Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-04-27


fastened shutter slammel IN the gusts.
Mr AtEins should have been extremely
comfortable as be sat there by the hre
He had sfent many comfortable win
iers lD 'Lat room But now there was
q frOWu % BIS face as be read the let
ter IN bis baad II was from Simpson
aId stated among other things. that
Cyrus Whitaker had been absent from
Rapport for over two weeks and that
10 one seemed to know where he had
gone. The idea seems to be that he
started for Washington" wrote Tad.
but II that is 80 II IS queer you haven't
seen him I an suspicious that he Is
up 70 something about that harbor
business. should keep my eye peeled
II was you
Alicia the Atkins hopeful, rustled
into the room.
Papa" she said, ave come to kiss
you good night"
Her father performed the ceremony
In a perfunctory way.
"AlI right all right" he said Now
run along TO bed aud don't bother me;
there's good girl. | wish he added
testify 10 the housekeeper, who had fol-
lowed Alicia into the room-"l wish
you'd see 10 that loose blind II makes
me nervous Such things as that
should be attended to without specific
orders from me-"
The housekeeper promised TO attend
to the blind. She and the girl left the
library. Heman reread the Simpson
letter. Then be dropped It in his lap
and sat thinking aud twirling his eye
glasses at the end OF their black cord
His thoughts seemed 10 be not OF
the pleasantcst The lines about his
mouth had dcepened during the last
few months lie looked older
The telephone bell rang sharply Mr.
Atkins came out Of his reverir with a
start. arose and walked across the
room TO the wah where the instrument
hung. II was before the days Of the
convenient desk phone He took the
receiver from its hook and spoke into
the traIsmittcr
Hello" he said Hello Yes, yes.
Stop ringing, What is ltT
The wire buzzed and purrei in the
storm "Ilcllo" said a voice "Ilello,
there r. this MIR. Atkins house"
yes; II is What do You wantf"
Hey? Is this where the Hon. He
man Atkins lives"
"Yes, yes, | tell you, This is Mr. At
kins speaking What do you want"
"Oh! Is that you. Heman? This
Is Whitaker Cy Whitteter Under
standW
Mr. Atkins understood Yet for an
instant he did not reply. He had been
thinking as he sat by the Ere OF Ger.
tain persons and certain ugly though
remote possibilities. Now, from
mysterious somewhere, one of those
persons was speaking to him. The
hand holding the receiver shook mo-
mcnlarily. ....
Hello! I say, Heman, do you un.
derstand? This is Whitaker talkin'."
I-er-urderstand," said the con
gresham slowly. "Well, sirT
"I'm here in Washin'ton."
81 have been informed that you were
in the city. Well, sirY'
"Oh, knew | was here. did you? Is
that so? Who told you? Tad wrote,
suppose. hcyT
The congressman did not reply i'm
mediately This man, whom he dis
liked more than any one else In the
world had an irritating faculty OF put
ting his finger on the truth. And the
hippancy In the tone was maddcning.
Mr.. Atkins was not used to iiippancy.
~ believe l am not called upon to
disclose my source Of information"
he said, with chilling dignity. "It APP
pears to have been trustworthy. pre-
sumo you have phoned me concern
ing the appropriation matter. do rot
recognize your right to intrudc in that
affair and shall decline to discuss
It, Yes, sir; TO my people, to those
who have right to question, ! am
and shall always be willing to explain
my position. Good night"
what Hello, Hold on n minute.
Don't get mad, Heman ! only want.
ed TO say just word You'n let me
say a word, won't your
This was more like It. This was
more nearly the tone In which Mr.. At.
Iins was wont TO be addressed. 1t
was possible that the man. recognizing
The usclcssuess Of further opposition,
desired 10 surrender
Il cannot" declared the honorable,
understand why you should wish to
speak With me. We have very little
N common, very little, I'm thankful
% say However, l will hear you
briefly Go on"
"Much obliged Well, ueman, /
)nly wanted TO say that / thought
maybe you'd better have little talk
with me. I'm here at the hotel, the
Regent You know where It's. pre-.
iume likely guess you'd better come
-ight Ipttsu uH upn mo