Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-07-19
CHAPTER VII.
Masks and Faces.

Like many wiser and a better
man, Amber was able upon occasion
to change his mind without entertain
ing serious misgivings as to his sta
oilfty OF purpose. Therefore, on Sec
ond thought, he elected to journey
1ndiawards via the Suez canal rather
than by the western route. Rutton's
instructions had been explicit upon
one point: Amber was to enter India
only by the port of Calcutta. In de-
ferring to this the Virglnian lost sew
eral days waiting In London for the
fortnightly P. G. o. boat for Calcutta
a delay which might have been OBJ
Waited by taking the overland route
to Brindisi, connecting there with the
weekly P. & o. boat for Bombay,
from which latter point Calcutta could
have been quickly reached by rail
across the Indian peninsula.
Now Quain's letter to Labertouche
went by this quicker route and so an
ticipated Amber's arrival at the capt.
tai Of India by about a week: during
all of which time it languished I'm
read @''---a--~e -. :
~
A nice young English boy in Mr..
Labertouche's employ received and
stamped it with the date of delivery
and put 1t away with the rest of the
incoming correspondence in a sub
stantial-looking safe. After which he
returned to : s desk in the ante-room
and resumed ais study of the law;
which he pursued comfortably enough
with a cigarette in his mouth, his
chair tilted back. and his feet gently
but firmly implanted upon the fair
printed pages of an open volume of
Blackstone. His official duties. other
wise, seemed to consist solely in i'm
parting to all and sundry the informa-
ton that Mr.. Labertouche was some
where up In the Mofussil hunting
bugs-I don't know exactly where"
Precisely why Mr.. Labertouche
maintained his Office was a matter for
casual conjecture to his wide circle of
.acquaintances; although it's not un-
likely that, were he the subject of dis
cussion, the bulk of the wonder ex-
pressed would be inspired by his un-
reasonable preference for Calcutta as
place Of residence.
Now upon the morning of the day
that found the steamship Poonah nuz-
cling up the Hooghly's dirty yellow
flood. Mr.. Labertouche's clerk arrived
at the Dhurrumtollah street office at
the usual hour; which, in the absence
OF his employer, was generally be-
tween II o'clock and noon. Having
assorted and disposed of the morn
ing's mail, he donned his office coat,
sat down, thumbed through Black
stone until he found two perfectly
clean pages. opened the volume at that
p ace, tipped back his chair, and with
every indication of an untroubled con-
science imposed his feet upon the
book and began the days labors with
a cigarette.
Presently he became aware that
an especially dirty and travel-worn
Attit mendicsnt had squatted down
across the way, In the full glare of
sunlight, and was composing himself
for one of those apparently purpose
less and interminable vigils peculiar
to his vocation. Beneath their droop-
ing lashes the eyes of the clerk
frightened. But he did not move.
Neither did the Attit mendicant.
In the course of the next half-hour
the clerk consumed two cigarettes
and entertained a visitor in the per-
son of a dapper little Greek curio-
dealer from the La bazaar, who left
behind him an invitation to Mr.. La
bertouche to call and inspect some
scarabs in which he had protested
an interest. 1t was quite fresh i'm
portation. averred the Greek; the
clerk was to be careful to remember
that.
When he had gone the clerk made
a note Of it. Then, glancing out Of
the window, he became aware that
the Attit mendicant- for some reason
dissatisfied, was preparing to move
on. Yawning, the clerk resumed his
street coat. and went out to lunch.
.carelessly leaving the door unlocked.
and the memorandum of the Greeks
Invitation exposed upon his bIotter.
When he returned at three o'clock,
the door of Mr.. Labertouche's private
Office was ajar and that gentleman
was at his desk. The memorandum
was, however, gone.
Mr.. Labertouche was in the pro