The Ozark spectator., 1916-09-01

feel an interloper. He couldn't know the truth about me or he wouldn't treat me like this.
 tality on false pretenses.
 Pm more obliged to you than can say. but I'm bound to make things clear l said I'm an innocent man. but I'm wanted by the police. I've got to tell you this, and I won't be sur prised if you kick me out"
 He smiled. That's all right. Don't let that interfere with your appetite
 We can talk about these things after dinner
 never ate meal with greater rel ish, for l had had nothing all day but railway sandwiches. Sir Walter did me proud. for we drank good cham
 pagne and had some uncommon fine
 port afterward.
 It made me almost hysterical to be
 sitting there, waited on by footman l and sleek butler and remember that I had been living for three weeks like brigand. with every mans hand against me 1 told Sir Walter about tiger fish In the Zambesi that bite off
 your fingers if you give them chance, and we discussed sport up and down | the globe. for he had hunted a bit in his day.
 We went to his study for coffee, Jolly room full of books and trophies
 and untidiness and comfort made up my mind that if ever got clear of this business and had .
 house of my own would create just
 such room Then when the coffee cups were cleared away and we had
 got our cigars alight my host swung
 his long legs over the side of his chair and bade me get started with my yarn. i've obeyed Hary's instructions he said, and the bribe he offered me
 was that you would tell me something
 to wake me up. I'm ready. Ms. Han
 nay"
 l proper name
 began at the very beginninx l 1 told of my boredom in London and the night had come back to find scnddcr gibbering on my doorstep l told him all Scudder had told me about Karo
 lides and the foreign office confer | ence. and that made him purse his lips and grin. Then I got to the murder. and he grew solemn again. He heard all about the milkman and my time in Galloway and my deciphering Scud
 der's notes at the inn. You've got them here?" he asked sharply and drew 6 tong breath when whipped the little book out of my | pocket
 said nothing of the contents. Then 1 described my meeting with Sir Harry and the speeches at the hall. At that
 he laughed uproariously. Harry talked dashed nonsense, did he? l quite believe 1t. He's as good q
 chap as ever breathed, but his idiot of ] an uncle has stuffed his head with
 maggots. Go on, Mir Hannay" My day as road man excited him a
 bit He made me describe the two fel- lows in the ear very closely and seem ed to be raking back in his memory,
 He grew merry agaiE when he heard
 of the fate of that f0as. l.funcelot Brown.
 | But the old man in the moortaHA
 house Solemnized him. Again had to
 describe every detail of his appearance
 Bland and baldheaded and hooded
 his eyes like bird. He sounds sinis-
 ter wild fowl. And you AVgamited his
 heriaitage after he had saved yS, from
 the pOiioef Spirited piece of work that
 Presently 1 reached the end of my
 wanderings. He got up slowly and
 looked down at me from the hesrth | rug.
 You may dismiss the police from | your mind" he said You're in no
 danger from the law of this land" Great Scottr' l cried Have they
 got the murdererY'
 No. But for the last fortnight they
 nave dropped you from the list of pos l sibll,ti&s.'
 "Why?' asked in amazement. Principally because l received let | ter from Scuddef. knew something
 of the man, and he did several jobs for me He was half crank. 6alf genius, f but he was wholly honest. The ,trou
 ble about him was his partiality for | pie ying \ lone hand That made him pretty we'll useless in any secret serv iee-a pity, for he he'd Yncommon gifts I think he was the bravest man In the ] world, for he was always shiyering I with fright, and yet nothing would choke bim of. had g Aetter from him on the 3ist of May
 "Bnt ne had been dead a week ay then
 The letter was written sud posted on the 23d. He evidently daG Hot an ] ticipate an immediate decease. His 1 communications usually took week
 to reach me. for they were sent under
 cover to Spain and then to Newcastle
 He had mania. you know. for con ! aoo limo htc tracks