Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-04-19
HE DDONZEp
BELL ~ \
ByLOUIS JOSEPH VANCE i
AUTHOR or @TnE BRASS BOWL" ETC. u
ILLUSTRATIONS BY QlkNY VMA[IDENS
AUTHOR or THE BRASS BOWL ETC.

difference; their type Interested him
little. But In their company he pres
emily discovered one, a figure 90
thoroughly foreign and aioof In atti-
tude. that It caught his eye, and. hax-
ing caught. held 1t clouded with per
plexity.
Abruptly he abandoned his belong
ings and gave chase, overtaking the
object of his attention at the far end
Of the station.
"Doggottl" he cried. Il say. Dog
gottl"
His hand, falling lightly upon the
mans shoulder. brought him square
ly about, his expression trnnsiently
startled. II not shade truoulent
"Doggott, what the deuce brings you
here? And Mr. Ruttonf"
Amber's cordially educed no re-
Spouse. The gray eyes, meeting eyes
dark, kindly, and penetrating, flicker
ed and fell: 30 much emotion they be-
trayed, no more, and that as disingen-
nous ss you could wish.
"Doggott" insisted Amber, dis
gotten me-Mr. Amber?"
The man shook his head. BEG par
don. SIR he said; you've got my
nyme andy enough, but I don't know
you, and
But Mr. Rutton?"
is party I've never card OF. II
you'll excuse my sayin' so, no more'n
! ave Of yourself, sir
WELL" began Amber; but paused,
his face hardening as he looked the
man up and down, nodding slowly.
"Per'aps,' continued Mr.. boycott,
unabashed, you mistyke me for my
brother, Emery Doggott. &c was 'ome,
In England, larst card of i'm. We
look a deal alike, I've been told"
you would be-" admitted Amber
drily; and, shutting his teeth upon his
inherent contempt for liar, he
swung away, acknowledging with q
curt nod the civil Good AFTERNOON,
sir" that followed him.
The man had disappeared by the
time Amber regained his kit-bag and
gun-case; standing over which he
surveyed his surroundings with some
annoyance, discovering that he now
shared the station with none but the
ticket agent. A stumbling and dis
consulate youth, clad in a three-dayS
growth of beard, a checked Jumper
and khaki trousers, this person
lounged negligently in the doorway OF
the waiting room and, caressing his
rusty chin with nicotine-dyed fingers.
with an air of subtle yet vaguely mel
ancholy superiority.
'1f ye're lookin' for tn hotel" he
volunteered unexpectedly, there amt
none" and effected mastery retreat
into the ticket booth.
Amused, the despised outlandef
picked up his luggage and followed
amiably. 'I'm not looking for the
hotel that amt" he said, planting
himself in front of the grating; "but
I expected to be met by some one
from Tanglewood--"
"Thet's the Quain place, daown by
/ tn ba-ay." interpolated the youth from
, unplumbed depths of mournful abb
straction.
''It is. I wired yesterday
"Yeour names Amber, amt it,"
Eyes, -
well, Quain didn't get yeour mes
sage till this mornin' I sent kid
daown with it 'baout ten o'clock"
But why the-but l wired yester-
day afternoon"
IT knaow We did" assented the
youth YEARLY 1T come through
raound closin' time and they want
nobody baound that way, SO held it
over"
This craze for being characters
TIC" observed Mr.. Amber obscurely,
SIS the only thing that really stands
In the way of Nokomis becoming a
thriving metropolis. Do you agree
with me? No matter" He smiled en-
gagingly; a seasoned traveller this.
who could recognize the futility Of
pickering over the irreparable. More
| over, he had to remind himself in all
fairness, the blame was, In part at
least, his own; for he had thought
lessly worded his telegram. "Will be
with you tomorrow afternoon" and 1t
was wholly like Quain that he should
have accented the statement OF It's