Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1910-12-28
CHAPTER II.
Senior PoritoI.

When Orme answered the knock at
the door a singular young man stood
at the threshold He was short, wiry,
and very dark. His nose was long and
,complacently tilted at the end His
eyes were small and very black. His
mouth was a wide, uncertain slit. In
his hand he carried light cane and a
silk hat of the fat-brimmed French
type. And he wore a gray sack suit,
pressed and creased with painful ex-
actness.
Come in, Senior Poritol," said
sOrme, motioning toward a chair.
The little man entered with short,
rapid steps. He drew from his pocket
a clean POCKET handkerchief, which he
unfolded and spread out on the surface
of the table. Upon the handkerchief
he carefully placed his hat and then,
after an Intellectual effort to make it
stand against the table edge, laid his
cane on the floor.
Not until all this ceremony had been
completed did he appear to notice
Orme. But now he turned, widening
BIS face into a smile and extending his
hand, which Orme took rather dubi-
>ously-it was supple and moist.
"Oh, this is Mr.. Orme, is 1t not?"
YES" said Orme, freeing himself
from the unpleasant handshake.
Mr.. Robert Orme?"
YES, that is my name. What can 1
do for your"
For a moment Senior Poritol ap-
peared to hover like a timid bird;
then he seated himself on the edge of
a chair, only the tips of his toes touch
ing the floor. His eyes danced
brightly.
ITO begin with, Mr. Orme," he said,
81 am charmed to meet you-very
charmed" He rolled his RS after
a fashion that need not be reproduced.
land in the second place." he contin-
ued, while actually l am foreigner
in your dear country, regard myself
as in spirit one of your natives. l
came here when boy, and was edu-
Gated at your great University Of
Princeton"
You are a Portuguese infer from
your name" said Orme.
"Oh. dear, no! Oh, no, no, MOI" ex-
claimed Senior Poritol, tapping the
floor nervously with his toes. MY
country he freed himself from the
Portuguese yoke many and many a
year ago. l am a South American,
Mr.. Orme-one of the poor relations
OF your great country" Again the
wfdened smile. Then he suddenly be-
came grave, and leaned forward, his
hands on his knees. But this is not
the business of our meeting, Mr..
Orme"
MOP" inquired Orme.
mo. my dear sir I have come to
ask of you about the five-dollar bill
which you received in the hat shop
this afternoon" He peered anxious
w. You still have it? You have not
spent it?''
"A marked bill, was it not?"
YES, yes. Where is it, my dear
sir, where is it?'
Written across the face of it were
the words, Remember person you pay
this to-
"Oh, yes, yes"
And on the back of it"
ION the back of it," gasped the lit,
tie man.
WAS a curious cryptogram."
DO not torture mel" exclaimed
Senior Poritol. Have you got it?"
His fingers worked nervously.
yes" said Orme slowly, Il still
have it."
Senior Poritol hastily took a fresh
fve-dollar bill from his pocket See, :"
he said, jumping to the floor, here
is another Just as good a bill. l give
this to you in return for the bill which
was paid to you this afternoon He
thrust the new bill toward Orme. and
waved his other hand rhetorically.
THAT. and that alone, is my business
with you, dear sir
Orme's hand went to his pocket
The visitor watched the motion Gag
erly. and a grimace of disappointment
contracted his features when the hand
came forth, holding cigar case.
Have one," Orme urged.
In his anxiety the little man almost
danced. But, sir" he broke forth, i
am in desperate hurry. l must meet
a friend l must catch train"
"One moment" interrupted Orme.
81 can't very well give up that bill
until know a little better what it
means. You will have to show me
that you are entitled to it-and" he
smiled meantime you'd better
smoke"
Senior Poritol sighed. 81 can as
sure you of my honesty of purpose,
sir" he said. 4 cannot tell you about
1t. | have not the time. Also, it is
not my secret. This bill, sir. is just
as good as the other one