Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1912-05-31
asse been quickly reached BY
across the indian peninsula.

sSiOne thd tnuiAh peninsula
Now Quain's letter TO Labertouche
went by this quicker route and SO an
ticipatsd Amber's arrival At the capt
tai Of India by about week; during
an Of which time 1t languished I'M
A nice young English boy In Mr..
Labertoucbe's employ received and
stamped II with the date Of delivery
and put II away with the rest OF the
incoming correspondence in sub
stantlsl-looking safe. After which he
returned to his desk IN the anteroom
and resumed his study Of the law;
which he pursued comfortably enough
with 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 Inn
parting TO all and sundry the Informs
ton that Mr.. Labertouche was some.
where up in the Mofussil. hunting
hugs--I don't know exactly where"
Precisely why Mr.. Lebeftouche
maintained his Office was a matter for
casual conjecture 70 hts wide circle OF
acquaintances: although it's not I'M
likely that. were he the subject OF dis
cussion, the bulk Of the wonder ex-
pressed would be inspired by his UNI
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
Hood, 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
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
q cigarette.
an especially dirty and travel-worn
Attit meudicant 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 halfhour
the clerk consumed two cigarettes
and entertained a visitor in the per-
son of dapper little Greek curio-
dealer from the Lai bazaar, who left
behind him an invitation to Mr.. La
bertouche to call and inspect some
scarabs in which he had protested
an interest. II was quite a fresh I'm
portation, averred the Greek; the
clerk was to be careful TO remember
that.
When he had gone the clerk made
q note of It, Then, CHANGING out Of
the window, he became aware that
the Attlt mendicant, for some reason
dissatisfied, was preparing to move
on. Yawning. the clerk resumed his
street coat, and went out to lunch,
carelossly leaving the door unlocked,
and the memorandum of the Greeks
invitation exposed upon his blotter
When he returned at three o'clock,
the door Of Mr.. Labertouche's private
Office was aiar and that gentleman
was at his desk. The memorandum
was, however, gone.
Mr.. Labertouche was in the pro
cess of opening and reading ten
days accumulation of correspondence
an occupation which he suspended
temporarily to call his clerk in and
receive his report This proved to be
q tolerably lengthy session. for the
clerk. whose name appeared to be
Frank, demonstrated his command OF
a surprising memory Without notes
he enumerated the callers at the Of
fee day by day from the time when
Labertouche had left for the Mofussil
with his specimen box and the rest
Of his bug-hunting paraphernalia nam.
ing those known TO his employer.
infinitely describing all others. even
repeating their words with almost
Photographic fidelity
Labertouche listened intently. with
cut interrupting, abstractedly tapping
his desk with paper-cutter At the
end he said Thank you" with a dry,
preoccupied air; and resumed consid-
GRAFTON of his letters. These seemed
to interest him little; one after the
other he gave TO his clerk. saying;
File that" or Answer that so-and-
thusly," Two he set aside for his
personal disposition, and these he
took up again after the clerk had
been dismissed. The first he read
and reconsidered for a long time;
then crumpled II up and drawing to
him small tray of hammered brass,
dropped the wadded paper upon it
and touched match to II, thoughtful
ly poking the blazing sheets with his
papercutt until they were altogeth
er reduced to ashes.
Ouoin's UaS tho aanond Iattar Hav.