Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-08-24
V-INCOGNITO.

V.-INCOGNl1O'
At noon. precisely. Maitland stlrreu
between the sheets for the h.st tl te
sinca he mad thrown himself into ms
ia -stirred. and. confused by what
ever alarm had awakened him. yawn~d
stunendously. and sat up, rubbing
rlepcbeJ fists in his eyes to clear them
Of sleep's cobwebs. Then ne oeht ior-
ward. clasping his knees, smiled lar
~. replaced the smile with thou gu :"
fuI frown, and in such wise conten' :
nIated the foot of the bed for several
ninutes-his first conscious lHpIesSio A.
that he mad something delightful to
Iook forward to yielding to a vague
recollection of prolonged shrill TN
tinnabulation-as if the telephone peI
I'm the front room had been ringing FOR
some time.
Rut he waited I'm vain for repeti-
tion of the sound, and eventually con-
cIuded That he had been mistaken; II
had been an echo from his dreams,
most likely. Besides, who should cali
him up? Not two people knew That
he was In town: not even O'Hagan was
aware that he had returned to mis-
rooms that morning
He CAPPED again, stretching wide his
arms, sat up on the edge OF the bed
and heard the clock strike L.
Noon and He had an en-
gagement at He frightened at the
memory and, jumping up, pressed an
electric call-button on the wall BY
the time he had padded barefoot to
the bathroom and turned on the cold
water tap, O'Hagans knock summoned
him to the hall door.
Back again, O'Hagan; and in des-
perate rush. I'll want you to shave
me and send some kilograms, please
Must be off by 1880. You may
get out my gray-striped flannels"-here
he paused. calculating mis- costume with
careful Observation-Disclosures black
striped negligee shirt; gray socks; rus
set low shoes; black and white check
tie-broa6 wings. You know where 70
find them ALP
"Shure yiss, sor."
O-Hagan showed no evidence of sur
prise; the eccentricities of Mr.. Matt
land could not move him, who was
Injured to them through long associ-
alton and observation. He moved
away TO execute his instructions. qui-
city efficient. BY the time Maitland
had finished splashing and gasping in
the bath tub, everything was ready
for the ceremony of dressins.
In other words, twenty minutes
later Maitland, bathed, shaved, but
still in dressing-gown and slippers,
was seated at his desk, a cup of
black coffee steaming at his elbow,
number of yellow telegraph blanks
before him, a pen poised between his
fingers.
1t was in his mind to send a wire
to Cressy, apologizing for his deser-
ton of the night just gone, and an
nouncing his intention to rejoin the
party from which the motor trip to
New York had been as planned but
Lee a., tina for
dinner that same evening. He nib
bled the end of the pen-holder, select
ing phrases, then looked up at the
attentive O'Hagan.
Bring me New Haven time ia
ble, please" he began. and"
The door-bell abrupted his words,
clamoring shrilly.
What the deuce7" he demanded
who can that be? Answer it, will
you, O'Hagan?"
He put down the pen, swallowed
ming to the murmers at the hall door.
An instant later OHagan returned,
bearing a slip of white pasteboard
which he deposited on the desk be-
fore Maitland.
James Burleson Snaith.'" Malt
land read aloud from the faultlessly
engraved card. II don't know him.
What does he want|'
wouldn't say, sor; seemed sur
prised whin I told him We were in.
an said ihe was glad to hear it
business pressin', says he"
"'Snaith'? But I never heard the
name before. What does he look
like?"
"A gintleman, sor, be tn clothes av
him an tn way he talks"
We'll d.. Devil take the man!
Show him in"
VERY good. S~r." .--- .----