The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-08-23
Continued from Page 8.

vi course not; but read this and
see IL II throws any light on il. I
sIppeo IL from this mornings paper"
III was an item from the personal intel
Egence column, and II said: ..Captain
rItzhush Graham, the famous Eng
ehsh orchid hunter, arrived in the city
yesterday after six months stay in
the Fhilippines and is registered at the
auditorium Annex"
And you think he did it,"
don't know, but / do know that
me very orchid which seemed to be
'ne oVermastering ambition of Pop
pington's life is found only in the Phil
ippines. and If any orchid hunter could
get 1t for him IL would be Captain
Fitzhugh Graham"
But the woman"
Wen cross that bridge when we
get to it, Anyway. / have an idea that
an Interview with Captain Fitzhugh
Graham should prove interesting TO say
the least, and il may throw light on
other things besides orchids. But here
we are at the hotel.
Captain Fitzhugh Graham" said
Clarke to the clerk at the desk, ten
dering our cards.
Captain Graham is indisposed and
begs to be excused" came the answer
through the clerks telephone. He was
in, then. IL looked innocent enough.
There was no attempt at escape.
Clarke leaned over my shoulder az
the desk and scrubbed the following
note on the back of one of his cards:
MIR. Clarke would like to consult Cap
tain Graham about the Odontoglossum
Crispum Alexandria. If Captain Gra-
ham does not desire an interview Mr..
Clarke will take the liberty of refer
ring him to Chief of Police Shipp, who
at this moment happens to be inter
ested in this variety of the Odontoglos-
sums"
Captain Graham will see you" was
the answer the bell boy returned.
When the door of the captains room
opened in response TO the bell boys
ring we found the captain in his shirt
sleeves standing in the midst of a Pile
thora of trunks. boxes and cases. all
in the various stages of packing, while
every article of furniture was strewn
with wearing apparel. rifles. hunting
knives. toilet articles and all the heter
ogeneous assortment of traps that the
true Brltisher thinks he must carry
when he travels. Evidently we were
none too soon. A days. even a few
hours, delay and we might have found
but an empty cage.
The captain hastily cleared two chairs
for us. Mr.. Clarke. 1 understand then
Is a fancier of orchids" he said. as his
eyes wandered inquiringly from one
10 the Otner OF us
While Clarke was introducing him.
self and presenting me l took the oc-
Ca sion to make a rapid survey of our
host and antagonist. He was unmfs-
tal<ably English from the badly shod.
aggressive feet to the curl of his long
auburn mustache and the pink of his
cheeks showing beneath the bronze of
a score of tropical summers. Fe was
fully six feet two, of straight and mil
haa Clar cinaWG de-
ceptive. and I can boast of six feet
one and It's proportionate beef. but
sporting man would not have heSitated
TO back him against the two of us.
His air was calm and confident. There
was nothing in the face before us TO
suggest that its owner carried a ter
rible secret born of the night before.
Yes" said Clarke, II have paid some
attention 10 the orchidaceae. although
I can scarcely claim to he connois-
seur. / am informed that you have
lately returned from the Philippines
with a specimen of the OdontoglOssum
Crispum Alexandria. AS you expect
ei 10 dispose of this specimen 10 Mr..
Algernon Sydney Hoppington, whose
collection lacks only this one variety
of being the most complete in America,
and owing to his most unfortunate
death last night a sale in that direc-
ton is out of the question. 1 have
called to ask If there is any possibility
of acquiring tt
The captain hung over the back of
his chair with boredom written on his
face. There was no flaw in his acting.
II acting IL was, as he carelessly re-
piled:
You have been well informed, Mr..
Clarke. but I regret to say that the
Odontoglossum stood the trip badly, as
you know they nearly always do. 1t
was not such a specimen as would
care to offer. In fact I had determined
not to spoil Hoppington's collection
with II, even If he had not been muir
dered. and this morning I had the
slavey throw II out. II that is all you
will kindly excuse me and I will con-
tlnue my packing as I am leaving for
London this afternoon
Too bad. too bad" said Clarke in a
sorrowful tone. IT had at least hoped
to buy little pollen. That's too bad.
Sorry you're busy. had hoped to dis
cuss the Orchidaceae with you"
As Clarke talked he had arisen and
was wandering carelessly about the
room, but with his wary eye always in
the direction OF the captain, for the mo-
ment surprised out of his indifference
by Clarke's strange actions. Suddenly
my companion stopped before species
of humidor resting upon a chair. 1t
had a handle by which to carry it and
IL was evidently too precious a piece of
baggage to be intrusted in trunk.
Clarke glanced quickly from Graham
to me. and / thought / detected warn
ing in his eyes. The captain watched
him with apparent nonchalance. but
there was something in his attitude
which suggested the crouch of a tiger
ready for the leap.
And so the servants threw the
Odontoglossum out? How sad. ] do
not believe there are two specimens
in Chicago"
Clarke suddenly reached over and
threw open the door of the humidor.
Within there was an orchid of surpass-
ing beauty.
Yes, there are three, and Captain
Graham, you have lied"
The metamorphosis to the tiger was
sudden and complete. Full half the
length of the room the captain leaped.
knocking over two chairs in his fight
through the air, while his long sinewy
fingers closed around the throat of
Clarke 1t was so sudden that / scarce
~ seemed able TO gather the thought
necessary to bring my finger to the