The Washington herald., 1915-10-10
The Latest Adventures of the Wonderful Cleek

Cleek. lifting from among the collec-
tion of silverware a circular tin uten-
sill with a looped handle and per-
forated lid. Il mistook it at first for
Ever see II before, Sir Purdon?
! Never in the world. I can't ina gine
how the thing got here. Mr.. Cleek.
never laid eyes on 1t before in all
my life"
ITO be sure! 1t wouldn't be observ-
able among all these silver things,
unless-you were looking for some-
thing Of the sort. I was! This inno-
cent little apScle-which you will OBJ
serve, Sir P0Ydon, is slightly discol-
ored by the action Of heat on the bot
tom and about the base-is the re-
ceptacle from which arose the COM
ponent parts of young Roger Star
bolts deceptive Black Cloth
| "Cleek, Dear chap, My hat"
Just SO, Mr.. Narkom-put it on:
! it's time for us to be going. l am
very anxious to have a look at this
Mr. Roger Starbolt and also to have
J II Sir Purdon will do US the honor
of inviting US to accompany him to
his home"
| Judged by the standard of the
wholesome. unaffected, manipulating
sire, Cleek found the son a decided
disappointment. Mr.. Avery Mace was
that exact type of "goody -goody'
young man which he most disliked.
He was thin, he was anaemic. he was
lantern jawed and lank haired: he
was everything that the son Of his
| father ought not to be; and Cleek.
| comparing him with Fessenden-
whose personality interested him i'm
mensely. II one might Judge from ap-
pearances, when he FIRST beheld him
decided that the tVtler was far and
| away the better looking and more
] gentlemanlike man Of the two.
This is a melancholy business. in
deed. Mr.. Cleek." said young Mace.
! acknowledging the introduction with a
| simple nod.
Don't let it worry you. my dear sir.
| The ring will be recovered. I promise
you. Also it will expedite that recov-
cry if you will kindly answer ques-
| tion or two
Il? My dear sir I object to that
| remark. You don't suppose that any
| thing could say would have any
| bearing upon this abominable theft?
Good heavens. pater-"
, Don't be so quick to take offense.
Cleek and have been discussing the
matter on the way. and he merely
wishes to ask you a quite reasonable
question. 1t is about your keys-to
the establishment. you know. He
thinks-and correctly-that as you
expected to spend the evening at
Lady Flavia's and would, naturally be
wearing your evening clothes, that a
bunch of keys"
k,,x Ca
know what a gentleman may or may
not do under such circumstances.
without any hints from Scotland Yard.
my dear sir turning TO Cleek. Il
am sorry to spoil any Of your pre-
conceived notions of what is admis-
sible with evening clothes. but it hap
pens that I did carry my bunch of
keys with me last night. No doubt
Sir Purdon has told you that it was
my intention to call at the ONCE and
get the ring from Starbolt, and as it
is not our custom to leave the street
door unlocked. and I certainly had
no notion of standing on the pave
ment knocking for admission and
waiting, like a servant, for the fell
low to let me in. the keys were. of
course. a necessity"
One key certainly; Mr.. Mace. but
not the bunch. I was wondering if
you might not have detached that
particular key from the ring and left
the rest behind"
oh, 1 see what you mean. No-I
didn't. I had a lesson on that point once
upon a time. when I took my latch.
key off the bunch and left the others
behind-and the wretched things
didn't turn up for days and days aft
erward"
"Ah," said Cleek. very mildly-and
smiled so that. naturally. profting
by that you have never done the same
thing again. eh?"
"No-certainly not. In fact, I
couldn't if I tried. l had the split ring
soldered so that I couldn't-even by
mistake. Anything more that you care
to ask?''
Nothing, thank you. You have SIM
plifed the matter great deal Mr..
Mace: and now. If Sir Purdon will be
so kind. l think I'd like to go up and
have a look at young Starbolt and
Er-butler'"
Yes. sir" replied Fessenden. an
swering the call and coming feetly
forward
Il should like to go up and see the
injured young man. but I am told that
his mother is with him. Just run up
ahead will you and prepare her for
her at an awkward moment"
Very good. SIR" said Fessenden.
and vanished like well-trained
shadow. and. a minute later. Cleek
and Sir Purdon and Mr.. Narkom. fol-
lowing his lead. went indoors and up
stairs and into the modest little room
on the top floor which once had been
Fessenden's quarters but now gave
haven to a sarrowing woman and her
stricken son.
Cleek was the last of the three TO
enter. Pausing on the threshold-with
Fessenden standing aside and holding
the door open for him to pass in
he looked. with narrowing eyes and
puckered lips at the touching spec
tacle before him. and then, as if car
ried out of himself. gave tongue to
his thoughts.
Who found him."
IT did, sir II was my evening off
Beg pardon? Yes. very rough on him.
sir-very indeed. Rough on me. too.
for the matter Of that-having to turn
out of my comfortable quarters and
go into lodgings outside. But. Of
course. there was nothing for II but
that. Ten guests and not a room va
cant in the whole house"
Well there Is now. That Captain
What's-his-Name's. They could put
him in there. Suppose I suggest it to
Sir Purdon? Like to get back to your
own quarters. wouldn't you. eh?"
Fessenden's whole face lit up and
his eyes fairly shone.
Wouldn't I-Just,' he replied.