The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-02-04
CHAPTER XIV.

| stair.
CHAPTER XIV.
THE SECRET OF THE CABINET.
Godfrey bade me goodbye at the
| dock and FASTENED away to the office
| to write his story, which, / could guess,
| would be concerned with the manners
| OF Americans, especially with Grady's.
| AS for me. that whiff OF salt air had
put an unaccustomed edge to my ap-
| petite, and I took cab to Murray's,
| deciding 10 spend the remainder of the
evening there. over good dinner. Elk
cept in certain mood, Murray's does
| not appeal to me; the pseudo-Grecian
| Gazing down its steps, the make-believe
| clouds which float across the ceiling,
| the tables Of glass lighted from be-
| neath-all this ordinarily. seems triv-
| ial and banal; but occasionally in an
| esoteric mood, like Murray's, and
can even find something picturesque
| and romantic in bright gowns, and
| cleaning shoulders. and handsome
faces seen amid these bizarre surround
| ings. And then, OF course, there is al
ways the cooking, which leaves moth
| ing to be desired.
was in the right mood tonight for
| the enjoyment Of the place, and
embled through the dinner in a fashion
so leisurely and trifled so long over
coffee and cigaret that it was Tar past
| 10 o'clock when came out again into
| Forty-second street. After an in
stant's hesitation. decided to walk
home. and turned back toward Broad
way. already filing with the after
| theater crowd.
Often as have seen 1t, Broadway
| at night is still a fascinating place to
me, with its blazing signs, its chang
ing crowds, its changing street traffic,
| It's bright shop windows. Grady was
right in saying that gay Paree" had
nothing like 1t; nor has any other city
that know. 1t is. indeed, unique and
| thoroughly American; and walked
along It that night in the most leisure
| ly fashion, savouring 1t to the full;
| pausing, now and then. for q glance
! at a shop window, and stopping at the
Hoffman house-now denuded, alas! Of
| its Bouguereau-to replenish my sup
| ply OF cigarets.
Reaching Madison square, at last, !
| walked out under the trees, as l al
most always do. to have a look at the
Flatiron building. white against the
! sky. Then glanced up at the Met
| ropolitan tower. higher but far less
| romantic in appearance, and saw by
the big Illuminated clock that 1t was
| nearly 1880.
| crossed back over Broadway, at
last. and turned down Twenty third
| street in the direction Of the Marathon,
when. just at the corner, came face
to face with three men as they swung
| around the corner in the same direc-
| ton, and. with little start, recog-
nized Grady and Simmonds, with NJ.
| Pigot between them. Evidently Grady
| had felt II incumbent upon himself to
| make good his promise in the most
liberal manner. and TO display the won
| ders of the Great White Way from end
| to end-the ceremony no doubt invol-
| wing the introduction OF the stranger
to a number OF typical American
.drinks-and the result of all this was
that Grady's legs wobbled perceptibly.
| AS a matter OF racial comparison, I
| glanced at M. Pigot's, but they seemed
| In every way normal
Hello, Lester" said Simmonds, in
q voice which showed that he had not
| wholly escaped the influences of the
| evenings celebration; and even Grady
condescended to nod. from which I in
ferred that he was feeling very unus-
ually happy.
Hello" Simmonds," answered,
| and. as turned westward with them,
| he dropped back and fell into step be-
side me.
"Piggott is certainly a wonder" he
| said. "a regular sport-wanted to see
| everything and taste everything. He
says Paris amt in the same class with
| this town."
Where are you going now?" asked.
Were going round to the station.
Plggott says he's got sensation up
his sleeve for ,us-it's got something to
| do with that cabinet"
with the cabinet?"
"Yes-that shiny thing Godfrey got
| me to lock up In a cell"
'Simmonds," / said, seriously does
godfrey know about this?"
mo" said Simmonds, looking a little
uncomfortable. 1T told Grady we
ought to phone him to come up. but
the chief got mad and told me to mind
my own business. Godfrey's been aft
er him, you know, for a long time"
Suppose I phone him." suggested
"There'd be no objection TO that. would
there?"
Ct won't object" said Simmonds,
land don't know who else win, since
| nobody else will know about it,"
"All right. And drag out the pre-
liminaries as long as you can, to give
him chance to get up here
Simmonds nodded.
TN do what can" he agreed, but
I don't see what good 1t will do. The
chief won't let him in. even If he does
come up"
Wen have to leave that to Godfrey
But he ought to be- told. He's respon-
| sible for the cabinet being where 1t is -
Il know he Is, and Piggott says 1t was
| a mighty wise thing to put It there
though I'm blessed If I know why,
| Hurry Godfrey along as much as you
can. Good night" and he followed his
| companions into the station.
There was drugstore at the corner
with a public telephone station, and
two minutes later, was asking to be
connected with the city room at the
| Record office. ....
No, said a supercilious voice, Mr..
| Godfrey was not there; he had left
some time before: no, the speaker did
not know where he was going, nor when
he would be back.
Look here" said, this is import
ant. want to talk to the city editor
md be quick about it."
There was an instant's astonished