-
implied that a fact once impart-
ID to him was never forgotten. "Has he
leard from-or of-her yetT
"No, not for two years. He believes
Ihe is alive still, and . report came from
Riga that she had been sent to Kara"
The Englishman listened without com-
nent. His strong. bearded face was not
pleasant to look upon just then, for the
massive jaw was thrust forward. and
here was a peculiar dull glow In his
placid eyes.
There was a child, you know" con-
inued the American, watching the ef-
ect Of his words, ito be born in prison
u a Siberian prison, where the attend
Ints are the rifraf of the Russian army
more brutes than men. That would
be a year ago"
He paused. his thin voice lowering to-
yard the end Of the sentence In a way
hat rendered his American accent singu-
arly impressive In its simple narrative.
81 wonder" be continued, what has
ecome Of that refined lady and that help
ess infant-now. 1t brings the thing
efore one. Tyars, In rather Q bright
lght, to think that that man Em-Pav-
oski, who comes here at half-past nine