The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1909-04-22

slack and empty. at his side.
Il am glad you recognized me this
time. Mr.. Mercer"
Il am sorry that did not recognize
you before" answered Mercer. "Wnl
you gentlemen be seatedY | am not
the owner OF the house nor his son;
am not even a friend. only a casual
acquaintance OF the young man. but
seem to be rather In the position OF
host. 10 will you be seated, and may
offer you some Scotch and Shasta
Mr.-ah-"
Mr. Horatio Birdsall OF the Blrdsali
a Gwen Detective agency" interposed
Winter. Blrdsall bowed. Mercer
bowed. Excuse me II decline for MS
both; our time Is llmited-no. thank
you. not a cigar. either. Now. Mr..
Mercer. 20 come TO the point. want
my nephew. understand he Is In this
house"
you are quite mistaken" Mercer
responded. with mistaken calm. "He
Is not"
Where II he. them"
4 do not know. Col. Winter. What
I should recommend Is for you to go
back 10 the Palace. and n you do not
ind him there-why. come and shoot
us up again." His eye strayed for n
second 20 the blackened. reeking mass
on the great stone hearth.
Have you sent him home? 10 that
what you mean TO imply"
Il imply nothing. colonel: don't
dare TO with such strenuous fighters
as you gentlemen: only go and see.
and n you do find the young gentle
man has had no IN treatment. no scare
only a little adventure such as boys
like. I hope you will come out here.
or wherever I may be. and have that
cigar you are refusing"
The colonel was frankly puzzled He
couldn't quite focus his wits on this
bravado which had nothing OF the
bravo about Il. in fact. had a tinge
OF usefulness in It's quiet. One would
have said the man regretted his com.
pulsory attitude OF antagonism: that
he wanted peace.
Mercer smiled family. you ought
TO know by this time when a man Is
lying. colonel" he continued. but !
will go further. I may have done
plenty OF wrong things in my life,
some things. maybe. which the law
might call a crime: but | have never
done anything which would debar me
from passing my word of honor as a
]
taking a. give you my word OF honor
that | have meant and do mean no
slightest harm 20 Archie Winter: and
that. while | DO not know where he is
at this speaking. believe you will
find him safe under your aunt's pro.
toction when you get back 10 the
Palace"
Call up the Palace hotel. Mr.. Bird
sail" was the colonel's reply. "Mr.
Mercer. / do not distrust that you are
speaking exactly. but you know your
Shakespeare; and there are promises
which keep their word TO the ear but
break Il TO the sense"
Il don't wonder at your mistake;
but you are mistaken. sub"
l3irdsall was phlegmatically ringing
up Mrs. Winter. having the usual eN-
perience OF the rash person who In.
trudes his paltry needs on the com
| pick workings OF a great hotel system.
mo. | don't know the number.
haven't the book here. but you know.
Palace hotel. Well. give me lnforma.
ton. then-Ilusy? Well, give me an.
other Information. then--yes, 1 want
the Palace hotel-Pa-l-ac-e-yes, yes,
Palace hotel; yes. certainly. Yesg
Mrs. Archibald Winter, Yes--line
busy? Well. hold on until II is Olsen
gagged. Say. Miss Furber, that you?
This is Birdsall A Gwen. Yes. Give
me Mrs. Winter. will you. 337? This
Mrs. Winter7 Oh. When will she be
back? Is Mrs. Melville Winter in?
Well. Miss Smith In? She's gone. too
Has Master Archibald got back, yet,
to the hotel? HASN'T Thank you
ehg' In answer to the colonels inter
ruption. What say, colonelY"
Tell her TO call up this number "
the colonel read II out OF the tele-
/
does get back. will you? | am afraid,
Mr.. Mercer. that you will have 10 al
low us 20 trespass on your hospitality
for little longer"
lie suspected that Mercer was an
noyed. although he answered lightly
enough: AS you please, Col. Winter.
| am sure you will hear very soon.
Nov. there is another matter. your
machine; | understand YOU left II out
side. VIII you ring for kito, colonel
Under the circumstances you may pre-
fer TO do your own ringing. | viii ask
him to attend to the. car"
The colonel made proper aeknowl
edgments. lie was thinking that had
Mercer cared to conhscate the motor
he would have done Il without ring
ing; on the other hand. did he desire
some special intercourse with his re
tainer. Nherein. under their very
noses, he could issue his orders--well,
II /. - "a L..