The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1911-07-13

| temporarily to call his clerk in end
receive his report. This proved to be
tolerably lengthy session, Tor Che
clerk. whose name appeared to be
Frank, demonstrated his command of
q surprising memory. Without rotes
he enumerated the callers at tts of.
fice day by day from the TING when
Labertouche had left for the &1fussil
with his specimen box and the rest
Of his bug-hunting paraphernalto; nam
ing those known to his employer,
infinitely describing all othbts. even
repeating their words With aim ost
Photographic fidelity.
Labertouche listened inteatly, with
out interrupting, abstractetly tapping
his desk with paper-cutftr. At the
end he said Thank you.' with dry
preoccupied air; and resmed consid
Grafton of his letters. These seemed
to interest him little; e1e after the
other he gave to his c;erk, saying:
File that" or "Answfc that so-and
| thusly." Two he sat aside for his
| personal disposition, and these he
took up again after the clerk had
been dismissed. Tfs first he read
and reconsidered fol- a long time;
then crumpled it up and, drawing to
him small tray Of hammered brass
dropped the wadded paper upon II
ly poking the blazing sheets with his
paper-cutter until they were altogeth
er reduced to ashes
Quain's was the second letter. Hav
ing merely glanced at the heading and
signature, Labertouche had reserved
the rather formidable document-fo1
Quain had written fully-as probably
Of scant Importance, to be dealt with
at his absolute leisure. But as he
read his expression grew more and
more serious and perturbed. Finish
ing the last page he turned back to
the first and went over 1t second
time with much elaboration and fire.
quent pauses, apparently memorizing
portions of it's contents. Finally he
said, "Hum-m!" inscrutably and rang
for Frank
He left New York by the Lusitania
eh?" said Mr.. Labertouche aloud. The
clerk entering interrupted his solilo
guy. Bring me, please" he said
bradshaw, the Newsstand the lates,
p & o. schedule" And when Frank
had returned with the articles, he
| Iag hin, 70 OF nd or1,,irc
at Government house the whereabouts
OF Col. Dominick James Farrell, and
further to search the hotels of Cal
cutta for a Miss Farrell, or for infor
nation concerning her. Have this
for me tonight-come to the bunga
low at seven" he said. And
shall probably not be at the Office
again for several days"
'Insects?" enquired the clerk.
Insects affirmed Mr.. Labertouche
| gravely.
In the Mofussil?"
There or Whereabouts, Frank"
Yes, sir. l presume you don't fee
the need of capable assistant yet?
Not yet, Frank" said Labertouche
kindly. BE patient Your time will
come; you're doing famously now"
Thank you"
Good afternoon. Lock the door
as you leave"
Immediately that he found himself
alone, Labertouche made of Quains
letter a second burnt offering to pre-
JUDGE upon the tray of hammered
brass.
This matter attended to. he lost
himself In Bradshaw and the PENN
sular & Oriental Steamship company
list of sailings; from which he de-
rived enlightenment. He was to come
direct" unused Labertouche. IN that
case he'll have waited over in Lon.
don for the Poonah" He turned to
the copy of the Indian Daily News
which lay at his elbow, somewhat anx.
iously consulting its shipping News
Under the heading of Due this Day
he discovered the words: "Poonah
London - Calcutta Straits Settle
ments," And his face heightened with
concern.
That's short notice." he said
Lucky | got back today-uncommon
lucky! Still | may be mis-
taken" But the surmise failed 10
comfort him.
He drew a sheet of paper on which
there was no letter head to him and
began to write, composing deliberate.
ly and with great care.
The building in which his Offices
were located stood upon a corner: at
either end of the long corridor on the
upper floor. upon which the various
offices opened, were stairways, one
descending to Dhurrumtollah street
the other to side street little better
than an alley. 1t may be considered
significant that. whereas Labertouche
himself was not seen either to enter
or to leave the building at any time
that day, an Attit mendcant did enter
from Dhurrumtollah street shortly
after Frank had gone to lunch-and
disappeared forthwith; while. In the
dusk of evening. slim Eurasian boy
with clerkly air left by the stairs 70
the alley.
CHAPTER VII.