Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1911-09-07

temporarily 10 call his clerk IN anu
receive his report This proved to be
a tolerably lengthy session, for the
clerk, whose name appeared to be
Frank, demonstrated his command Of
a surprising memory. Without notes
he enumerated the callers at the Of
fee day by day from the time when
Labertouche had left for the Mofussil
with his specimen box and the rest
of his bug-hunting paraphernalia; NAM
ing those known to his employer.
infinitely describing all others. even
repeating their words with almost
Photographic fidelity.
L~abertouche listened intently, with
out interrupting, abstractedly tapping
his desk with a paper-cutter. At the
end he said Thank you" with a dry,
~preoccupied air; and resumed consid-
Grafton of his letters. These seemed
to interest him little; n after the
| other he gave to his clerk, saying:
File that" or ANSWER that so-and-
thusly." Two he set aside for his
personal disposition, and these he
took up again after the clerk had
been dismissed. The first he read
and reconsidered for a long time;
then crumpled It up and, drawing to
him a small tray Of hammered brass,
dropped the wadded paper upon 1t
and touched a match to 1t, thoughtful
ly poking the blazing sheets with his
paper-cuttar 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 d~ocument-for
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 a second
time with much deliberation and fire
quent pauses, apparently memorizine
portions of its contents. Finally he
said, "Hum-m!"" inscrutably and rang
for Frank.
HE left New York by the Lusitania
eh?" said Mr.. L~abertouche aloud. The
clerk entering interrupted his solilo
guy. Bring me, please" he said
Bradshaw, the Newsstand the lates
P. & o. schedule" And when Franl
/, had returned with the articles, HI
desired him to go at once and enquir'
at Government house the ~whereabout
!, Of Col. Dominick James Farrell, an
further to search the hotels of Ca
' cutta for a Miss Farrell, or for infol
r nation concerning her. "Have thi
I for me tonight-come to the bungs
low at seven" he said. "And !.
I shall probably not be at the ofic
again for several days"
J, tInsects?n enquired the clerk.
g Insects" affirmed Mr.. Labertouch
gravely.
e "In the Mofussil%
r "There or thereabouts, Frank"
Eyes, sir. l presume you don't fec
/ the need OF a capable assistant yet?
; mot yet, Frank" said Labertouch
s kindly. BE patient. Your time wi
! come; you're doing famously now"
: THANK you
Good afternoon. Lock the doc
y as you leave"
Immediately that he found himse
= alone, Labertouche made of Quain
letter a second burnt offering to pr
! JUDGE upon the tray Of hammere
brass.
. This matter attended to, he lp
. himself in Bradshaw and the Peni
! sular & Oriental Steamship company
list of sailings; from which he d
|, rived enlightenment. He was to con
direct" unused L~abertouche, "In thi
h case he'll have waited over in 10
don for the Poonah." He turned
q the copy of the Indian Daily New
which lay at his elbow, somewhat an
iously consulting its shipping new
Under the heading Of due this Da.
he discovered the words: "Poona
London - Calcutta = Straits Sett1
ments." And his face heightened wi
- concern. +,
That's short notice." he sal
Lucky / got back today-uncomm,
lucky! Still l may be m
i, taken" But the surmise failed
comfort him.
He drew a sheet of paper on viii,
~ there was no letter head to him al
began to write, composing deliberat
ly and with great care.
i. The building in which his ofic
~ were located stood upon a corner;
either end Of the long corridor on t
upper floor. upon which the var!o
al offices opened, were stairways, 0
M. descending to Dhurrumtollah sire
he the other to a side street little bett
~ than an alley. It may be consider
significant that, whereas Labertouc
himself was not seen either to enl
~ or to leave the building at any ii,
>, that day, an Attit mendicant did emf
an from Dhurrumtollah street shorr
after Frank had gone to lunch-a
IN disappeared forthwith; while, In |
4 dusk Of evening. a slim Tturasian b
"a with a clerkly air left by the stairs
k,s the alley.
err.
CHAPTER VIII.
tie
an First steps.