Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-07-09

thing" in the story line, thrilling,
mysterious = but NOT too mys-
terious and most interesting.
CHAPTER l.
III UPON a certain dreary April
afternoon in the year of grace
1906 the apprehensions Of |
| ~ Philip Kirkwood, ESQ.,, paint |
err, were enlivened by the discovery
that he was occupying that singularly
distressing social position which may
be summed up succinctly in phrase
through long usage grown proverbial,
'alone in London" Inevitably an ex-
tremist because Of his youth (he had
just turned twenty-fve), he took no
count Of mitigating matters and would
holly have resented the suggestion
that his case was anything but alto
gether deplorable and forlorn.
That he was not actually at the end
held the distinction a bubble. mock
lngly immaterial, like the store Of
guineas In his pocket. too insignificant
for mention when contrasted with his
needs. And his base Of supplies, the
American city Of his nativity, whence,
and not without glow Of pride in his
secret heart, he was wont to register
at foreign hostelries. had been arbi-
trarily cut off from him by one of
those accidents sardonically classified
by insurance and express corporations
as acts Of God.
Now, to one who has lived all his
days serenely in accord with the die
tates of his own sweet will, taking no
thought for the morrow, such stu
, alton naturally seems both appalling
! and intolerable, at the first blush. 1t
| must be confessed that, to begin with,
Ilirkwood drew long and disconso-
late face over his fix.
Then he resolutely shrugged it off
and went In search Of mans most
faithful dumb friend-to wit, his pipe,
the which, when found and filled, he
lighted with spill twisted from the
envelope of a cable message.
Its about time," he announced,
watching the paper blacken and burn
in the crate fire, shat l was doing
something to prove my title to liv-
Ing" And this was all his valedictory
to vanished competence. Anyway,
I'm sight better of than those poor
devils over there. l really have q
great deal to be thankful for now that
my attentions drawn to it."
For the ensuing few minutes he
thought it all over, soberly, but with q
stout heart, standing at window OF
his bedroom in the Hotel Pless, hands
deep in trousers pockets, pipe fumine
voluminously, his gaze wandering Out
over blurred infinitude Of wet, shin
Ing roofs and sooty chimney pots.
There came rapping at the door.
Kirkwood removed the pipe from be
tween his teeth long enough to sa!
Come inp' pleasantly.
The knob was turned, and the doc
opened. Kirkwood, swinging on on
heel, beheld. hesitant upon the thresh
old, diminutive figure in the liver
of the Pless pages.
"Mr. Kirkwood"
Kirkwood nodded.
"Gentleman to see you, sir"
Kirkwood nodded again. smiling
'Show him up, please" he said. bu
before the words were fairly out c
his mouth man stepped into tt
room.
"Mr. Brentwick!' Kirkwood almos
shouted, jumping forward to seize hi
visitors hand.
. 'My dear boy!' replied the latte
1o{v 70
note not an hour ago and came Mt ono
you see."
1T was mighty good Of you. S
down, please. Here are cigars. VIII
moment ago was the most mise
able and lonely mortal on the foo
STOOL"
az can fancy" The elder man locke
up, smiling, at Kirkwood. "The ma
agement knows me-" he offered e
PLANTATION of his unceremonious appen
ance, 80 I took the liberty Of followil
on the heels of the bell hop, dear be
And how are you? Why the anxio
undertone detected in your notc?"
He continued to stare curiously In
Kirkwood's face. At glance tt
Mr.. Brentwick was a man of tall
figure and rather slender, with cou
tenance thin and flushed sensiti
pink. out Of which his eyes shol
keen, alert, humorous and ira
wistful behind his glasses. His yes
were indeterminate, with the aspect
fifty. the spirit and the verve Of thlr
assorted oddly. But his hands we
old, delicute. fine and fragile, and t
lips beneath the dropping white m,
tache at times trembled, almost /
perceptibly. with the generous sen
ments that come with mellow age.
held his back straight and his he
with an air-an air that was not
swagger, but the sign token Of s.
soned experience in the world. I
most carping could have found
flaw in the quiet taste Of his att