Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-08-05

supper"
wood glanced him up and down, grim
ming.
Thank ga, Eccles. III remember
you now lou'll remember me. TOO,
won't YOU You're a bad actor. aren't
! you, Ecclcs:"
Yes, sir; thank you, sir" mulnbled
the man unhappily and took instant
advantage of tie implied permission
to so.
Intensely diverted by the recollec-
ton of Ecclos' abortivc attempt TO stop
him at the door of 10. 0 and wonder
ing, now that he came to think of it,
why precisely young Hallam had deem
ed it necessary to travel with Il body
guard and adopt such furtive methods
to enter into as we'll as to obtain what
was asserted to be his own property.
Kirkwood turned active attention to
the lunch.
T%houghtfully he poured himself Il
cup of coffee, swallowing it hot and
black as it came from the silver pot,
then munched the sandwiches.
1t was kindly thought of, this early
morning repast- Mrs. Hallam seemed
more and more a remarkable woman
with each phase Of her character that
she chose to disclose. Al odds with
him. she yet took time to think Of his
creature needs. Women. he PROFOUND
ed gravely, are queer. There's no tell
ing anything about them.
One of the most unreliable speci-
mems of the sex on which he pro-
nounced this highly original dictum
entered the room just then, and be
found himself at one put Of his chair
and his dream, bowling.
Mrs. Hallam."
The woman nodded and smiled gra-
ciously. "Eccles has attended to your
needs, I hope? Please don't stop smok-
ing" She sank into an armchair on
the other side Of the hearth and. prob
ably by accident, out Of the radius of
illumination frem the lamp, sitting
sidewise, n knee above the other. her
white arms immaculate against the
somber background of crimson.
She was very handsome. indeed, lust
then. though a keener light might have
proved less fattering.
Nov. Mr.. kirkwood?" she opened
briskly. with a second intimate and
friendly nod. and paused. her pose re-
ceptive.
Kirlwocd sat down again. smiling
good natured appreciation of her I'M
prejuGiced attitude.
"your son Mrs. Eallam'-
ooh. FreGdie's doing well enough.
Freddie" she explained. has a deli
cate constitution and has seen little of
the world. Such %melodrama as to-
nights is apt to shock him severely.
We nus make allowances, Mr.. kirk
wood. i think" she said deliberately,
that it is time we came to an under
Standing
Kirkwood agreed-"Yes," affably.
II purpose being perfectly straight
forward. To begin with, I don't place
you, Mr.. Kirkwood. You are an IN
known quantity, a new factor. Won't
you please tell me what you are and
are you a friend Of Mr.. Calendar's?'
81 think l may lay claim to that
honor, though"-to Kirkwood's way Of
seeing things some little %frankness on
his own part would be essential if they
were to get ONT hardly know him.
Mrs. Hallam. 1 had the pleasure of
meeting him only this afternoon"
She knitted her brows over this
statement.
THAT, / ssure you, is the truth" he
laughed.
"But ! really don't understand"
Nor L, Mrs. Hallam. Calendar
aside, am Philip Kirkwood, Ameri-
can, resident abroad for some years.
a native Of San Francisco, of a GER
tain age. unmarried, by profession a
poor painter"
"AndT"
Beyond that? I presume l must
tell you, though I confess I'm In
doubt" He hesitated, weighing can
dor In the balance with discretion.
But who are you for? Are you in
George Calendars pay|
Heaven forfend" piously. MY