Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1907-06-14
lBe MYSTERY
- % Of g 81
! lARENRMT
SDERH Drown COOKE ,n eopX nSs o9 1907 s7
90 CHAPTER v.
"A Question of GUESSING.

"A Question Of Guessing.
Some men are 80 stupid at times
that one wonders how they get on
IN life at all, and after a few mo-
ments Of ridiculously profound
thought, l, was quite ready to consign
myself to this class. Here was man,
obviously slave to a habit which
waa slowly but surely eating his very
life away, who virtually admitted his
shortcomings In the plainest Of Eng
lish, and, yet who rushed from my
presence in horror and disgust when
attempted to persuade him to leave In.
toxicants. alone! Here was his serv-
ant, an honest, trustworthy fellow,
who not only admitted his masters
3ailings but gave many details of his
unfortunate downfall, and yet who re-
garded me with suspicion and dread
when l ventured to ask him most
natural question! And here was fool
of a lawyer who could not see through
o milestone with hole in it!
/ reached for the telephone and call
ed up MacArdel.
Hello, Mac!" I said. Busy to-
night?"
Nothing special" he replied, lacon-
acally. What's up?"
Dine with me at the club at seven,
will your" asked. Il want you to
tell me something"
"All right" said MacArdel. Seven
sharp, and I'll order the dinner. Good
by" and he hung up his receiver with
9 snap.
did not resent McArders abrupt
mess, for knew he had room full Of
people waiting to see him and the fact
that he was to order the dinner was
enough to- make a man forgive any
thing short Of an objectionable sin.
! MacArdel was late, of course. He
was born half an hour after he was
expected and his timetable through
life has always been that much be-
hind to a second; so l called for the
Things and made the cocktails myself.
i cannot order a dinner as MacArdel
can, but can construct a cocktail
that would make the nectar of the
gods taste like Bloomsbury coffee.
The dinner was as good as the cock
tail and we went to the roof for our
coffee and cigars.
MacArdel tipped back in his chair
and rested his heels on the broad COD
ing, for we were sitting in a secluded
corner; back of a pillar, and the only
light we had came from the restless
city far below US, sparkling and gilt
tering like the reflection of a Sep
TENDER sky at midnight. An occasion
81 glimmer of moonlight broke through
The feecy, scudding clouds, so that
nrom time to time, we caught glimpses
OF each other as we lazily pulled our
cigars. The silence was emphasized
by, the disjointed murmur of voices
about US, and the never-ending) dis
ftant rumble in the streets beneath.
1t was dreary night and a dreamy
place and l dreaded to bring up the
disagreeable topic that we had met
10 discuss. So we slipped our coffee and
smoked out our cigars almost oblivious
OF each others presence. But when the
fresh cigars were lighted, MacArdeI
yawned impolitely, as was his habit
when we were alone, and said briefly:
swell, what is it?"
/ told him Of my experiences in the
morning, taking care not to omit q
single detail of what l had observed
in my interview with either Carney Of
Bobbs. When I had finished he re
marked, with equal brevity:
well, what of it?"
That's the way with MacArdel!
He can be, and usually is, the most
e1aSperating fellow that ever lived.
What of it," l exclaimed. There:
Q deuced lot of it, l tell you! l want tC
find out what this fellow is doing anG
get him to leave it alone. If you had
eever seen his sister and could under
,stand, as do, the desolateness of hel
position, you'd be as anxious as l an
to reform him."
Woman in the case, of course,
murmured MacArdel softly, taking q
deep puff of smoke which he held in