Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-08-03

A ooo0 JOu was tuOL
shocked, Miss Farrell"
"Will you tell me something's"
IF / can"
about the man who wouldn't &C.
knowledge knowing you? You remem-
Der saying three people had been mis-
taken about your identity this after
noon"
mo. only one-the babu. You're
not mistaken"
Il knew you must be David Amber
the moment I heard you speaking
Urdu"
"And the man at the station wasn't
mistaken--unless I am. He knew me
perfectly, I believe, but for reasons
Of his own refused to recognize me-"
"Yes-?"
HE was an English servant named
Doggott, who is-or once was-a valet
In the service Of an old friend, a
Ia named Rutton."
She repeated the name: "Rutton?
1t seems to me I've heard Of him"
"You have7"
II don't remember" she confessed,
knitting her level brows. "The name
has a familiar ring, somehow. But
about the valet?"
well, l was very intimate with his
employer for a long time, though we
haven't met for several years. Rut.
ton was a strange creature, a man Of
extraordinary genius, who lived a
friendless, solitary life-at least, so
far as l knew; / once lived with him
in a little place he had in Paris for
three months and in all that time he
never received a letter or a caller. He
was reticent about himself, and /
never asked any questions, of course,
but In spite Of the fact that he spoke
English like an Englishman and was a
public school man, apparently, l al
ways believed he had a strain of Hun
garian blood in nim-or else Italian
or Spanish. ! know that sounds pref
.ty broad, but he was enigmatic-a rid
die l never managed to make much
Of. Aside from that he was wonder
full: a linguist, speaking a dozen
European languages and more east
ern tongues and dialects, / believe,
than any other living man. We met
by accident in Berlin and were drawn
together by our common interest in
orientalism. Later, hearing 1 was in
Paris, he hunted me up and insisted
that ! stay with him there while fin
ishing my big book-the one whose
title you know. His assistance tc
me then was invaluable. After that
I lost track Of him."
"And the valet?"
"Oh, I'd forgotten Doggott. He was
a cockney, as silent and self-contained
as Rutton. To get back te
Nokomis: I met Doggott at the sta
ton, called him by name, and he re
fused to admit knowing me-said ]
must have mistaken him for his twin
brother. I could tell by his eyes that
he lied, and it made me wonder. It's
quite impossible that Rutton should
be In this neck of the woods; he was
a man who preferred to live a hermit
In centers of civilization. . Gu
rious!"
Il don't wonder you think 80. Per
haps the man had been up to some
mischief. But" said the CIR
with a note of regret, we're almost
home!"
They had come to the seaward
verge of the woodland, where the
trees and scrub rose like q wild hedge
row on one side Of a broad, well
metalled highway.
To the right, on the other side Of
the road, a rustic fence enclosed the
trim, wellgroomed plantations Of
Tanglewood Lodge; through the dead
limbs a window Of the house winkec
in the sunset glow like an eye Of gar
net. And as the two appeared a mar
came running UP the road, shouting.
That's Quaint" cried Amber; ant
sent a long cry of greeting TOWARD
him.
"Wait!" said the girl impulsively
putting out a OBTAINING hand. Lett
keep our secret" she begged, her eye'
dancing-"just for the fun of It'll"
"Our secret"
about the babu and the Token; It..
a bit of mystery and romance to me-
and we don't often find that in oul
lives, do we? Let us keep it persona
for a while-between ourselves; ant
you will promise to let me know 1
anything unusual aver comes Of 1t
after I've gone. We can say that
was riding carelessly, which is quite
true, and that the horse SHE'D ant
threw me, which again Is true; buI
the rest for ourselves only. .
Please. What do you say7"
He was infected by her spirit OF ir
responsible mischief. why, yes
I say yes,' he replied; and then, more
grayely: Il think it'll be very pleas
ant to share a secret with you, Mis-.
Farrell. I shan't say a word to am
one, until / have to-"
Az events turned he had no neet
to mention the incident until the
morning Of the seventh day followin,
the girls departure. In the interim
nothing happened and he was able t
enjoy some excellent shooting Will
Quain, his thoughts undisturbed b,
any further appearance Of the babu.