The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1911-11-03

piers and the empty warehouses lie
wriggled the muscles of his back uncomfort-
ably beneath the expressing domeof silence
"Lordl" he muttered in q dull monoto-
nous tone, "Lordl What placel"
ant Bacon walked to the little desk and
paved over the sparse pile OF envelopes,
smiling at the superscripton Frederick
Bacon, American Consul Valny."
eo.f" Jones" said the young man suddenly,
''come here and sit down.
z The clerk-a strange looking man with
= features which might belong either TO Orient
or Occident-trailed across the room and
perched on a stool, taking the pen from be-
hind his ear and nibbling the point.
"Theres been" commenced the
\ clerk, but Bacon silenced him with look
and gesture.
"rm in no mood, he said, "to be told of
the number of Mongol traders who have
been here trying to claim immunity as
American citizens. | must talk myself out
to someone, Jones, and you're the only hui
man being in sight | tried it on that
pretty French girl at the restaurant, and
after finished, she asked me if i. was true
that the indians in America had feathers on
their head instead OF hair!"
Jones sat perfectly still on his stool, his
leather-like face as fiat as a mask Bacon
i'leaned back in his chair and put his feet on
the desk before him.
"Where did you first hear OF the diplo-
matte servce?' demanded Bacon. Jones
p shook his head.
81 don't know" be confessed.
"Well" continued Bacon, ave heard OF
n eince I was old enough to road
Bacon dropped his legs from the desk,
walked to the door and looked out over the
bleak prospect OF emptiness, ornate houses
and GRIM bare hills
There's been" Jones commenced
again in the same colorlcss tone, and again
Bacon broke in on him harshly.
"Don'tl" he commanded sharply.
He turned and walked back to his desk,
seating himself in a disconsolate huddle
Jones remained motionless on his stool.
" There's been" he began for the third
time
Bacon got to his feet as though spring
had snapped open inside him.
"If you try to talk shop to me-" he
warned II swear I'll pitch you into the
street,"
For space OF three minutes the two men
sat silent The squad OF tired-looking in
fantry shufiled past the door, and the 81
lence fell again. After a time Jones climbed
down from the stool and walked stiffly to
the door.
"I'm going" he explained "to buy some
new pensl"
Bacon leaned back in his chair and
laughed shrilly When the laughter COM
mented to hurt his throat he caught him
iself with jerk and wiped his eyes.
i "Pensl" he muttered, b, new pens!
There's gross of them in the drawer, and
Jones writes perhaps thousand words a
1week!"
From the street outside came the sound
!of footsteps-un rapid footsteps
bacon straightened himself in his chair.
+ Tourist" he muttered-for only tour
lists ever hurried in Valny. Hope he
scomes in here-but he won't"
The figure Of a man suddenly stood be-
Tween Bacon and the tiresome facade of the
building across the street. 1t was large
Imam, with broad shoulders, well-ftting gray
irlothes and soft "crusher" hat He
f,tood blinking in the semi-darkness of the
consulate.
care you the American consult" he
asked in a crisp, pleasant voice.
Yes, replied Bacon, getting to his feet.
Come in and sit down"
The stranger came in and took the prof
Vaed chair Bacon saw that he had a
broad, intelligent face, tight lips, twinkling
eyes, light hair, and a coat Of tan which
seemed burned deep into the flesh
."Pve been here before to-day, explained
The stranger, "Your clerk said you we're out
and was too lazy to have an idea Of where
might find you. He's not very proposes
sing-tha clerk OF yours
Bacon smiled. "The germ of the place
has bitten into him-as it will into me.
We're dead here.
The stranger raised his eyebrows. $50
bad as thatf" he qucried, then his long fin
gers pried into his pocket and he pulled out
couple Of cigars Bacon looked at his in
tently, rolled it between his fingers and
thrust it between his lips without biting the
end or breaking the gay band. The
stranger nodded almost imperceptibly.
"Good cigars rare here9 F" he asked cheer
fully,
"Exinct" replied Bacon.
The stranger Strengthened himself in his
chair, rolled the lighted cigar into the corner
sA-<~rtt