The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-07-31


the hills to eastward, billiard returned
to the hotel. the room clerk greeted
him with faint superciliousness.
Somebody's been keeping after you
on the telephone all morning" he said
loftily. New York call. Couldn't To-
cate you. And here's some kilograms
There were three Of them: AT sight
| of the signature of the first. billiards.
! eyes narrowed.
Arriving Syracuse AIS. Please meet
me at train and stop all work i'm the
meantime. Imperative.
HARMON"
billiards. eyelids futtered; this was
evidently the initial result of Rufus
| Warnings efforts, and Of those many
letters he had written Harmon. He
tore open the second envelope ;
the message was again from the broker.
sent obviously from the Grand Cen
trail terminal just before train-time.
Most important news received. Am
| just leaving, having wired you meet
me Mt station 4 10. Find out who Bob
| Waring Is and what he wants Do
all you can to stave off further in
Guiry. Absolutely imperative not talk
to anyone until / see you. Have con-
tract and all other data with you.
| Shall have to leave on short notice.
HARMON"
! And the third was from Albany:
Locate Bob Warning If possible and
arrange meeting seven tonight. Ur-
gently imperative. HARMON"
billiard folded the three sheets
methodically and put them in his
pocket. He glanced Mt his watch; it
showed quarter to four. He had no
dependence on Harmon, and no fear Of
him; he felt no obligation 70 Harmon.
no sense Of duty. To be cure. he had
a cynlc's curiosity to see what was In
the middle of the whirlwind, but that
of itself wasn't strong enough to send
him to rendezvous with 4 man he
despised and loathed.
IF | CO." he said to himself. I'll be
sorry: and IL l don't go why,
If / don't 60. I'll always wonder If 1t
would have done any good y
For himself, there was nothing prom
Using I'm the situation. But on the
millionth chance that something OF
benefit to his subscribers might come
out Of ton the millionth chance that
Harmon might be frightened or per-
suaded into compromise
SO he went.
The very first passenger TO reach
the platform was Harmon; indeed, he
had been fretting In the vestibule for
half an hour intent on saving use
less fractions of second when the
train stopped. At sight Of billiard, he
beamed beneficently-all his earlier
belligerence forgotten.
"Hellol" he said. "Glad to see you
son. Got all my messages, did your
He shook hands with great urban
ity; billiards grasp was hardly re
sponsive.
81 got three" said billiard, dignifiet
and noncommittal; and he continued
to inspect his employer with ill-con
ceaIed disfavor and distrust.
well, that's all sent. Now, where
can we 70 sit down and talk, for .
couple of hours? There's lot to gt
over, but | want to take the 9 40 West
Not to the Chronological rather ~
somewhere quieter. How about thu
Kirk?"
"Suits me all right If It does you"
ANY luggage?" They were crossin,
the tracks to the waiting-room ant
HiIliard in spite of himself, couldn'
refrain from the solicitude which an!
right mnded resident Of city feel
for the transient just arrived.
"Only this Gladstone. can checl
that here, / guess. Well. I'm certainl,
glad to see you. Say, were you abl'
to Makes date with this Waring per
son? 1t was pretty short notice. bu
you're such live wire"
Hilliard. fully comprehending thu
nature of the compliment. smiled faint
| ". The person Of the broker was ply
sically repuisive to him; unconscious
" he edged further away.
mot yet. But I've left word Mt MI
house for him to call me at the hotel
and I'll telephone to the information
clerk from the Kirk where he cal
reach me. He's sure to be In aroun'
five or half past
~ hope so." Harmon swung hi
heavy bag to the brass-lined counter
md tossed out dime with philan
thropic gesture which made the at
tendant glare at him. "Who In thun
der is he, anyhow"
billiard had reason to be reticen
with his facts. and he preferred no
to be too specific at the outset.
"He's law student--an old frien'
of the Cullens. He's looking afte
some of their interests. in one wa.
and another"
ooh Working up practice! Well
the way he's bombarding me witt
fresh letters. you'd think he was on
congressional Investigating committee
Saw! There's. one thing I'd like to fin'
out--how'd he know I'm In the thing
You didn't tell anybody. did you? Gu
agreement"
Hiliard was guiding him TO tn
street.
"Why. he probably got hold of you
name when he wrote to some law COZ
respondents of his in Butte about tn
. | nv. fn