Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-03-15

By his side stood Hood.
NO" he, said; "but, with Mr.. Create
rexs permission, the other gentleman
shall entertain u.s.
Il fancy" he continued, smiling,
that Hood is not stranger to the
castle ways, and he makes good wait
err"
The idea tickled me. Let us have
Hood by all means,' said. Il had
an excellent character for him from
Mr.. Kest.even."
II will bring Hood" said the captain
gravely and, taking up his hat, made
to 60.
The dinner was set for Z o'clock, and
/ fancy that all three looked forward
to it with considerable expectation
Sercombe arrived punctual to the hour,
and little later entered the morning
room to meet him. He sat in a chair,
lounging very cozily, light overcoat
covering his evening dress, and by his
side s.eod Hood, also In the orthodox
costume and looking, Us could not
help noticing, uncommonly spruce and
servant-like.
II am here, Mr.. Greatorex, to the
moment" said Sercombe in his leisure
ly voice, land go bail that have
brought you an invaluable ally. With
your permission, Hood will now retire
to the kitchen"
The innkeeper insensibly straight
ened himself, standing to attention like
a craven image, and signed my as
sent.
This is entirely your affair, Captain
Sercombe," said l, land you may do
what you like with your own proper
IT," turned to Hood. you will find
Mrs. Main in the servants hail." said
With his gliding, serpentine tread,
Hood made motion of respect and
vanished. Sercombe stared after him,
meditating, and gnawed his mustache
with a frown, which seemed to me to
indicate O. certain touch of perplexity.
But he frightened at once and talked
very freely and In his old manner till
dinner was served. The interior sig
niflcance Of our dinner party would not
have been visible to stranger. For
the main part, that preliminary Skin
mish was occupied by conversation the
most distant from the subject we oil
had at heart 1t was sercombe himself
who set the example Of reserve, and
we followed meekly enough. When I
say reserve am thinking only Of one
particular point, for heaven knows that
his talk was sufficiently frank upon
other topics. AS I had occasion to take
note now and subsequently, the man
was by nature framed for good talk
er, and, although he had every preju-
dice against him, and started, so to
speak, with a great handicap, he soon
wore down the feelings with which we
embarked upon the entertainment.
And it was not until we had preached
a sort of good fellowship and the even
ing was far spent that anything hap
pened to mar our growing harmony.
1t fell cut thus: sercombe himself
had just concluded an amusing nara
tive Of his experiences among the brig
ands of Calabria, and Sheppard re-
sumed the conversation with an adj
venture Of his own. The evening
had fallen dark and cloudy, and amid
the starlike candles that illumineG the
room the dark figure of Hood moved
noiselessly and constantly I had
heard this story of Sheppard's, which,
indeed, was not very exciting, and my
mind, swaying from its polite duty,
rested unconsciously upon the new Inn
keeper. AS watched him saw the
two men exchange glances-an inter
rosating look upon sercombe's part,
battling and inscrutable look from
Hood. There followed an instant's
pause, and then the man approached
the master with the pretext Of dish.
Sercombe spoke low and across his
shoulder, nervously exploring the con-
tents of the dish with spoon. Hood
said nothing and, raising his eyes, soft
~ fixed them upon me at the other end
of the table. For moment we regard
ed each other LUMINOSITY, and then his
glance fell politely away. Sercombe
Still whispered and, l thought, with a
growing anxiety. 1t was time for me
to interfere.
Captain Sercombe," l cried sharply,
breaking upon the tail Of Sheppard's
yarn, these communications are not
included i'll the compact"
The captain started, and his face red
dened deeper, but he was always a
cool hand.
81 must ask you to remainder, Mr..
Greatorex," said he suavely. that
am your suest."
THAT is true" said Sheppard, nod
ding his head
sercombs locked at me with some
aaps1fts-