The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1920-07-02
The Man Nobody Knew

blushed and jerked his head to the
front; billiard chuckled and contin-
ued his stroll
He entered the Hotel Onondaga
from the east and headed across to-
ward the newsstand. Out Of red
and gold chair In the spacious lobby
gentleman rose to meet hlm-a gen
tieman who in appearance was very
fair replica Of the well-known Get
Rich-Quick Wallingford, except that
he was somewhat more refined and
less obese. His animation was OBJ
vious. but he delayed to remove both
his gray suede gloves before he offered
to shake hands with Hilliard.
"Wellw said Martin Harmon, ef-
fusively, you're looking greatl Must
agree with you up here, whatf Didn't
expect me, did your"
Nor billiards. expression was q
study; he had dealt so long with Har-
mon at. distance that he bad almost
forgotten what the broker looked like.
"Why didn't you wire me you were
coming?"
Didn't know It myself until pretty
near train-time-spur Of the moment.
Well. got any business yet?''
Involuntarily, billiard smiled, and
the smile spread wonderfully, until
Harmon caught the contagion Of II and
beamed more royalty than ever. "The
man you called the 'decoy duck'-re-
member when you wrote that to mef-
well, he quacked yesterday"
Harmon put his hand on billiards
shoulder; 1t was an accolade.
Really How much?"
Thirty" For the life OF him Hill
Hard couldn't resist slight forward
thrust of his chest.
Mr.. Harmon's eyes glazed for an in
slant.
"Good-goed That's clever work.
sonl Clever and quick. But | knew
you'd do it. Thirtyl That's fine I
Anybody else"
billiard laughed exultantly.
Eyes, three more-a total Of sixty
two. mailed you draft yesterday
morning; the others are in my pocket
now. I've just come from the bank"
"Great work, SON." Mr. Harmon
breathed rapturously. THAT puts US
pretty nearly where we belong. Sixty
two thousand It's running start for
the big race! You certainly didn't get
left at the post, billiard! Deducted
your commissions yet?"
mo; thought you'd rather do the
bookkeeping in your own Office and
send me check"
Harmon's approval was manifest.
"You show me the drafts and I'll
write you check this minute. Let's
90 sit down in the grill, and have
something. This is fine work, now ]
want to tell you !"
"I rather thought so myself" Hill
lard had led the way to the grill and
Communicated a side-table. I'm
fact" He lowered his voice. ''In
fact, as things have worked out. Mr..
Harmon. / almost wish hadn't tried
to play 1t just this way. ] mean"
But Harmon had already grasped
the point.
"Oho. Is that so7 You must have
made q hit And all your. old friends
you were so het up about-weren't
they as peevish at you as you
thought?"
"No."' Hiuiard grew warm. I'D give
a good DEAL" he said soberly, "if ]
hadn't tangled myself up in all that
imitation history. Well, I'm In for II
now. I've published so much that i
didn't need to--Trn wondering how In
thunder i can ever get out Of II when
the time comes. That was the idea,
you remember-coals Of fire. What's
bothering me Is that there's nobody to
tend the furnace"
"But / thought you were so anxious
to keep in the shadeT"
"Yes, but didn't need to crawl in q
hole, and pull II In after mel Well,
well wait and see. After I've gone a
little further-and of course, you know
I've hardly scratched the surface
yet"
Il know you haven't" The big man
tucked his gloves into his breast pock.
ct and brought out Q silver cigarette
case. Have one?"