Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-02-20
CspyriSht. 1918. by the Bobbs-herrill
Company
CHAPTER vi.
HEron Tears to Smiles"

thorship. a CODY of New York paper
that he claimed to get each mornihs
from the station agent, and whlcn
helped him greatly, he said, In MS
eternal search for the woman. AS
the meal passed, Mr.. Magee glanced
Il through. Twice he looked up from
il to study keenly his queer compan-
ions at Baldpate inn. Finally he hand
ed it across the table to the haper-
dasher. The dull yellow sun OF
winter morning drifted in from the
white outdoors; the fire sputtereo
gayly in the CRATE; also Mr.. PETERS
failing for literature interferred In
no way with his talents as COOK.
The three finished the repast in great
good humor, and Mr.. Magee handed
round cigars.
"Gentlemen," he remarked, push
ing back his chair, I'VE find ourselves
in a peculiar position. Three lone
men, knowing nothing of one another'
we have sought the solitude OF 6alo-
nate inn at almost the same moment.
Why? Last night, before you came
Professor Bolton, Mr.. Bland gave me
as his reason for being here the story
of Arabella, which 1 afterward ap-
propriated as a joke and gave as
nv own reason. 1 related to Mr..
Bland the fiction about the artist ana
the besieging novelists. We swappeo
stories when you came. 1t was our
merry little method of doubling each
others word. Perhaps 1t was pao
taste. At any rate, looking at 1t IN
the morning light, 1 am inclined 10
return Mr.. BANDS Arabella, ana
no questions asked. He is again the
lovelorn haberdasher. l am inclined
to believe, implicitly, your story
That is my proposition. No doubts
of one another. We are here TOT
whatever reasons we say we are.
The professor nodded gravely.
Last night" went on Mr.. Magee,
there was some talk between MI.
Bland and myself about one of us
leaving the inn. Mr.. Bland demanded
it. l trust he sees the matter differ
entity this morning. 1 for one should
be sorry to see him CO.
I've changed my mind said Mr.
Bland. The look on his face was not
pleasant one.
"I have a letter to Mr.. Quimby
from my old friend John Bently,'
said the professor, (which 1 am sure
will win me the caretaker's warm re-
gard"
Mr.. Magee looked at Bland.
III get Andy Rutter on the wire,'
said that gentleman. "Quimoy Will
listen to him, guess
Maybe" remarked Magee care
lessly. who is Rutter?'
He's manager of the inn when it's
open," answered Bland. He looked
suspiciously at Magee. II only know
him slightly" he added.
"Those matters you will arrange
for yourselves" Mr.. Magee went on.
II shall be very glad for your COM
me or not-I forgot, we agreed to be-
lieve. didn't we?-I am here to do
some writing. I'm going up to my
room now to do a little work. All 1
ask of you gentlemen is that, as a
favor to me, you refrain from shoot
ing at each other while 1 am gone.
You see, 1 am trying to keep crude
melodrama out of my stuff
IT am sure" remarked Professor
Bolton, that the use of firearms as
q means of social diversion between
Mr.. Bland and myself is unthought
Of"
IT hope So" responded Magee.
There, then, the matter rests. We
are here-that is ALL" He hesitated,
as though in doubt. Then with, de-
cisive motion, he drew toward him
the New York paper. With his eyes
on the headlines of the first page
he continued: II shall demand no
further explanations. And except for
this once 1 shall make no reference to
this story in the newspaper, to the ef-
feet that early yesterday morning in
q laboratory at one of our leading
universities young assistant instruct
or was found dead under peculiar
circumstances" He glanced keenly
at the baldheaded little man across
from him. Nor shall 1 make con-
yersation of the fact" he added, that
the professor of chemistry at the
university, a man past middle age,
respected highly in the university
circle is missing"
An oppressive silence followed this
remark. Mr.. BANDS sly eyes sought
quickly the professors face. The
older man sat straight at his plate;
then he raised his head and the round
spectacles were turned full on Ma
gee.
You are very kind" said Professor
Bolton evenly.
There is another story in this pa
per-" went on Mr. Magee, glancing at
the haberdasher, that. it seems to
me. l ought to taboo as table talk at
Baldpate inn. 1t relates that a few
days ago the youthful cashier of a
bank in small Pennsylvania town
disappeared with 100000 of the
banks funds. No." he concluded
I'VE are simply here, gentlemen, and
| am very glad to let it go at that
Mr.. Bland sneered knowingly.
II should think you would be" he
said. IF you'll turn that paper over
You'll read on the back page that day
before yesterday a lot of expensive
paintings in a New York millionaire's
house were cut from their frames
and that the young artist who was do
ing retouching in the house at the
time had been just careless enough