The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1911-07-20
CHAPTER VII.
TASKS and Faces

TASKS and Faces.
Like many a wiser and a better
man. Amber was able upon occasion
to change his mind without entertain
irg serious misgivings as to his sta
bility of purpose. Therefore, on sec
ond thought he elected to Journey
lnd'award5 via the Suez caral rather
than by the western route Ruttons
instructions had been explicit upon
one point: Amber was to enter India
only by the port of Calcut+ a. In de-
''rr!7g to this the Virginian lost sew
oral DAYS waiting in London for the
fortn'ghtly P. & O. beat for Calcutta
delay which might have been OBJ
waited by taking the overland route
to Brindisi connecting there with the
weekly p & 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 Labertouche
went by this quicker route and so an
ticipated Amber's arrival at the CAPT
tai Of India by about a week: during
all of which time 1t languished I'M
read.
A nice young English boy In Mr..
l4abertouche'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 cigarette in his mouth his
chair tilted back, and bis feet gently
but firmly implanted upon the fair
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.
ton that Mr.. LabertOuche was some
where up in the Mofussil. hunting
bugs-I don't know exactly where"
Precisely why Mr. Labertouche
maintained his Office was a matter for
casual conjecture to his wide circle of
acquaintances; 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 I'M
reasonable preference for Calcutta as
place of residence.
Now upon the morning of the day
that found the steamship Poonah nuz-
cling UP the Hooghly's dirty yellow
flood, Mr.. Labertouche's clerk arrived
at the Dhurrumtollah street office al
the usual hour; which, in the absence
of his employer. was generally be-
tween II 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 perfectly
clean pages, opened the volume at that
place, tipped back his chair, and with
every indication of an untroub'ed con.
science imposed his feet uron the
book and began the days labors with
a cigarette
Presently he became aware that
an especially dirty and travel-worn
Attit mendicant had squotted down
across the way, in the fun glare Of
sunlight, and was composing himself
for one Of those apparently purpose,
less and interminable vigis peculiar
to his vocation. Beneath their droop-
ing lashes the eyes of the clerk
frightened. But he did not move.
Neither did the Attit mendicant
In the course of the next haIf-hnur
The clerk consumed two cigarettes
and entertained a visitor in the per.
son of a dapper little Greek curio-
dealer from the Ial bazar. who left
behind him an invitation to Mr.. La
bertouche to call and inspect some
scarabs in which he had professed
an interest. It was quite a fresh i'm
Iortation, averred the Greek; the
clcrk was to be careful to remember
that.
When he had gone the clerk made
note of it. Then. glancing out Of
the window, he became aware that
the Attit merdicant, for some reason
dissatisfied, was preparing to move
on. YaWEiDg. the clerk resumed his
street coat. and went out to lunch.
clrelessly leaving the door unlocked.
and tEe memorandum Of the Creeks
invitation exposed upon his botter.
When he returned at three o'c'ock,
the door Of Mr.. Labortouches private
Office was aiar and that gentleman
was at his desk The memorandum
VS.. however, gone.
Mr.. Labortouche was in tho pro