Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-12

ask him to- and he is the best Office man
you driving al, STUART
Ford cleared his pipe of the ash and re-
filed it.
III go into the details with you a lit
tie later. We shall have plenty of time
during the next month or six weeks and.
incidentally. a good bit more privacy.
The thing I'm trying to figure out will
burst like a bubble If il gets itself made
public too soon. and"-lowering his voice
II can't trust my office force here.
Savez?'
Il savez nothing as yet" laughed the
new supervisor. but perhaps | shall If
you'll tell me what is going to happen
in the next month or six weeks.
I'm coming to that right now. How
would you like TO take hunting trip over
on the wilderness side of the range?
There are big woods and big game"
Frisbie arnned. He was a little man.
with sharp black eyes shaded by the
heaviest of black brows, and il was his
notion to trim his mustaches and beard
after the fashion set by the third Ma
poleon and initiated faithfully by those
who sing the part of Mephistopheles in
Faust" Hence, his grin was handsome
ly diabolic.
You needn't ask me what I'd like; yon
just tell me what You want me to do he
reioined, with clansman loyalty.
so | will said Ford. taking the reins
OF autnOrltN. W e leave mere tomorrow
morning for a trip over the pass and
down the Pannikin on the other side. and
if anybody asks you why. you can say
that we expect to kill deer or two and
possibly a bear. Your part of the outset
ting. however. is to pack your surveying
instruments on the burro saddles
they'll pass for grub boxes. tent poles
and the like
Call it done" said Frisbie But why
all this stage play? Can't you anticipate
h
ble?'
Ford lowered his voice again.
Il gave you the hint. Penfield. my
chief clerk-his desk is just on the other
side of that partition-is an ex-main hne
man. showed upon me when / didn't w4Nt
him. He was General Manager North
stenographer. For reasons which Willie
apparent to you a little later on. I waht
to blow my bubble i'm my own way: or ITO
change the figure. I'd like TO fire the~frst
volley myself
Frisbie's grin was rather more than
less diabolic.
Then I'd begin by firing Mr. Penfield
himself" he remarked
NO. you wouldn't" said Ford. There
are going TO be obstacles enough i'm the
way without slapping Mr. North in the
face preliminary. Under the circum-
stances. he'd take it that way: Penfied
would make sure that lie took it that
way.
1t was al. this point i'm the low-toned
conference that the ingenious young man
in the outer office put down the desk
telephone earpiece long enough to smite
with his fist at some air-drawn antag-
onist. Curiosity was this young mans
capital weakness, and he had tinkered
the wires of the private telephone system
so that the Ticking of switch made him
an auditor at any conversation carried
on in the private office. He was listening
intentIy and eagerly again when Ford
said still in the same guarded tone:
No | can't fire Penfield. and | don't
particularly want to. He Is good office
man and loyal to his salt: it's my mis-
fortune that II is Mr.. Norths salt cellar
and not mine that he dips into. Besides.
I'd have trouble in replacing him. Saints
Rest isn't exactly the paradise it's name
implies-for clean-cut. well-mannered
young fellow with social leanings."
(To be continued tomorrow.)