The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-08-03
Author of Beverly
of Graustark." Etc.

broom.
We'll, I've met a few society men
professionally. And women. too. for
that matter. Look out for q sensa-
tional divorce case within the next
few weeks. Its bound TO come unless
things change n good deal. Terribly
nasty affair"
is Mr. Bansemer Interested" asked
Eddie. holding tight 10 his chair.
"Oh. no. We don't go In for that sort
OF thing"
II wonder If Mr.. Bansemer knows
about the mistake that came near hap
pening to him n week or two ago. !
got hold OF II through a boy that works
i'll the United States marshal's Office"
said Eddie. cold as ice now that he was
making the test. broom turned upon
him quickly.
What mistake? What do you meant"
1T would have been a rich joke on
Mr.. Bansemer. Seems that some law
yer is likely TO be charged with black
mail. and they got Mr.. Bansemer's
name mixed up in 1t some way. OF
course nothing came of it. butt just
wondered If anybody had told him Of
the close call he'd had"
broom stared straight beyond the
young liar and was silent for a full
minute. Then he deliberately opened
the book on his knee ard began to turn
the pages.
That would have been a joke on Mr..
Bansemer." he said indifferently.
Il don't think he would have enjoyed
1t, do you?"
NO one enjoys jokes from the Unit
ed States marshal's Office" said broom
grimly. by the way, who is the law
yer that really was wanted?"
Il never heard. l believe it was
dropped. The young fellow l know
said he couldn't talk about it, so
didn't ask. Say, who was that swell
woman saw coming out of your office
this afternoon? 1 was up at Mr.. Horn
brooks"
broom hesitated a moment. He SEEM
ed to be carefully weighing everything
he said.
81 suspect it was young Bansemer's
future mother-in-law," he said. Mrs.
David Cable was there this afternoon
about g."
Gee" laughed Eddie. Does she
need n lawyer
Mr.. Bansemer transacted business
for her some time ago. A very small
matter, II I remember correctly. Here,
listen to this. Now, here's a little Incl.
! dent l found this evening that interests
me immensely. 1t proves to my mind
one of two points l hc'l in regard to
NJ q
length from his book, a dry sepulchral
monotone that grated on the ear until
it became almost uncomfortable.
The little clock on the mantelpiece
changed 10 before they laid aside Ma
poleon and began to talk about some
thing that interested Eddie Deever fal
more than all else-Elias broom him
self and such of his experiences as he
! cared to relate. The old man told
stories about the dark sides OF New
York life. tales Of murder. thievery
| rascality high and low. and he told
them with bloodcurdling directness-
| the Walker wife murder, the inside
facts of the De Pugh divorce scandal
the Harvey family's skeleton-all food
for the dime novel producer. Eddie
reveled in these recitals even while he
shuddered at the way In which the Ole
man gave them.
"Ah, this is a wicked old worldv
| said broom, refilling his pipe and
: showing his teeth as he pulled. That's
why l have those pictures of the Ma
donna on the wall-to keep me from
/ forgetting that there are beautiful
! THINGS in IA in 70 Of
ugliness and hypocrisy. 1 haven
/ much
He stopped short and listened in
tently. The sounds Of footsteps OF
! the stairs outside came to his ears
They dumped upward, paused for ,
moment down the little hall and theI
approached Droom's doorway. Hos
and guest looked at the clock instinc
lively. Eddie heard Droom's breatl
as 1t came faster between puffs at hi
pipe. Then there was a resoundIn,
rap at the panel Of the door. Eddi
Deever never forgot the look tina
swept over the old mans face-th,
look of wonder. dread. desperation.
passed in an instant. and he arose un
steadily. undecidedly. to admit the lat
caller. His long frame seemed Il
shake like a reed as he stood cautious
~ inside the bolted door and callst
out:
who's there?"
Messenger" was the mufied re
Spouse. broom hesitated a momen,
looking first at Eddie and then towar,
the window. Slowly he unbolted 9Th
door. A small A. D. T. boy stood be
You'd.
What is itT' almost gasped Ella
broom. quickly drawing the boy int
the room
Mr.. broom? No answer, sir. Sig
here" The boy, snow covered. drew
a letter from his pocket and handed /
to broom.
Where fromT' demanded the oil,
clerk. the paper rafting in his thil
fingers
Il don't know. I'm from Chica z
avenue" said the boy, with proper i'm
pudence. He took one look at broom
face as the man handed the slip bacl
to him and then hurried downstairs