The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-08-14


the messenger-my solicitor. by the
way. The Vienna trip Is out Of the
question, so far as | am concerned II
Is OF vital Importance that l should re
turn TO London tonight, but 1t Is ever
more vitality important that the world
should say that l am liz Vienna. See
what | mean?'
mo, I'm hanged If | do"
What ! have just heard from Lon
don makes me shudder to think Of the
consequences If | 60 on east tonight
may as well tell you that there Is q
plot on foot to p~erpetrate q gigantic
fraud against the people. The county
Council Is 10 be hoodwinked out and
out into moving forward certain build
Ing projects, involving millions Of the
peoples money. Our firm has opposed
a certain band of grafters, and when
! left England II was pretty well set.
tied that We had blocked their game
They have learned Of my proposed alb
sence and intend to steal q march on
US while | am away. Without assum'
Ing too much credit to myself, l may
say that /, your old friend, Roxbury
l am the n man who has proved the
real thorn In the sides Of these scoun'
drels With me out Of the way they
feel that they al secure the adoption
Of all these Infamous measures. My
partners and the leaders on nj side
have sent for me to return secretly
They won't bring the matter to issue II
they find that I've returned 1t would
be suicidal Therefore It Is necessary
that we steal a march on 'em- ! know
the inside workings Of the scheme
II | can steal back and keep under
cover as an advisory chief. 80 to speak,
We can well afford to let 'em rush the
matter through. for then we can spring
the coup and defeat them for good
and all. But, don't you see. old man,
unless they know that I've gone to
Vienna they won't undertake the thing.
That's why I'm asking you to 60 on
to Vienna and pose as Roxbury Med
croft while / steal back to London and
set the charge under these demmed
b~loodsuckers. Really, you know, it's
a terribly serious matter. Brock II
means fortune and honor to me, as
well as millions to the rate payers of
Greater London All you've got to do
is to register ut the Bristol. get inter.
viewed by the papers. attend m or
two sessions Of the convention, which
lasts three days, and then 60 OF into
the mountains with the Rodneys. The
society reporters will do the rest"
with the Rodneys? My dear fellow.
suppose that they object to the sub
stituton? Really. you know. it's not
to be thought Of"
deuce take 1t, man, the Rodneys
are not to know that there has been a
substitution. Perfectly simple. can't
you seer"
"Im ID II I dol"
"yhat a stupid ass you are, Brock!
The Rodneys have never laid eyes on
me. They know Of me as Edith's hus.
band, that's all. They r to take you
In as Medcroft. Of course"
At this point Brock set up an EN-.
phatic ~remOnstrance. He began by
laughing his friend to scorn; then. as
Medcroft persisted, went SO far as to
take him severely to task for the pro
posed imposition on the unsuspecting
Rodneys, to say nothing Of the trick he
would play upon the convention Of ar
chitects.
"I'd be recognized as an impostor,"
he said warmly, land booted out Of the
convention. | shudder to think of what
Mr.. Rodney will do to me when he
learns the truth. Why. Medcroft, you
must be crazy. There will be dozens
Of architects there who know you per.
or by sight. YOU
"My dear boy, If they don't e me
there they can't very well recognize
me, can they? II necessary you can
affect an illness and stay away from
the sessions altogether. Give a state,
ment to the press from the privacy of
the sickroom-regret your inability to
take part in the discussions and all
that, you know. Hire a nurse II neces-
sary. You might venture to express an
opinion or two on vital topics in my
name. I don't care a hang what you
say. I only want 'em to think I'm
there. No doubt III enemies will have
a spy or two hanging about to e that
I am actually of for a jaunt with the
Rodneys, but they will be Viennese.
and they won't know me from Adam
What's the odds, so long as Edith is
there to stand by your II she's willing
TO assume that you are her husLand"-
Good Lord!' half shouted Brock.
to his feet wide eyed. "You
mean to say that she is-is-is to
20 to Vienna with mef"
"Emphatically yes. She's also invit-
I'd. OF course she's going"
"You mean that she's going just as
you are going-by proxyT murmured
Brock ~helplessly.
"Proxy, the devil! Pom my soul.
Brock, you're downright stupid She
can't have a proxy. They know her
The Rodneys are in some way connec
tons Of hers. and all that-third cou-
sins. If she isn't there to vouch for
you, how the deuce a you expect to-
"Medcroft. you are crazy! No one
but an insane man would submit his
wife to- Why. good Lord, man, think
Of the scandal! She won't have a shred
AT the proper time the matter will
be explained to the Rodneys-not at
first von knnW-and IN be in a n0Si