The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1911-12-07

question gave me the opening, and
/ forgot myself"
Il assure you I was thoroughly
shocked, Miss Farrell"
"Will you tell me something's"
IT 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"
u knew you must be David Amber
the moment l heard you speaking
Urdu"
"And the man at the station wasn't
mistaken-unless am. He knew me
perfectly, 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
man named Rutton."
| She repeated the name: "Rutton?
1t seems to me I've heard of him"
you have?"
Il don't remember" she confessed,
knitting her level brows. "The name
has familiar ring, somehow But
about the valet?''
| We'll, I was very intimate with his
employer for long time, though we
haven't met for several years. Rut-
ton was strange creature, a man of
extraordinary genius, who lived a
friendless, solitary life-at least, so
far as 1 knew; l once lived with him
In little place he had In Paris for
three months and in all that time he
never received letter or caller He
was reticent about himself, and l
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, al
ways believed he had strain of Hun
garian blood in him-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
orlentalism. Later, hearing | was in
Paris. he hunted me If and insisted
that stay with him there while I'm
ishing my big book-the one whose
title you know. His assistance to
me then was invaluable. After that
lost track Of him."
"And the valet?"
"Oh, I'd forgotten Doggott. He was
a cockney. as silent and self-contained
as Rutt0n. To get back to
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. could tell by his eyes that
he lied, and 1t made me wonder It's
quite impossible that Rutton should
be in this neck Of the woods; he was
man who preferred to live hermit
in centers Of civilization. Gu
rious!"
II don't wonder you think 30. Per
haps the man had been up to some
mischief. But" said the CIR
with a note Of regret, we're almos
home!"
They had come to the seawart
verge of the woodland, where tn.
trees and scrub rose like wild hedge
row on one side of a broad, well
. metalled highway.
To the right, on the other side o
/ the road. rustic fence enclosed tn
, trim, wellgroomed plantations 0
] Tanglewood Lodge; through the deat
limbs a window Of the house winke<
in the sunset glow like an eye of gar
, net. And as the two appeared maj
, came running up the road. shouting.
/ That's Quaint" cried Amber; ant
sent a long cry Of greeting towar>
him.
"Wait!" said the girl impulsively
t putting out OBTAINING hand. Let
} keep our secret" she begged. her eye
dancing-"just for the fun Of it,"
"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 GU
a lives, do we? Let us keep it persona
for while-between ourselves; an,
you will promise to let me know
< anything unusual ever comes of II
e after I've gone. We can say that
= was riding carelessly, which is quit
a true, and that the horse SHE'D an
2 threw me, which again is true; bu
) the rest for ourselves only.
9 Please. What do you say?"
Q He was infected by her spirit of ii
l. responsible mischief. "Why, yes
9 say yes" he replied; and then, NOR
8 gravely: 81 think it'll be very pleas
:. ant to share a secret with you, Mis-
d Farrell l shan't say a word to an
" one, until have to-
y AS events turned he had no nee