The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1917-01-11

Hugh Whitaker before the day Of judy
ment, looked at and through him with
out a hint of recognition; but his wife
was another person altogether. WHIT
aker could not be blind to the surprise
and perlexity that shOne In her eyes,
even though he pretended to be blind
to her uncertain nod; long after mis-
back alone was visible to her ne could
feel her inquiring stare boring into
it,, ",.
The incident made him think; ana
he remembered that he was now
man of Independent fortune and OF
idle hands as well. After prolonged
consideration he suddenly decided
told LYNCH to look out for his inter-
ests and expect him back when ne
should see him, and booked for London
by a Royal Mail boat-all IN haf
day. From London Mr.. Hugh Morteh
crossed Immediately to New York on
the Olympic, landing in the month OF
April-nearly six years to day from
the time he had left his native land.
He put up at the Ritz-Carlton, pre-
cisely as any foreigner might be ex-
pected to do, and remained Hugh MOT
ten while he prowled around the city
and found himself. Now and again IN
tha course of his wanderings he en-
countered well-remembered faces, out
always without eliciting the slightest
CLEAN of recognition; circumstances
that only went to prove how tnor-
oughly dead and buried he was IN the
estimation Of his day and generation.
Nothing, indeed, seemed as ne re-
membered it. But his ultimate ana Ut
for awakening to the truth that MS
home had outgrown him fell upon the
fourth afternoon following his return
| when a total but most affable gentle
| man presented himself to Whitaker
consideration with a bogus name anu
a genuine offer IT, purchase MIN
drink, and promptly attempted to en-
| mesh him in a confidence game that
had degenerated into vaudeville JOKE
in the days when both OF them nao
| worn knickerbockers. Whitaker pri-
vately admitted that he was out
classed, that it was time for him to
seek the protection of his friends.
He began with Drummond. The lat-
ter, of. course, had moved his omces'
Whitaker found him independently es-
| tablished In an imposing suite IN the
Woolworth Building-found him an
ashenfaced man of thirty-hve, VINO
cIutched the side of his roll-top desk
as If to save himself from falling.
"Whitakerw he gasped. my God!'
"Flattered," said Whitaker. I'm
sure.
He derived considerable mischievous
amusement from Drummond's patent
IStupefaction. It was all so right ana
proper-as it should have been. he
considered his a highly satisfactory
resurrection. Seldom does scene
pass off as one plans it; but Drummono
played up his part in most pubic
spirited fashion-gratifying, to say
the least.
It took him some minutes to recov'
er, Whitaker standing by and beaming
He remarked changes, changes as
striking as the improvement In Drum
mond's fortunes. Physically his ex
partner had gone off a bit; the seden
tary life led by the average successIul
man of business In New YoEk nae
marked his person Enthusiastically. Only
his face seemed as 1t had always beer
sharply handsome and strong. Whit
aker remembered that he had always
somewhat meanly envied Drummonc
his good looks; he himself had beer
fashioned after the new order Of archi
tecture-with a steel frame.
He discovered that they were Dotr
talking at observation-disclosures, not
without surprise, that he had grea'
deal more enlightenment to impart e
Drummond than he had foreseen.
you've got an economical streak II
you when it comes to correspondence
Drummond commented, offering Whit
aker a sheet Of paper he had just
taken from a tin document-box. That's
Exhibit A."
Whitaker read aloud!
Dear D.: I'm not feeling wen, 90 on
for a vacation. Burke has Just been In
and paid 8. 500 in settlement OF our claim
I'm enclosing herewith my check for your
H n. W.
~Far be It from me to cast up" said
Drummond; but I'd like to know why
the deuce you couldn't let q fellow
tynovv how fl Won were"