The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-09-17

a string Of historical nonsense. end
ing with a laugh so crazy that the /
sound Of It disconnected him. Drink /
was the explanation that drined
through my mind but in fact. |
thought little about It, 50 fun was ! |
OF other matters.
When is your brother returning?"
said | to Tom.
"On the next steamer. believe"
he replied. He went only for the
rest and the bath Of sea air" with |
an effort he collected himself, drew
me aside and said: Il owe you an
apology. Mr. Blackjack. ! went to
the steamer with Mowbray to see MIN
of, and he asked me to tell you about
our new dividend rate-though il was
not to be made public FOR some time.
Anyhow, he told me TO go straight to
you-and frankly forgot it." Then,
with the winning, candid Langdon
smile, he added, ENORMOUSLY: The
best excuse in the world-yet the one
nobody ever accepts"
No apology necessary" said | with
the utmost good nature. i've no per-
sonal interest in textile. Ny house
deals on commission only. you know
never on margins for myself. Pm
banker and broker. not a gambler.
Some Of our customers were alarmed
by the news of the big increase, and
insisted on bringing suit to stop it
But I'm going to urge them now 20
let the matter drop"
Tom tried to look natural. and as
he is an apt pupil of his brothers, he
succeeded fairly we'll His glance,
however, wouldn't fix steadily on my
gaze. but circled round and round it
like bat at an electric light TO
tell you the truth said he, I'm ex-
tremely nervous as to what my
brother will say-and do-to me,
when tell him. hope no harm
came to you through my forgetful-
ness"
None in the world, 1 assured him.
Then I turned on Sam. What are
you doing down town today" said
I. Are you on your way to see me?"
"Oh, was just calling on Tom" he
replied rather haughily.
Then Melville himself came in,
brushing back his white tufted burn
sides and licking his lips and blink
ing his eyes-looking for all the world
like cat at its toilet
oh! all. Blackjack" he exclaimed,
with purring cordiality-and l knew
he had heard of the big deposit was
making. Come into my Office on your
way out-nothing special-only be-
cause it's always q pleasure to talk
with you"
/ l saw that his ELUSIVE friendliness
! confirmed Tom Langdon's fear that
/ had escaped from his brothers tolls.
He stared sullenly at the carpet until
he caught me looking at him with
I twinkling eyes. He made a valiant
effort to return my smile and succeed
| ed in twisting his face into a knot
that seemed to hurt him as much as
| it amused me.
We'll. good-by. Tom" said I. Give
my regards to your brother when he
lands. and tell him his going away
was a mistake. A man cant afford
/ to trust his important business to un-
der-strappers." This with a face free
from any suggestion of intending a
shot at him. Then to Sam: See you
tonight, old man." and I went away
leaving Lewis looking from one to the
other as if he felt that there was dyn.
amite about. but couldn't locate it.
stopped with Melville , talk coal for
a few minutes-at my ease, and the
last man on earth TO be suspected OF
hanging by the crook of one finger
from the edge of the precipice.
rang the Ellersly's bell at half
past nine that evening The butler
faced me with eyes not down, as they
should have been, but on mine, and
full of servile insolenee to which he
had been prompted by what he had
overheard in the family.
Not at home. sir" he said, though
had not spoken.
was preoccupied and not expecting
that statement; neither had 1 skill
nor desire to acquire skill. in reading
family barometers in the faces of serv
ants. So. was for brushing past hin
and entering where l felt / had a:
much right as in my own places. He
barred the way.
Beg pardon. sir. Mr.. Ellersly in
structed me to say no one was a
home
l halted, but only like an oncomins
bear at the prick of an arrow.
What does this mean2" / ex
claimed, waving him aside. At tina
instant Anita appeared from the httlI
/ reception-Toom a few feet away.
~Oh-cOme in.'' she said cordially
I was expecting you Burroughs
4 please take BIr. Blacklock's hat"
l followed her into. the reception
room. thinking the butler had mad,
some sort of mistake.
How did you come out?" she ssket
eagerly. facing me. You look you
natural self-not tired or worried-s,
it must have been not so bad as you
feared
IF our friend Langdon hadn'