The Monticellonian., 1916-05-11

vited to don a leather apron and smudge his face appropriately to his trade. Average Jones explained to him that on pretense of having found a rare book, he was to worm out of a cautious and probably suspicious crim- inal the nature of some unique and hidden feature of the volume.
 Trust me for diplomacy" said Bertram airily.
 'I will because I've got to-" retort- ed Average Jones. Well, get to work. To you the outer shop; to Warren and me this rear room. And, remember, If you hear me whetting a knife, that means come at once"
 Uncomfortably twisted into a sup posedly professional posture. Bertram wrought with hammer and last. The bell tinkled and the two watchers in the back room heard a nervous, culti- vated voice say:
 "1s MT. Fichtel here?"
 That's me-" said Bertram, landing an agonizing blow on his thumb nail.
 You advertised that you had found an old book"
 Yes, sir. Somebody left 1t in the post office"
 An; that must have been when I went to mail some letters to New York said the other glibly. From the advertised description, the book is without doubt mine. Now as to the reward"
 Excuse me- but you wouldn't expect me to give 1t up without any identif- cation, sir?"
 Certainly not. It was the De Meri- tis Libror-"
 T can't read Latin, sir"
 But you could make that much out said the visitor with rising exas. peration. Come; if it's a matter of the reward-how much2"
 T wouldn't mind having a good re- ward; say ten dollars. But I want to be sure it's your book There's some thing about it you could easily tell me sir, for anyone could see it."
 4 very observing shoemaker" com mented the other with a slight sheer You mean the-the half split cover"
 "Whish-swish whish-swish," sound ed from the rear room
 Excuse me-" said Bertram, who had not ceased from his pretended work T have to get piece of leather"
 He stepped into the back room where Average Jones, his face alight held up a piece of paper upon which he had hurriedly serawled:
 Mss bound into cover Get it out of him. Tell him you've a brother who is Latin scholar
 Bertram nodded, caught up a strip of ealfskin and returned
 "Yes, sir" he said, the split cover and what's inside?"
 The other started. You didn't get 1t out?" he cried. You didn't tear it!"
 No. sir. It's there safe enough But some of 1t can be made out"
 You said you didn't read Latin"
 'No, sir; but 1 have brother that went through the academy He reads little" This was thin ice. but Bert ram went forward with assumed assur- ance. He thinks the manuscript is quite rare Oh, Fritz! Come in.'
 Any letter of Bacon's is rare, of course" returned the other inpatient ly. Therefore. purpose offering you fifty dollars reward"
 He looked up as Average Jones en- tered. The young mans sleeves were rolled up, his face was generously smudged, and strip of cobbler's wax beneath the upper lip, puffed and dis torted the firm line of his mouth
 Lord Bacon's letter-er-must be pretty rare, mister" he drawled thick ly. But letter-er-from Lord Ba- con-er = about Shakespeare = that ought to be worth a lot of money"
 The visitor drew back Warren's gaunt frame appeared in the doorway. Jones head lifted.
 Tt ought to be as-er-unique, he drawled, "as an-er-ancient Roman speaking perfect English
 Like a flash. the false Livius caught up the knife from the bench where the false cobbler had dropped it and swung toward Average Jones' At the same moment the ample hand of Professor Warren, punched into highly compe- tent fist, licked across and caught the ~~~~.~-~~~~.o~~~S~o~ Ess~>s.~r-s...-