Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-09-07
CHAPTER VII.
Masks and Faces.

Like many q wiser and a better
man, Amber was able upon occasion
70 change his mind without entertain
ing serious ~misgivings as to his sta
bility Of purpose. Therefore, on sec
ond thought, he elected to journey
Yndiawards via the Suez canal rather
than by the western route. Buttons
instructions had been explicit upon
one point: Amber was to enter India
only by the port OF Calcutta. In de-
ferring to this the virginian lost sew
eral days waiting In London for the
fortnightfy P. & o. boat for Calcutta:
a delay which might have been OBJ
Waited by taking the overland route
so Brindisi, connecting there with the
weekly P. 6 O. boat for Bombay,
from which latter point Calcutta could
have been quickly reached by rail
across the Indian peninsula.
Now Quain's letter to Labertopche
went by this quicker route and 50 an
ticipated Amber's arrival at the capt.
tai of India by about a week; during
all OF which time It languished I'm
cad.
A nice young English boy in Mr..
Labertouche's employ received and
stamped 1t with the date Of delivery
and put It away with the rest of the
incoming correspondence in a sub
stantial-looking safe. After which he
returned to his desk in the ante-room
and resumed his study Of the law;
which he pursued comfortably enough
with a cigarette in his mouth, his
chair tilted back, and his feet gently
but firmly implanted upon the fail
printed pages of an open volume Of
Blackstone. His official duties, other
wise, seemed to consist solely in i'm
parting to all and sundry the informa
tion that Mr.. Labertouche was some
where up in the Mofussil, hunting
Sugs--I don't know exactly where
Precisely why Mr.. Labertouche
maintained his office was a matter fol
casual conjecture to his wide circle o
acquaintance; although it's not un
likely that, were he the subject of dis
cussion, the bulk of the wonder ex
pressed would be inspired by his un
reasonable preference for Calcutta a.
a place OF residence.
Now upon the morning Of the da.
that found the steamship Poonah nuz
zling up the Hooghly's dirty yellow
food, Mr.. Labertouche's clerk arrived
at the Dhurrumtollah street Office a
the usual hour; which, in the absence
of his employer, was generally be
tween IL o'clock and noon. Having
assorted and disposed of the morn
ing's mail, he donned his Office coat
sat down, thumbed through Black
stone until he found two perfect
clean pages, opened the volume at tina
place, tipped back his chair, and wit
every indication Of an untroubled cor
science imposed his feet upon tn
book and began the days labors wit
a cigarette.
Presently he became aware tina
an especially dirty and travel-wor
Attit mendicant had squatted dow
across the way, in the full glare {
sunlight. and was composing himse
for n Of those apparently purpos,
less and interminable vigils peculia
to his vocation. Beneath their drool
1ng lashes the eyes of the cler
frightened. But he did not NOV
Neither did the Attit mendicant.
IN the course Of the next half-hor
the clerk consumed two cigarette
and entertained a visitor In the pc
son Of a dapper little Greek curl
dealer from the Lal bazaar, who lie
behind him an invitation to Mr.. L
bertouche to call and inspect son
scarabs in which he had professe
an interest. 1t was quite q fresh Ii
portation, averred the Greek; IL
clerk was to be careful to rememb,
that.
When he had gone the clerk mat
a note Of It. Then, glancing out
the window, he became aware tn
the Attit mendicant, for some reast
dissatisfied, was preparing to mo-
on. Yawning, the Clerk resumed b
street coat, and went out to lunc
c~arolessly leaving the door unlocke
and the memorandum of the Greeh
invitation exposed upon his blotts
When he returned at three o'cloc
the door Of Mr.. Labertouche's priya
Snice was ajar and that gentlemi
wac az his desk. Tho memoranda
was. however. gone,