The Washington times., 1911-03-02
CHAPTER X.
Two and a Late Conner.
II ARD eyes looked into hard eyes
- across the library table.
And cer+ai0lv tbere WAS M

IT ARD eyes looked into hard eyes
- across the library table.
And certainly there was nc
sign of flinching on Barker's
part. Determination was growing upon
me lawyers Countenance and a certain
fierce quality with it. His square chin
grew more prominent and his lips were
tightned to a single line. An Intimate
of Barkers might have guessed with
out great trouble that the usually suave
and mild lawyer had hit upon one OF
those propositions which he intended to
see straight through to the finish.
Some such realization appeared to
pass to Wilkes DeStOn. His taut
muscles relaxed after a little and he
sank slowly into his chair with:
There iS-no necessity for this, Mr.
Barker"
Barker, too, returned to his chair
perChing on the edge and resting his
elbows on the table.
There is" he said bluntly. IF Nor
man had merely-dOne what he did
you know, l should simply have put
1t down as one of those unhappy. Incl
dents that no one can ever hope to eX-
plain. But when the balance Of-well,
practically of the immediate family
disappears in this fashion it's too
too queer"
It any more than that"
Are you considering II otherwise?"
Barker asked.
Deston ignored the question.
Gerald is a perfectly free agent
he pursued. IF he wished to leave
without telling us in advance there
was nothing to prevent il. UnqueS-
tionably, he had his reasons; when he
chooses to return he will tell them.
We have no right to question his go
inES and COmingS."
The deuce we haven't Barker cried
in angry amaZement. Wilkes, don't you
want Gerald lOCated?"
Just for an instant, the elder brother 6
eye caught the lawyers; 1t was looking
across the room, then.
No" DestOn said very quietly.
"Why not?" Barker caught his breath
Wilkes faced him after an effort.
because ! cannot think that we have
anything to learn frog Gerald that We
wish to know he said.
A short laugh escaped the lawyer, and
he ran his hands through his hair.
Cad! That's one way of putting IT,
isn't it," he muttered, dryly. And
suppose you made that neat remark
with the full knowledge that a few other
people live on this earth besides our
selves-that some one is going to sit up
and take notice within few days now
going to comment on the absence ei
Gerald and the AmatOs and start talk
and probably an investigation. The
handful of intimates you had here for
the funeral yesterday spotted it immedi-
atcly, and l had the devils own job
lying deftIy enough to allay their curl
Osity, Wilkes" the lawyer concluded
frankly.
"What?"
"Fact-very much" Barker rose to
his feet. Wilkes, we haven't any choice
in the matter I'm going to do the right
thing and do it now! I'm going to get
NV n1, tbrpp trpnl1inp service in
VestigatOTS mere and put them to work
very quietly. Wherever Gerald is. Ieav-
ing the AmatOs out of the proposition
for the present, the boy will have to
come back and show himself and eX-
plain"
"Drat the police, We won't bother
them till they bother us" Barker smiled
family. mo, I can get track of some
pretty competent men inside of ten
minutes, over the telephone. They're
men that work for-um-anOthe~ ex-
tremely wealthy client of mine. Wilkes.
It's the only thing to do now
He waited patiently for further op-
position. None came from DestOn; In
deed the surviving brother gave no
sign that he had even heard Five
minutes and Barker nodded his saisfaC-
ton He had won-and he stepped light
" across TO the telephone.
The conversation that followed was
NIleI. Al lOdl htI OllNiI oN ltSiSN' II
was held in that mysterious humble
which can he acquired with practice
a humble distinct enough az the far
end of the line and hardly audible across
the room that holds the speaker Bar
ker mumbled Gnimatedly, with a glance
now and then at Deston. That person S
head was on his chest, and Wilkes ap-
peared to have dropped into another
black study.
MIR. Barker arose at last, with a salts
fed smile.
he said. "I don't know one of them
from Adam, but-they'll be here"
Deston nodded alphabetically. Bark
er's eyebrows went up in slight eXas-
peration.
for me, I'm going to gallop some of the
cobwebs out of my head for an hour
or two, Wilkes" he said.
The lawyer returned for late
luncheon to find Wilkes Deston sitting
as he had left him. The head was
still bowed, the long arms were still
resting on the arms of his chair: not a
muscle, it seemed, HAD moved in all
the interval: and Barker laid hand
on his shoulder with genuine sympathy
and concern.
my dear boy. you must brace up,
a little. at any rate" he said, gently.
II know-or at least I can imagine,
what a terrific state that moody nature
of yours must be in just now, but"
Deston looked up.
my nature is not moody, Mr..
Barker"
Parker" said the other, almost in
a whisper. I'm afraidr'
The clatter of the telephone bell
spared the lawyer the necessity of an
answer.
He went TO the instrument and It
appeared that he was the person de-
sired, for after an affirmative or two