Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-10-14
BY Louis Joseph Vance

any you may own in America"
you're II Of the best men in the
world" said Kirkwood.
"Tut, tut! Will you get on?"
Secondly. 1 want you to help us to
escape Calendar. tonight. 1t is neces-
sary that Miss Calendar should go to
Chiltern this evening, where she has
friends who will receive and protect
her."
"Mm-m,'' grumbled their host, med
itative. MY faith!'' he commented,
with Frightening eyes. "It sounds al
most too good to be true! And I've
been growing afraid that the world
was getting to be a most humdrum
and uninteresting planet. Miss Calen-
dar, l am a widower of so many years
standing that 1 had almost forgotten
I had V been anything but a bach
elor. l fear my house contains little
that will be Of service to a young lady.
Yet a room is at your disposal. The
parlor maid shall show you the way.
And, Philip, between you and me, 1
venture to remark that hot water and
cold steel would add to the attractive
ness of your personal appearance. My
valet will attend you in my room.
Dinner" concluded Brentwick, with
a%nticipative relish, will be served in
precisely thirty minutes. l shall eX-
pect you to entertain me with a full
and itemized account of every phase
of your astonishing adventure. Later
we will find a way to Chiltern."
Again he put u hand upon the bell
pull. simultaneously Dorothy and
Kirkwood rose.
mi. Brentwick," said the girl, her
eyes starred with tears of gratitude,
81 don't, / really don't know how
"Ay DEAR" said the old gentleman,
you will thank me most appropriately
by continuing, to the best of your abil-
ity, to resemble your mother more re-
markably every minute"
"But r. began Kirkwood.
You, my dear Philip, can thank me
best by permitting me to enjoy myself,
which l am doing thoroughly at the
present moment. And" he added as a
maid appeared at the door, II have al
ready schemed me a scheme for the
discontinue of our friends the enemy,
a scheme which we will discuss with
our dinner while the heather rage and
Imagine a vain thing in the outer dark.
| ness"
Kirkwood would have fingered. but
Of such infexible temper was his host
that he bowed him into the hands of
a m%anservant without permitting him
another word.
mot a syllable" he insisted. ct pro.
test I am devoured with curiosity, my
dear boy, but l have also bowels OF
compassion. When we are we'll or
with our meal, when you are strength.
ened with food and drink, then you
may begin. But now-Dickle," to the
valet, do your duty"
He heard the young mans footsteps
diminish on the stairway, and again
he smiled the indulgent, melancholy
smile of mellow years. "Youthy he
whispered softly. Romance! And
now," with a brisk change of tone as
he closed the study door-"now we are
ready for this interesting Mr.. Calen.
dar."
A suspicion of moisture glimmered
in his eyes. "Dorothy!" he whispered
huskily, and a little later, rising, he
proceeded to the telephone.
An hour and a half later Kirkwood,
his self respect something restored by
a bath, a shave and a resumption OF
clothes which had been hastily but
thoroughly cleansed and pressed by
Brentwick's valet, his confidence and
courage mounting high under the com
b1ned influence Of generous wine, sub.
stantial food, the presence Of his
hearts mistress and the admiration
concluded at the dinner table his mar
ration.
"And that" he said, looking up from
his savory, els about ALL"
Bravo" applauded Brentwick, eyes
shining with delight.
GAIL" interposed Dorothy in warm
reproach, "but what he hasn't told"-
(Which, my dear, is to be accounted
for wholly by a very creditable mod
esty rarely encountered in the young
men Of the present day. 1t was, of
tourse, altogether different with those
If my younger years. Yes, Wotton?"
Brentwick sat back in his chair. in.
shining an attentive ear to a communi.
cation murmured by the butler.
Coffee was set before them by Wot-
ton, the impassive, Brentwick refusing
it. with a little sigh. "By the way
he said, while you were preparing
for dinner Wotton returned from his
constitutional with the news that, leav-
ing the corpulent person on watch at
the corner. Captain Stryker had tenn
porarily made himself scarce. How
ever. we need feel no anxiety concern
ing his whereabouts, for he reappear-
ed in good time and a motor car, from
which it becomes evident that you
have not overrated their pertinacity.
The iasco Of the cab chase is not to
be re-enacted."
R%esolutely the girl repressed q gasp
of dismay. Kirkwood stared moodily
into his cup,