Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-10-26
ALADDIN of LONDON
or LOD E S T Ar
Copyright 1907 by Max Pemberton all rights

kept public house or fish shop"
The reflection flattered his sense of
irony; and sitting negligently upon
broad settee, he studied the hall
closely, It's wonderful panelling, the
magnificently carved balustrades, the
great organ up there in the gallery
and lastly the portraits. Alban liked
subject pictures and these master
pieces of Sargent and Luke Fildes
did not make an instantaneous appeal
to him. Indeed, he had cast but
brief glance upon the best of them be-
fore his eye fell upon a picture which
brought the blood to his cheeks as
though q hand had slapped them. 1t
was the portrait Of the supposed
Polish girl whom he had seen upon
the balcony Of the house in st.
James Square-last night as he visit
ed the caves.
Alban stared at the picture open
mouthed and SO lost in amazement
that all other interests of his visit
were instantly lost to his memory. A
hard dogmatic common sense could
make little of coincidence so amaz-
ing. If he had wished to think that
the unknown resembled little Lois
Boriskoff-if he had wished so much
last night, the portrait, seen in this
dim light, f1attered his desire amaz-
ingly. He knew, however, that the
resemblance was chiefly one of
nationality; and in the same instant
he remembered that he had been
brought to the house of Pole Was
it possible, might he dare to imagine
that Paul Boriskoff's friendship had
contrived this strange adventure.
Some excitment possessed him at the
thought, for his spirit had ever been
| adventurous. He could not but ask
himself to whose house he had come
then and for what ends? And why
did he find a portrait Of the Polish
girl therein
Adams eyes were still fixed upon
the picture when the young buffers
returned to summon him to the lib
rary. He was not little ashamed
to be found intent upon such an occu-
patton and he rose Immediately and
followed the man through a small con-
servatory aglow with blooms and go
at once into the sanctum where the
master of the house awaited him.
Perfect in It's way as a library was,
| Alban had no eyes for it In the pre-
sence OF Richard Gessner whom thus
he met for the first time. Here, truly
he might forget even the accident Of
the portrait For he stood face TO
face with leader among men and
he was clever enough to recognize as
much Immediately.
Richard Gessner was at that time If
ty-three years Of age. A man of me-
dunn height, squarely built and Of
! fine physique, he had the face rather
of substantial German than of the
usually somewhat cadaverous Pole
A tousled black beard hid the jowl
almost completely; the eyes were
very clear and light blue in color;
the head massive above the neck but
a little low at the forehead. Albar
noticed how thin and fragile the
white hand seemed as it rested upor
a strip of plotting paper upon tho
writing table; the clothes, he though
; were little better than those wor.
by any foreman in Yarrow's works
the tie was absolutely shabby ant
, the watch chain nothing better thai
two lengths Of black silk with sea
to keep them together. And yet tn
,, mental power, the personal magne
tism Of Richard Gessner made itsel
felt almost before he had uttered
? single word.
,, "Will you take a seat. Mr. Ken
nedy-I am dining in the city tonigh
and my time is brief. Mr. Geary,
think, has spoken to you of my ii
1 tentions"
r Alban looked the speaker frankl
e in the face and answered withou
! hesitation:
! "He has told me that you wish t
employ me, sir"
THAT wish to employ you've!
it is not good for us to be idle BIZ
: he has told you something more tina
/ that?"
Indeed" the curate interrupte,
u every much more, Mr.. Gessner.
. have told Kennedy that you are read
;. and willing to take an interest, til
e greatest possible interest in h
) future"
:. The banker-for as such Richal
Gessner was commonly known-recei
ed the intersection little impatien
I, ly and turning his back slightly, /
q fixed an earnest look upon Alban
y face and watched him critically viii
/ he spoke
y "Mr Kennedy" he said. 81 new,
" give my reasons. You enter tn
- house to confer a personal obligatit
= upon me. You will remain in tn
spirit. cannot tell you tonight,
- may be unable to tell you for MAJ
- years why you have been chosen
:, :, what are the exact circumstances
- our meeting. This however, l may S,
= that you are fully entitled to Il
l.. position l offer you and that it
- just and right should receive VI
- here. You will for the present I
- main at Hampstead as one of n
= family There will be many oppt
~ tuntties of talking over your futu
- but I wish you first to become {
i, customed to my ways and to til
- house. and to trouble your head wi
- mo- speculations of the kind which
~ could not assist. / am much in t
h ~ city but MIR. Geary will take I
~ place and you can speak to him
y. you would to me. He is my Mai
- pomo. and needless to say I in HI
"a repose the most considerable cor