Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-12-15

name and fame OF CaZaleC as natural
topic Of conversation. Twice his host
had listened with adamantine polite
ness; this time he was enjoying quite
the second-best liqueur brandy to be
had at the Rag; and he leaned back
in his chair.
"You were rather impressed with
him, weren't your" said Captain Ayl'
mer. "Well, frankly, wasn't. but It
may have been my fault
II was only going to ask you one
thing about Mr.. Cazalet," Toye said,
land l guess I've reason for asking,
though there's no time to state it now.
What did you think of him. Captain
Aylmer, on the whole?"
"Ah, there you have me. On the
whole is just the difficulty" said Ayl.
mer, answering the straight question
readily enough. 81 thought he was a
very good chap as far as Naples, but
after Genoa he was another being I've
sometimes wondered what happened in
his three or four days ashore"
"Three or four. did you say?"
And at the last moment Toye would
have played Wedding Guest to Ayl-
mer's Ancient Mariner.
"Yes; you see, he knew these Ger
man boats waste q couple of days at
Genoa, so he landed at Naples and did
his Italy overland. Rather good idea,
I thought, especially as he said he
had friends in Rome; but We never
heard of 'em beforehand, and should
have let the whole thing strike me bit
sooner if I'd been Cazalet. Soon
enough to take a handbag and a
toothbrush. eh? And l don't think
should have run it quite so fine at
Genoa, either. But there are rum
birds in this world, and always will
be-"
Toye felt one himself as he picked
his way through St. James square.
II it had not been just after lunch, he
would have gone straight and had a
cocktail, for of course he knew the
only place for them. What he did was
to slue round out Of the square, and
to obtain for the asking. at another
old haunt, on Cockspur street, the
latest little timetable Of continental
trains. This he carried, not on foot
but in taxi, to the Savoy Hotel,
where It kept him busy in his own
room for the best part Of another hour.
But by that time Hilton Toye looked
moro than an hour older than on Sit
ting down ut his writing-table with
pencil, paper and the little book Of
trains; he looked Mortified, he looked
distressed, and yet no looked crafty.
determined and immensely alive. He
proceeded. however. to take some Of
tho life out of himself. and to add still
more to his apparent age, by repair
ing for moro inward light to Turk
ish bath.
Now the only Turkish bath. accord
ing to Hilton Toye's somewhat exclus-
i've code, was not even a hundred
yards from Cazalet's hotel: and there
the visitor Of the morning again pre-
scented himself before the afternoon;
now merely q little worn, as a man
will look after losing a stone an hour
on a warm afternoon, and bit blue
again about the chin, which Of course
looked little deeper and stronger on
that account. sNEGf s%,...s.,s..a
Cazalet was not in: his friend would
wait, and in fact waited over an hour
In the little lounge. An evening paper
was. offered to him; he took it listless-
ly, scarcely looked at it at first, then
tore it in his anxiety to find something
he had quite forgotten-from the
newspaper end. But he was waiting
as stoically. as before when Cazalet
arrived in tremendous spirits.
"Stop and dine!" he cried out At
once.
"sorry I can't; got to 60 and sec
somebody" said Hilton Toye.
Then you must have a drink"
mo, I thank you" said Toye, with
the decisive courtesy OF total ab'
stainer.
"You look as ii you wanted ono; you
don't look bit it," said Cazalet. most
kindly.
"Nor am I, sir" exclaimed Toye.
II guess London's no place for me in
the fall. Just as we'll. too. l judge.
since I've got to light out again
straight away"
"You haven't"
Eyes, sir, this very night. That's
the worst OF business that takes you
to all the capitals of Europe in turn.
It takes you so long to fit around that
you never know when you've got to
start in again"
(Which capital is it this timer" said
Cazalet. His exuberant geniality had
been dashed very visibly for the mo-
ment. But already his high spirits
were reasserting themselves; indeed,
a cynic with an ear might have caught
the note of sudden consolation in the
question that Cazalet asked so briskly.
Got to go down to Rome" said
Toye, watching the effect of his
words.
But you've just come back from
there!" Cszalet looked no worse than
puzzled.
mo, sir, I missed Rome out; that
was my mistake, and here's this stu
alton been developing behind my
back"
"What situation?"
"Oh, why, it wouldn't interest you!
But I've got to 60 down to Rome
- nd