Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-06-03

He regretted Brentwick sincerely.
Theirs was q curious sort of friend
ship, extraordinarily close in view Of
the meagerness Of others information
about the other, to say nothing Of the
disparity between their ages. Con-
corning the elder man Kirkwood knew
little more than that they had met on
shipboard, coming over;' that Brent
wick had spent ONE years in Amer
lea; that he was an Englishman by
birth, a cosmopolitan by habit, by pro-
fession a gentleman employing that
term in its most uncompromisingly
British significance and by inclina-
ton q collector of "Srticles of virtu
md bigotry," in pursuit of which he
made frequent excursions to the CONT
| nent from his residence in a quaint,
quiet street of Old Brompton. 1t had
been during his not infrequent, but or
dinarily abbreviated, sojourns in Paris
that their steamer acquaintance had
ripened into an affection almost hlial
on the one hand, almost paternal on
the other.
There came a rapping at the door.
The knob was turned; the door open
ed. Kirkwood, swinging on one heel,
beheld, hesitant upon the threshold, a
rather rotund figure of medium height,
clad in an e~Xpressionless gray lounge
suit, with a brown "bowler" hat held
tentatively in one hand, an umbrella
weeping in the other. A voice, which
wv Ct ,,y,ot,,n,,o n Nd ircin11afivn nrnOn1t-
ed from the figure.
"Mr. Kirkwood"'
Kirkwood nodded, with some effort
recalling the name, so detached had
been his thoughts since the disappear
ance Of the page.
Eyes, Mr.. Calendar"
care you-ah-busy, Mr.. Kirkwood?"
"Are you, Mr.. Calendar" Kirk
woods smile robbed the retort of any
flavor of incivility.
Encouraged, the man entered, pre-
missing that he would detain his host but
a moment and readily surrendering hat
and umbrella. Kirkwood, putting the
latter aside, invited his caller to the
easy chair which Brentwick had occu-
pied by the fireplace.
cit takes the edge off the dampness,"
Kirkwood explained In Difference to
the others look Of pleased surprise at
the cheerful bed of Goals. "I'm afraid
1 could never get acclimated to life in
a cold, damp room-or a damp, cold
room-such as you Britisher; prefer"
"It is grateful" Mr.. Calendar agreed,
spreading plump and we'll cared for
hands to the warmth. "But you are
mistaken. I nm as much an American
as YOURSELF"
yes" Kirkwood looked the man
course courtesy.
He proved not unprepossessing, this
unclassifiable Mr.. Calendar. He was
dressed with some care, his complexion
was good, and the fullness of his girth
emphasized as it was by a notable
lack of inches, bespoke a nature genial,
easy going and sybaritic. His dark
eyes, heavy lidded, We're active, GU
rlously at times with a subdued gilt
ter, in a face large, round, pink, OF
which the other most remarkable fea-
lures We're a mustache, close trimmed
and showing streaks Of gray; a chubby
nose and duplicate chins. Mr.. Calen-
dar was, Furthermore, possessed of 8
polished bald spot, girdled With a ton
sure of silvered hair-circumstances
which lent some Fictitious distinction
to a personality otherwise common
place.
His manner might be best described
as uneasy, with assurance, as though
he frequently found it necessary to
make up for his unimpressive stature
by assuming an unnatural habit of au
thority.
$50 you knew l was an American
Mr.. Calendar?' suggested Kirkwood.
Saw your name Oh the register. We
both hail from the same neck of the
woods, you know"
81 didn't know it, and''-
eyes; I'm from Frisco too"
"And Pm sorry"
Mr.. Calendar passed five fat finger.
n%ervously over his mustache, glanced
alertly up at Kirkwood, as if momen
tarily inclined to question his tone
then again stared glumly into til,
fire, for Kirkwood had maintained al
attitude purposefully colorless. Not t,
put too fine a point upon it, he believed
that his caller was lying. The man!
appearance, his mannerisms, his voice
/, and enunciation, while they NIGH
have been American, seemed all I'D
Californian. To one born and bred il
that state. as Kirkwood had been, he
sons are Enthusiastically hall marked.
Now, no man lies without motive
This one chose to reaffirm, with a SHOW
of deep feeling: Yes, I'm from Frisc,
too. We're companions in misfortune.
81 hope not altogether said Kirk
wood politely.
Mr.. Calendar drew his own infer
ences from the response and mustered
. up a show Of cheerfulness. "The1
you're not completely wiped out?"
+ "To the contrary, 1 was hoping 70,
were less unhappy"
ooh, then you are?"
Eirlywood lifted tho oab1o maeeoo