The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1911-09-15

the. library Of his Washington
home before a swapping log
- fire reading ii letter Mr.. At
kins had, as he would have expressed
1t, served his people" In congress for
so many years that he had long since
passed the hotel stage of living at the
capital. He rented furnished house
on an eminently respectable street, and
the polished doorplate bore his name
in uncompromising characters.
The library furniture was solid and
dignified. Its businesslike appearance
impressed the stray excursionist from
the Atkins district when he or she Wis
tied the great man in whose affairs we
felt such a personal interest. Partic-
ularly impressive and significant were
map Of the district hanging over the
congressman's desk and an oil paint
ing Of the Atkins mansion at Bayport,
which, with the iron dogs and urns
conspicuous in its foreground, occupied
the middle of the largest wall space.
The CHEEKY fire was very comforting
driving against the windowpanes, the
sidewalks were ankle deep In sluSh,
and the wet cold wind from the Pc
tomac was whistling down the street.
Somewhere about the house an IN
fastened shutter slammed in the gusts.
Mr.. Atkins should have been extremely
comfortable as he sat there by the fire.
He had spent many comfortable win
tiers in that room But now there was
~. ia
ter in his hand IL was from Simpson
and stated among other things. that
Cyrus Whitaker had been absent from
Bayport for over two weeks and that
no one seemed 10 know where he had
gone. The idea seems to be- that ne
started for Washington" wrote Tad.
but II that Is ~ II IL queer you haven't
seen him | am suspicious that BE- Is
up to something about that harbor
business. | should keep my eye peeled
if was you"
Alicia. the Atkins hopeful. rustled
into the room.
Papa" she said, i've come to kiss
you good night
Her father performed the ceremony
in perfunctory way.
'All right. Ill right" he said. Now
run along KY Ded and don't bother me;
there's good girl. WISH" L. added
testify to the housekeeper. who had fol-
lowed Alicia into the room-"T wish
you'd see to that loose blind 1t 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 II In his lap
and sat thinking and twirling bis eye
glasses at the end OF their black cord
His thoughts seemed to BE- not OF
the pleasantest The lines about his
mouth had deepened during the last
few months. He looked older.
The telephone bell rang sharply, Mi.
Atkins came out OF his reverie with n
start. arose and walked across the
room to the wall where the instrument
hung. IT was before the days of the
convenient desk phone. He took the
receiver from its hook and spoke into
the transmitter.
"Hellor he said. "Helloi Yes, yes!
Stop ringing What IL ftp
The wire buzzed and purred in the
storm. "Hello" said voice. aHello,
there! Is this Mr.. Atkins house"
Yes; it is. What DO you want2"
Hey? Is this where the Hon. He
man Atkins lives?"
Yes, yes. tell youl This + UT. ~
kins speaking What do you wantf'
"Oh! r that you, Heman? This
is Whittaker-Cy Whitaker. Under
stand?"
MIR. Atkins understood Yet for an
instant he did not reply. He had been
thinking as he sat b. the fire OF Ger
tain persons and certain ugly though