Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-05-18

e0, MT. MCAnlSnJ, Sdlu the Gull
stable
But Mcknight was doubled over the
library table in silent commissions OF
mirth, and 1 was almost as bad. Lit
tie Hotchkiss stood up, his important
attitude finally changing to one OF
chagrin, while the blond man ceased
to look angry, and became sheepish.
1t was Stuart, our confidential clerk
for the last half dozen years!
Mcknight sat up and wiped his
eyes.
Stuart" he said sternly, there are
two very serious things we have
learned about you. First, you jab
your scarf-pins into your cushion with
your left hand, which is most repre-
hensible; second, you wear-er-n night
shirts, instead of pajamas. Worse
than that, perhaps, we find that one
of them has a buttonhole torn out at
the neck"
Stuart was bewildered. He looked
from Mcknight to me, and then at
the crestfallen Hotchkiss.
'T haven't any idea what it's all
about" he said Il was arrested as,
I reached my clearinghouse tonight,
after the theater, and brought direct
ly here. I told the officer it was a
mistake"
Poor Hotchkiss tried bravely to
justify the fasco.
seYou can not deny" he contended,
"that Mr.. Andrew Bronson followed
you to your rooms last Monday eve
ming"
Stuart looked at us and flushed.
NO. l don't deny it." he said, "but
there was nothing criminal about it,
on my part, at least. Mr.. Bronson has
been trying to induce me to secure
the forged notes for him. But I did
not even know where they were"
"And you were not on the wrecked
Washington Flier?" persisted Hotch-
kiss. But Mcknight interfered.
There is no use trying to put the
other mans identity on Stuart, Mr..
Hotchkiss," he protested. He has
been our confidential clerk for six
years. and has not been away from
the Office a day for year. l am
afraid that the beautiful fabric we
have pieced out of all these scraps is
going to be a crazy quilt" His tone
was facetious, but 1 could detect the
undercurrent of real disappointment.
| paid the constable for his trouble,
and he departed. Stuart, still indig-
nant, left to go back to Washington
Circle. He shook hands with Nc
Knight and myself magnanimously.
but he hurled a look of utter hatred
at Hotchkiss, sunk crestfallen in his
chair.
Gas for as l can see," said Nc
Knight dryly, were exactly as far
along as we were the day we met at
the Carter place. We're not step
nearer to finding our man."
1--WE have one thing that may be of
value" suggested. HE is the hus-
band of a bronze-haired woman at
Van Kinks hospital, and it is just
possible we may trace him through
her. l hope we are not going to lose
your valuable cooperation, Mr.. Hotch-
kiss?" 1 asked.
He reused at that to feeble interest.
~I-oh, of course not, If you still care
to have me, II was wondering about
the man who just weEt out, Stuart,
you say? + told his landlady to-
night that he wouldn't need the room
again. hope she hasn't rented it to
somebody else"
We cheered him as best we could,
and l suggested that we go to Balti-
more the next day and try to find the
real Sullivan through his wife. He
left sometime after midnight, and
Richey and were alone.
He drew a chair near the lamp and
lighted a cigarette, and for time we
were silent I was in the shadow, and
/ sat back and watched him. 1t was
not surprising, 1 thought, that she
cared for him; women had always
loved him, perhaps because he al
ways loved them. There was no dis
loyalty in the thought; it was the
lads nature to give and crave affec-
tfon. ONLY was different. I had
never really cared about a girl be-
fore, and my life had been singularly
loveless. 1 had fought & lonely bat
tie always. Once before, in college,
we had both laid ourselves and our
callow devotions at the feet of the
same girl. Her name was Dorothy
l had forgotten the rest-b1t l re-
membered the sequel. In spirit OF
ouixotic youth / had relinQuished my
claim in favor of Richey and had
gone cheerfully on my way, elevated
by my heroic sacrifice to a somber,
white-hot martyrdom. AS is often the
case, Meningitis first words showed
our parallel lines of thought.
Il say, Lollie," he asked, do you re
member Dorothy Browne? Browne!
That was it,
Dorothy Browne?" 1 repeated. "Oh
why yes, recall her now. Why?
Nothing" he said. Il was think
ing about her. That's all You re
member you were crazy about her,
and fIrODnpd hack hacauSa she pre-