The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1909-01-31

upholstered In the same restful SHADE.
In one corner an old clock ticked
soberly. The atmosphere would have
proved a potent invitation to reverie,
if not to sleep-he was very sleepy
but for the confusion in the house.
In its chambers. through the halls,
on the stairs, there were hurrytngS
and scurryings of feet and skirts, con-
fused with murmuring voices Pres
emily, in an adjoining room, Philip
'rkwood heard a maid servant wrest-
ling hopefully with Jhat most exasper-
ating of modern time saving devices,
the telephone as countenanced by our
English cousins. Her patience and de-
termination won his approval, but
availed nothing for her purpose; in the
outcome the telephone triumphed and
the maid gave up the unequal con-
test.
Later a butler entered the room,
short and sturdy fellow, extremely i'll
at ease. Drawing a small taboret to
the side of Kirkwoods chair, he placed
thereon a tray, deferentially imparting
the information that ''Missis Allan 'ad
thought 'ow as Mister Kirkwood might
care for bit of supper"
please thank Mrs. Hallam for me"
Kirkwoods gratified eyes ranged the
laden tray. There were sandwiches
biscuit, cheese and a pot of black cof-
very kindly thought Of, he added.
Very good, sir; thank you, sir.
The man turned to go, shutting
soundlessly Kirkwood was suddenly
Impressed with his evasiveness; ever
since he had entered the room his coun-
tenance had seemed turned from the
guest.
.Ecclesw he called sharply, at ven
ture.
The butler halted. thunderstruck-
"Ye-es, s-sir?'
Turn round. Eccles; want look
at you"
Eccles faced him unwillingly. with a
stolid front but shifty eyes. Kirkwood
glanced him up and down, grinning.
Thank you, Eccles; I'll remember
you now. You'll remember me, too.
won't you? You're a bad actor, aren' I
you. Eccles?"
Yes. sir; thank you. sir" mumbled
the man unhappily; and took instant
advantage of the implied permission
to go.
Intensely diverted by the recollec-
tions Of Eccles' abortive attempt to
stop him at the door of No. 9. and Won
dering-now that he came to think Of
it-why, precisely, young Hallam had
deemed it necessary to travel with a
bodyguard and adopt such furtive
methods to enter in as well as to OBJ
tain what was asserted to be his prop
erty, Kirkwood turned active attention
to the lunch.
Thoughtfully he poured himself a
cup of coffee, swallowing it hot and
black as it came from the silver pot;
then munehed 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. AT odds with
him, she yet took time to think of his
creature needsi
What could be her motive-not in
feeding him, but in involving her name
and fortune in an affair so strangely
favored? This opened up a
desert waste of barren speculation.
Whats anybody's motive, who figures
in this laundering dime novel2 de-
manded the American, almost con-
temptuously. And-for the hundredth
time-gave 1t up; the day should de-
ciAre it, if so hap he lived to see that
day; a distant one, he made no doubt.
The only clear fact in his befogged
and bemused mentality was that he was
at once broke" and in this business
up to the ears. Well. he'd see
it through; he'd nothing better
to do, and = there was the girl:
Dorothy, whose eyes and lips he had
but to close his own eyes to see again
as wildly as though she stood before
him; Dorothy, whose unspoiled sweet
ness stood out in vivid relief against
this moil and toll of conspiracy, like a
star of evening shining clear in a
stormy sky.
Poetic smile: I'm going fast" con-
ceded Kirkwood; but he did not smile.
It was becoming quite too serious
matter for laughter. For her sake. he
Co. lrn0
in view of the fact that everything
his own hearts inclination included
seemed to conspire to keep him in It.
OF course he hoped for nothing In re-
turn; a pauper who turns squ1re-of-
danes with matrimonial intent is open
to the designation. "penniless adventur-
err" No; whatever service he might be
to the girl would be ample recompense
to him for his labors. And afterward
he'd go his way in peace; she'd soon
forget him-if she hadn't already
Women Che propounded gravely) are
queer; there's no telling anything
about them
One of the most unreadable specf-
mems of the sex on which he pro-
nounced this highly original dictum
entered the room just then and he
found himself at once out of his chair
and his dream. bowling.
Mrs. Hallam."
The woman nodded and smiled gra-
ciously. "Eccles has attended to your
needs, hope? Please don't stop smok-
ing" She sank into an arm chair on
the other side OF the hearth and, prob
ably by accident, out of the radius of
illumination from the lamp; sitting
sidewise. one knee above the other. her
white arms Immaculate against the
somber background of Swallowed GRIM
son.
She was very handsome indeed, just
then; though a keener light might have
proved less hattering.
Now, Mr.. KirkwoodT she opened
briskly, with second intimate and
friendly nod; and paused. her pose re-
ceptive.
Kirkwood sat down again. smiling
good-natured appreciation of her un-
prejudiced attitude.
Your son, Mrs. Hallam-?
ooh, Freddie's doing well enough
Freddie she explained. has a
delicate constitution and has seen little
of the world. Such melodrama as to-
nights is apt to shock him severely
We must make allowances, Mr.. Kirk
wood
Kirkwood grinned again, trace un-
sympathetically; he was unable to sim