Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-11-21
G. Ghe O MASQUERADl.I By Katherine Cecil Thurston,
 Author oi The Circle. Etc.
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 ChlIeolc leaned forward. resting e bows oil the table '''iaerr will tr# Nct= eral things tp coilSidcr,3 he began ueI. yously. locking across at the other
 quite so. l.odcr glanced back ap= .reriatiHely. T thought about those things the better part of last night. To tegin with. l must study youl. haud writing. guarantee to get il right. but t will take d month.
 "A month.
 Well, perhaps three weeks. We mustn't make a mess of things.
 Chilcote shifted his position.
 "Three weeks. he repeated. "Couldn't you:'--
 "No, l couldn't" Loder spoke au tloritatively. T might never want 10 put pen to paper; but. on the other Aand l might have to sign a check one Gay" He laughed. Have you ever thought of that that 1 might have to, or want to, sign q check:
 No. 1 confess chat escaped me.
 You risk your fortune that you may keep the place it bought for you:2 Lodcr laughed again "lloW do you Enow that l am not q hlackGua1d:' he added ..lloW do you know that won't clear out one day and leave you Aigh and dry: What is 10 prevent John Chilcote from realizing tlo,o00 or t5o, GOO and then making himself scarcc:'
 You won't do that Ghilcote said with unusual decision. Il told you your weakness last night. and it wasn't money Money isn't the rock you'll split over
 ''Thcn you think I'll split upon some rock: But that's beyond the question 70 get to business again You'll risk my studying your signature"
 thilcotc nodded.
 .'Kight. Now item two. Iotlcr counted oil his fingers. Il must know tlle names and faces =ei yoal men friends aS far :,> c.n. Your Woln;un friends don't count While In you you will be sAanant. lie laughed again pleasantly l:'u 1hc i4eA ;tr.@ essential the backbone al the whole business
 Il have no uen friends don't trust the idea of fi.ieadsllil1
 "AcqIdintanceS. then.
 Chilcote looked up sharply T think we score there, he said. Il have reputation for absentmindedne>s that ~ill carry you anywhere. They tell inc ! can look through the most SHhstau tial man in the house ;ts if Il" Were EOS saner though Hay have hInrhe9 with Aim the same day.
 I.odcr smiled. By love" he cN- claimed Pate must have been con structing this before either of Us was 3orn. It doVetails ridieulously. But 1 must know your colleagues, even if it's only 1o cut them. You'll have to take -Ae 10 the house.
 "Impossible,"'
 Not at all" Again the tome of "l thority fell to Lod"r. T can pull my hat over my eyes and turn Up my coat collar Nobody will notice me. Ne can choose the fall of the after uoon. promise you twill be all right" "
 Suppose the likeness should leak out: It's q risk
 Loder laughed confidently .'Tush. man. Risk is the salt of life. 1 must see you at your post. and l must see the men you work with" He rose, walked across the room and took his pipe from the rack. "Whcn l go in for a tking l like to go in over head tobacco jar
 His pipe filled, he resumed his seat, resting his elbows on the table in un- conscious imitation of Chilcote.
 "Got a match:s he said laconieally, holdlng out his hand.
 In response Chlcote drew his match box from his pocket and struck q light. AS their hands touched an eXelama- ton escaped him.
 "By love- he said. with a fretful mixture of disappointment and sur prise. "I hadn't noticed that His eyes were fixed in annoyed interest on I.oder's extended hand.
 Lodcr. following his glance, smiled. "Odd that we should both have over looked it. 1t clean escaped My mind. It's rather an ugly scar He lifted
  on 1t. Above the second joint of the third finger ran q jagged furrow, the reminder of wound that had once laid bare the bone.
 Chilcote leaned forward. How did you come by it:' he asked.
 The other shrugged his shoulders ooh. that's ancient history
 The results are present day enough. It's very awkward, very annoying.
 Loder, still looking at his hand didn't Eeem to hear "'rheres only one thing to be done," he said Each Wear two rings on the third finger of the left hand Two rings ought to cover it. He made d speculative measurement with tue stem of his pipe.
 Chilcote looked irritable and disturb ed Il detpSt rings never wear