The Raymer enterprise., 1911-08-24
CHAPTER VII.
MasLss and Faces,

CHAPTER VII.
Mast1 and Faces.
Lks many . wiser and Q better
man. Amber was able upon occasion
10 change his mind without entertain.
ing serious ,misgivinss as to his sta.
oilty Of purpose. Therefore, on SEQ.
nd thought he elected to journey
1ndiawards via tho Sues canal rather
than by the western route. Rutton's
instructions had been explicit upon
ono point: Amber was to enter India
only BY the port Of Calcutta. In do
ferring to this the virginian lost sev.
oral days waiting In London for the
fortnighty P. 4 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. 4 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 10 an
ticipatsd Amber's arrival at the capi.
tal Of India BY about 4 week: during
all Of which time It languishsd un.
read.
A nice young English boy in Mr..
lLAbertouche's employ received and
stamped 1t with the date Of delivery
and put 1t away with the rest Of the
incoming correspondence in q sub.
Istantial.looking safe. After which he
returned to his desk in the ante-room
and resumed his study of the law:
which he pursued comfortably enough
with q cigarette in his mouth. bis
chair tilted back, and his feet gently
but firmly implanted upon tho fail
printed pages Of an open volume Of
Blackstone. His oflcial duties, other.
wise, seemed to consist solely In i'm.
parting to all and sundry the informa.
Etion that Mr.. Labertouche was some
where up in the Mofussil, hunting
buss-l don't know exactly where"
Precisely why Mr.. Labertouche
maintained his once was matter fer
casual conjecture to his wide circle o,
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 a
place OF residence.
Now upon the morning Of the day
that found the steamship Poonah nus.
sling up the Hooghly's dirty yellow
hood. Mr.. LAbertouche's clerk arrived
at the Dhurrumtollah street once 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.
lnIs mail. he donned his ONCE coat.
sat down. thumbed through Black.
stone until he found two perfectly
clean pages, opened the volume At that
place. 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
. cigarette.
Presently he became aware that
An especially dirty and travel.worn
Attit mendicant had squatted down
across the way. In the full glare Of
sunlight. and was composing himself
for ono Of those apparently purpose
less and interminable vigils peculiar
TO his vocation. Beneath their droop.
ing lashes tho eyes Of the clerk
Frightened. But he did not move.
Neither did the Atdt mendicant,
In the course Of the next half.hour
the clerk consumed two cigarettes
and entertained . visitor In the Der.
son Of q dapper little Greek curio-
dealer from the Lal basar, who left
behind him IN invitation to Mr.. Ia.
bertouche TO cali and inspect some
soarabs In which he had professed
On interest It was quite q fresh i'm.
portAtion. avsrred the Greek; the
clerk was TO be careful TO remember
that.
When he had gone the clerk made
. note Of It Then, glancing out Of
the window. hs became aware that
The Attit msndicant, for some reason
disstisded. was preparing 10 move
"a. Yawning. the clerk resumed his
strsst coat, and went out 10 lunch,
aaFslsssly leaving the door unlocked,
and the memorandum Of the Greeks
invitation exposed upon bis blottse.
When be returned at three o'clock.
The door of NJ. Labertouchs's private
once was a3ar and that gentleman
vas at his desk. The memorandum
vas. however. gone.
1r. Lsbsehouchs vss IN The pro