Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-09-04

called. sTm glad to see you.D he add
ed, coming to meet his guest, "but do
you mind telling me how you got in
here? Some poor wretch will lose
his job, you know, If Eleanor finds
out about this. When I'm in this
room. sacred to reflection and re-
search, it's a first-class crime to let
me be disturbed" 1t didn't need his
Sardonic grin to point the satire of his
words.
Rodney said CURLY: Eleanor sent
me up herself. didn't much want to
come, to tell the truth, when / heard
you were busy"
Eleanor! her husband repeated, 81
though, she'd gone out-with her poo
de-"
Rodney said, with unconcealed dis
taste: They were on the point of 60
ing out when 1 came in. That's how
Eleanor happened to see me-"
With visible effort Randolph re-
covered more normal manner. I'm
glad it happened that way" he said.
Get yourself drink. You'll find any
thing you want over there, guess, and
something to smoke; then we'll sit
down and have an old-fashioned talk"
The source of drinks he indicated
was a well-stocked cellarette at the
other side of the room. But Rodney's
eye fell first on decanter and siphon
on the table, within reach of the chair
Randolph had been sitting in.
Il don't believe want anything more
to drink just now" Rodney said. And,
as ne followed Rodney's glance, Ran
dolph allowed himself another sardonic
grin.
The preliminaries were gone through
rather deliberately; chairs drawn up
and adjusted, ash-trays put within
reach; cigars got going satisfactorily.
But the talk they were supposed to
prepare the way for, didn't at once be-
gin.
Randolph took another stiffish drink
and settled back into dull, sulIen alb
straction. Finally, for the sake of say
ing something, Rodney remarked !:
'This is wonderful room, isn't it?"
Randolph reused himself. 'Never
been in here before?" he asked. "Well
then, here's two more rooms you must
See"
The first one, opening from the study,
explained it's purpose at q glance, with
a desk and typewriter, and filing cabi-
nets around the walls. Rubber floor"
Randolph pointed out, ''felt ceiling; abb
solutely sound-proof. Here's where
my stenographer sits all day, ready
like a fireman. And this" he conclud-
ed, leading the way to the other room,
sis the holy Of holies."
1t had a rubber floor, too, and, Rod
ney supposed, felt ceiling. But its
only furniture was one chair and a
canvas cot.
"Sound-proof too" said Randolph.
'But sounding boards or something in
al, the walls. press this button, start
dictaphone, and talk in any direc-
ton, anywhere. It's all taken down.
Here's where I'm supposed to think,
make discoveries and things. | tried it
for a while"
They went back into the study.
Clever beasts, Encyclopedias" he
remarked, as he nodded Rodney to his
chair and poured himself another
drink. Learn their tricks very nicely.
But, good heavens, Aldrich, think of
him as man. Think what our Amer
lean married women are up against,
when they want somebody to play off
against their husbands and have to fall
back on tired little beasts like that.
Eleanor doesn't mean anything. She's
trying to make me jealous. That's her
newest experiment.. But it's downright
pitiful, say"
Rodney got up out of his chair. 1t
wasn't a possible conversation. "Tll
be running along, think" he said.
I've a lot of proof to correct tonight,
and you've got work of your own, l
expect"
"Sit down again." said Randolph
sharply. "Pm just getting drunk. But