The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-11-16

He wasn't at his office; they told me
there that they didn't know whether he
was at his town house or at his place
in the country-"probably in the coul1-
try" said his downtown secretary. witt
elaborate carelessness. He wouldn't be
likely to stay away from the office OF
not to send for lie, If he were in town,
would he?"
1t takes an uncommon good liar to
lie to me when I'm On the alert. AS ]
was determined to see Langdon, I was
In so far on the alert. And felt the
clio was lying. That's reasonable
said I. Call me up, if o hea from
him.. I want to see him-important,
having left the impression that 1 would
make no further effort.
Incredible though it may seem, es-
pecfally to those who know how care
ful l am to guard v y point and to
see in every friend a possible foe, I
still did not suspect that smooth. that
profound. / do not use these epithets
with heat. I flatter myself I am a
connoisseur of fnesse and can look
even at my own affairs with judicial
impartiality. And Langdon was, and
is now, such a past master of finesse
that he conlpels the admiration even
of his victims. He's like one Of those
Il llC
takes a leg off, the victim forgets to
suffer in his amazement at the clean
ness of the wound, in his i~ncredulity
that the leg is no longer part of him.
"Langdon," said l to myself. lis a SLY
dog. No doubt he's busy about some
Yet l ought, in the circumstances, in
stantly to nave suspected that l was
the person he was lodging.
I went up to his house. You, no
doubt, have often seen and often adj
mired its beautiful facade, so simple
that it hides it's own magnificence from
all but experienced eyes, so perfect in
ness of the palace of which it is the
face. / have heard men say: ''I'd like
to have a house, moderate-sized
house-one about the size of Mowbray
perhaps a little
more elegant, not so plain"
That's typical of the man. You have
to look closely at him, to study him,
before you appreciate how he has COM
bined a thousand details of manner and
dress into an appearance which, While
it cannot but impress the ordinary
with it's distinction, suggests to
all but the very obseryant the most
p%lainness and simplicity. How
few realize that simplicity must be pro
complex, studied, not to be and
appear crude Inc coarse. In those
days that truth had just begun to
dawn on me.
Mr.. Langdon isn't at home" said
servant.
1 had been at his house once before;
[ knew he occupied the left side-the
whole of the second floor, so shut off
1T not only had a separate en-
trance, but also could not be reached
BY those in the right side of the house
without descending to the entrance hall
and ascending the left stairway.
Just take my card to his private
secretary, to Mr.. Rathburn,' said L.
MIR. Langdon has doubtless left a mes
for me-"
The butler hesitated, yielded, showed
into The reception room off the en-
hall. / waited a few seconds,
a~dventured the stairway to the
eft, up which he had disappeared. I
the small salon in which
Langdon had received me on my other
visit. From the direction of an open
/ heard his voice-he was saving:
i am not at home. There's no mes
And still I did not realize that it was
he was avoiding!
It's no use now, L%angdon." I called
,~heerfully. Beg pardon for seeming
% intrude. l misunderstanding didn't
wher the servant said 1 was to
wait. However, no harm done. So
.ong! I'm off," But / made no move
the door by which 1 had en-
erred; instead, I advanced a few feet
the door from which his voice
lad come.
After a brief-a very brief-pause.
here came in Longdon's voice-laugh-
not a trace of annoyance: 81 might
nav known! Come in, NATL"