Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-12-24
"And--but I LA ezplain later"

the detective. which showed a curious
mixture of several opposing emo 4
tons. Now. the fellow was actually
in a tremble of hope or Impotence
and, not content with listening. he
peered every few minutes down the .
we'll of the staircase, and when he /.
was not doing that, tramped from end .
to end of the narrow passage-way sep .
arating the head of the stairs from the !
door he had pointed out, like one to 4
whom minutes were hours. But when,
after some half hour of this tedium
and suspense, there rose from below
the faint clatter of ascending foot
steps, he remembered his meek com.
panion and beckcning him to one side,
began a studied conversation with
him, showing him notebook in which
he had written such phrases as these:
Don't look up till he is fairly in
range with the light.
There's nothing to fear; he doesn't
know either OF US.
If it is q face you have seen before
if it is the one we are expecting to
see, pull your necktie straight. It's a
little on one side.
The man they were waiting for was
no further up than the second floor,
but instinctively Georges hand had
flown to his neclztie, and he was only
stopped from its premature rear
rangement by a. warning look from
Sweetwater.
mot unless you know him." whis-
pered the detective.
Suddenly the steps below paused.
and George heard Sweetwater draw in
his breath in irrepressible dismay
But they were Immediately resumed,
and presently the head and shoulders
/ of a workingman of uncommon pro-
! portions appeared in sight on the
/ stairway.
! George cast him keen look, and
his hand rose doubtfully to his neck
and then fell back again. The. ap-
preaching man was tall, very welI-pro-
portioned and easy of carriage; but
the face-such of it as could be seen
between his cap and the high collar he
had pulled up about his ears. con-
veyed no exact impression to Georges
mind, and he did not dare to give the
signal Sweetwater expected from him.
You're not sure?" he now heard,
oddly interpolated in the stream OF
half-whispered talk with which the
other endeavored TO carry off the sit
uation.
George shook his head He could
not rid himself OF the old impression
he had formed of the man in the
snow.
Mr.. Dunn, word with you" sud
denly spoke up Sweetwater. to the
man who had just passed them
That's your name, isn't it,"
Yes, that is my name" was the
quiet response, in a voice which wa
at once rich and resonant. Who ar:a
you who wish to speak to me at sc
late an hour?"
well, We are--you know what,
smiled the ready detective, advancing
halfway to greet him. We're not
members of the Associated Brother
hood, but possibly have hopes of be
ing so. At all events, we should like
to talk the matter over, if, as you
say, it's not 100 late"
81 have nothing TO do with the
club"
But you spoke before It,"
yes"
Then you can give US some sor
of an idea how we are to apply fol
membership"
Mr.. Dunn met the concentrated gazt
of his two evidently unwelcome Wis
itors with a frankness which dashed
/ Georges confidence in himself bu
made little visible impression upol
his daring companion.
Il should rather see you at another
time" said he. But" his hesitation
was inappreciable save to the nices
ear-"if you will allow me to be brief
will tell you what know-which il
very little
Sweetwater was greatly takel
aback All he had looked for, as h
was careful to tell my husband later
was a sufficiently prolonged CONVEX
sation to enable George 10 mark an,
study the workings of the face he wa
: not yet sure of. Nor did the detect
, i've feel quite easy at the READINGS
of. his reception, nor any too wei
l pleased to accept the invitation whic
| mis- man now gave them to enter hi
| room.
| The room, like many others in thes
| old-fashioned tenements, had a 10
just where the door was, so that O.
entering they had to take severa
| steps before they could get a fu
| glimpse OF its four walls. When the
did, both showed surprise.
The man who lived here was nc
only student, as was evinced by
long wall full of books, but he was a
art-loyer, musician, an inventor an
an athlete. So much could be learne
from the most cursory glance A NOR
II careful one picked up other fact
\ fully as startling and impressive. Tn
books were choice; the invention {
all appearance practical one; the al
of high order and the music, such a
was in view, of q character of whic
the incest taste need not be ashamet
George began 20 feel quite consciou
of the intrusion of which they ha
been guilty, and was amazed at tn
ease with which the detective carrie
!. himself in the presence of such man
f, festations of culture and good, har