Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-04-09
The Mousetrap.

The Mousetrap.
Late In the afternoon of the same
day, Timber, appearing suddenly in
front of the bungalow, discovered
Whitaker sitting up in state; COM
Portable wicker chair supported his
body and a canvas-seated camp stool
one OF his feet; which last was dis.
creetly yelled in dripping bath towel.
In white fiannels and by his seraphic
smile and guilekess expression, seemed
abnormally at peace with his circum-
stances.
Hating, Ember surveyed the spec
tacle with hooking disfavor.
"Hel-lo!" he observed, beginning to
draw OF his gantlets as he assembled
the veranda steps and dropped into
another wicker chair. what the
dsuce's the matter with your"
"Game leg. thanks. Twisted my
ankle again, this morning. Sum Fat
has been doctoring it with intense en-
thusiasm, horse liniment and chopped
ice. BY tomorrow morning I'll be skip
ping like the silly old hills In the Scrip
lures"
slope So. Well, you must've had
pretty rotten stupid time Of 1t, with
that storm"
~Oh. not at all. really enjoyed it."
whitaker protested.
"Oh, IL you forgive me for leaving
you alone 10 much, wen call it square,"
Ember lifted his voice: "sum Fat,
ahoyi"
The Chinaman appeared in the door
way, as suddenly and silently as II
magically materialized by tho sound Of
his name.
you're q sulphur-colored wizard
with pigeon-toed eyes," said Ember Sc
verely. "Go away from here instantly
and prepare me all the dinner in the
establishment, lest an evil fate over
take you"
1T il written" returned Sum Fat,
'.that / die after eight-seven years of
honorable life, from heart failure on
receiving long -deferred raise in wages"
He shufded OF, chuckling.
II fancied saw the futter Of pet
ticoat through the trees. rs came up
to the house"
"Acquaintanes Of yours. I believe
Miss Tiska"
Il Miss Fisker There was unfeigned
amazement In tho echo.
Anything wonderful about that7'
inquired Whitaker. sharply. II fancied
from what she said that you two were
!. rather good friends"
"Just surprised that's ALL" said
Embsr. recovering. "You see. didn't
think tho sF1ske place was open this.
year."
He stared suspiciously at Whitaker.
hut the latter was transparency in
genuous.
'.She expressed an unaccountable
desire to see you-told me to tell you"
"Oh? Such being the case, one
would think she might've waited"
"She had Just started home when
you drove in," Whitaker explained with
elaborate ease. "She'd merely run
over for q moment to inquire after
my ankle, and couldn't wait. say,
who are the Fishes, anyway"
'Well the Fiskes are the
people who own the next cottage"
u know, but"
have q hazy notion Fiske does some
thing in Wall street" Ember passed
smoothly over this flaw in his profess
sional omniscience. "How did you
happen to meet herr"
'Oh, mere accident. Over on the
beach this morning. slipped and
hurt my ankle. She-ah-happened
asong and brought me home in her
motor boat
'You haven't seen Drummond-or
any signs Of him, have you?"
''Eh-what7" Whitaker sat up.
startled. mo. er
how should IT.
II merely wondered. You see, IT,.
Well, to tell the truth, took the lib
erty Of camping on his trail. while in
town. But couldn't fnd any trace of
him."
"Oh, I say" Whitaker expostulated
touched by this evidence Of disinterest-
ed thoughnulness. "You persuade
yourself too much, old man. You set
I'm an inference and idolize 1t as an
immortal truth. Why, you had me
going for while. Only last night
there was q fellow skulking round
! here, and ! was just dlppy enough,
! thanks to your influence, to think ne
resembled Drummond. But this morn
ing got good look at him, and he's
no more Drummond than you are"
Ember sat up. eyes swapping. "Who
was he, then? Tell me about him
everything"
Whitaker resignedly delivered him.
self OF the tale Of the mare's-nest-as
he still regarded 1t. When he had come
to the lame conclusion thereof, Embef
yawned and rose.
"What are you going to do about it?"
+ Whitaker inquired with irony.
wash and make myself fit to eat
, food, !" was the response. u may pos.
sibiy think a little. IT'S an exhilarat
ing exercise which don't hesitate to
recommend to your distinguished CON
Gderation."
He was out Of earshot, within the
bungalow, before Whitaker could think
K up an adequately insolent retort. He
could, however, do no less than smile
+ incredulously at the beautiful world
10 much, at least, he owed to his self.