The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1906-11-15
y BObb- Merrill Coz
H ODE Deluge
~ BY DAVID GRAHAM PHILLIPS ~
BY DAVID GRAHAM PHILLIPS

He wasnt mt his office: they told IN,
there that they didn't know whether he
was at his town house "v Mt his place
I'm the country-"probabiy In the coun-
try" said his downtown secretary. with
elaborate carelcssncss. He wouldn't be
likely to stay away from the Office OF
not 60 send for me. II he were In town
would he7''
II takes an uncommon good liar to
lie TO me when I'm on the alert rs
was determined TO see Langdon. i was
In 80 far on the alert. And felt the
fellow was lying. That's reasonable
said L "Cail me up. u you hear from
but not immediate" And I went away
having left the impression that would
make no further effort.
Incredible though II may seem. cs-
pcciaily to those who know how care
fui I am TO guard every point and "a
see In every friend n possible foe.
still did not suspect that smooth. that
profound. ! do not use these epithets
with heat. I fiatter myself I am a
connolsscur OF finesse and can look
even Mt my own affairs with judicial
impartiallty. And Langdon was. and
IL now, such n past master or finesse
that he compels the admiration even
OF his victims. He's like one OF those
fnbied Damascus blades. When he
suffer In his Amusement ut the clean
ness OF the wound. In his incredulity
that the leg is no longer part or him.
'Langdon." said ! to myself. is sly
dog. No doubt he's busy about some
woman. and has covered his Cracks.
Yet I ought. In the circumstances. In
stabtly To have suspected that ! was
tho person he was lodging.
I went up TO his house. You. no
doubt. have often seen and often nd
mircd Its beautiful facade, so simple
that u hides It's own magnificcnce from
all but experienced eyes. so perfect In
It's proportions that IL hides the vast
ness OF the palace Of which II IN the
face. I have heard men say: I'D like
To- have q house-a moderate sized
horEe--one about the size OF Mowbray
Langdon's-though perhaps little
more elegant. not so plain"
That's typical of the man. You have
TO look closely ut him. To study him.
before you appreciate how he has COM
bincd n thousand details OF manner and
dress into an appearance which. while
IL cannot but Impress the ordinary
mar. with it's distinction. suggests 10
all but the very obscrvant the most
modest plainness and simplicity. How
few realize that simplicity must be pro-
found. complex. studied. not To- be and
TO appear crude and coarse. In those
days that truth had just begun 10
dawn on me.
MIR. Lnngdon isn't at home" said
the servant
had been ut his house once before:
I knew he occupied the left side-thc
whole OF the second floor. so shut of
that II not only had n separate en-
trance. but also could not be reached
by those I'm the right side OF the house
without descending TO the entrance hall
AMI ascending the left stairway.
Just take my card to his private
secretary. To Mr.. Rathburn." said l.
Mr.. Langdon has doubtless left n mes
sage for me-"
Tho butler hesitated. yielded. showed
me into tho reception room or the en-
trance hall. ! waited a few seconds,
then advcnturea the stairway TO the
left. up which he had disappeared.
entered tho small salon In which
Langdon had received me on my other
visit From tho direction OF an open
door heard his voico--he was saying:
Il am not ut home. There's no mes
sage"
And still did not realize that II was
he was avoiding!
ITS no use now. Langdon." i called
chesrfully. beg pardon for seeming
10 intrude. Observation-Disclosures didn't
hear where the servant said ! was 10
walt. However, no harm done. So
long! I'm on" But ! made no move
toward the door by which I had en-
tered: instead. advanced "A few feet
nearer the door from which his voice
had come.
After n briet-a very brIef-pausc,
there came In Longdon's voice-laugh-
ing. not trace OF annoyance: Il might
have known! Come In, Matt!"