The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-08-12
Wallingford In His Prime
By GEORGE RANDOLPH CHESTER
continusd.,
Copyright. 1913. by the Bobbs-
 Merrill, Go.
kea.sSs.@E%4:@S+st+

''Henry CIosby,' affirmed the driver with promptness that shocked Black ie, for he had only talked at whimsical ra ndom, forgetting that in every town there is at least one man whose unex- plained goings and comings are am ag- gravation and an insult.
 Describe that man," demanded Blackie
 'eWell,'' obeyed the driver carefully and accurately, Henry Closby is a bachelor, about five foot nine, fair to middlin', heavy set dresses like a dude, has pink fsce, wears fancy eyeglasses, with little dingus like a spring tapeneasHre to wind up the string: has blue eyes and shiny black hair and beard and mustache He keeps the general store
 r Not the party, declared Blackie dejected1y and with an honest impulse to clear the unknown@Closby from un- just suspicion. Then his whimsical nature came uppermost again, and in Hpite of himself he added, Unless he disguises.''
 By jinks, I never thought of that!'' exclaimed the driver, struck by the startling supposition- .fWhiskers is the easiest disguise there is. reckon
 t'It isn't the man, hastily insisted Blackie, angry with himself for hav- ing persisted in harning total stran- ger. "Is it, Jim? ?''
 seNo," snapped Wa1lingford, strug- gling between amusement and annoy ance. -sThe man we're after is small and skinny"
 The driver was silently thoughtful for three full blocks. well, Henry -C1osby might be padded up," he sagely concluded.
 Opposite the hotel stood the court house. a Greek temple with ex-sanded wooden columns. Down the steps and back into the portico had been sloped a warped and riekety wooden grand stand. Along the two sides of the square, stretching in front of the hit -and-miss board sidewalks, from the hotel to the courthouse, stood perma- nent booths, which were now providing Indigestion and amusement to the wis itors from the resorts in the surround ing hills.
 Come on, Jim: let's join the festiv1- ttes,'' urged Blackie.
 Lets finish our dinner,'' fmplored Wallingford, who was heavy after meals.
 -r'I've got . little informa ton for you. Wa1lingford turned and found, stooping to sit beside him, a fat faced, thin old man with big silk bow at his collar. He put his hairy forefnger on Wallingfords knee for impressivenees. Henry C1osby goes to Chicago, but he gets his letters from New York. I reckon that's queer.'
 'sI don't know MT. Closby," returned WalIingford uncomfortably and with a vicious glance at Blackie
 Certainly not" agreed the native. with sly smile and tap of his finger Wallingford moved his knee, but the finger followed ssThat's the trouble with Henry C1osby. Nobody knows him. Now, I'm the postmaster and a member of the city council, and reckon know more about folks than any man in this town.''
 Wallingford suddenly gripped the postmaster by the hand, and his big pink face radiated with pleasure.
 The very man wished to meet" he heartily asserted. Wont you have a cigar with me?''
 sstMuch obliged accepted the post master, putting the cigar in his pocket. tG don't smoke, but my brother Enoch does. He's member of the city coun- ' Gil, too, and runs the livery, feed and sale stable and undertaking establish ment-"
 Present my compliments to your brother Enoch," offered Wallingford Docs your son or your son-in-1aw smoke, Mr.-NIr. ''--s- fBoKler-Ro postmaster William Boy ler," admitted that gentleman, accept ing another cigar quite promptly. "I handle all the mail, and can get facts that nobody else can. If there's any rewardv-
 You'll get yours" interrupted Wal Hngferd. "Just now I don't think it would be wise for us to be seen talk ing together too much
 WaIlingfofd found Blackie in earnest converse with lean and sallew gen tleman who cracked the joints of his knuckies ceaselessly when he talked.
 ~Ldsten!' said Blackie to Walling- ford in hoarse whisper and, clutch ing him by. the arm drew both men into the darkest corner of the porch This is MT. Walter Kerr, a member of the city council and proprietor of the drug store, and he probably knows more about folks than any man in this town"
 Mr. WaIlingford shook hands with ] the gentleman whose elbow creaked \ and listened.
 Now, see what you make of this" E whispered Blackie impressively 'Mr ' Kerr says that Henry Closby frequent ly buys powdered orrfs reotr' More than all the rest of my GUS ] toner's put together supplemented MT Kerr in a whisper that cracked into a shrilI falsetto at all the em- phatic words. Buys more than pound a week and always a fresh pound when he goes to Chicago
 ''See!- eagerly triumphed BIackie ~Isn,t that about in line with what we suspected, YardT'
 walltngford, suddenly aware that Blackfe was addressing him, grunted. ''T beg your pardon, MT. Wa1ling- trord corrected Blaclkie, covered with eonfusion. ''The secret slipped. MT. Kerr, this is MT. Scotland Yard, the great English detective, but of course