The spectator., 1921-06-17

1 her hand on the door-knob she shot | quick question at the boss.
 How much will you tell Cousin i Basil?"
 Nothing of what you have told me-
 Thank you," she whispered back; you are as big in your friendship as you are in other ways" And with that she was gone
 If was right along in the same half minute. while the boss was standing with his back to the fire and the ma 1or was going in to talk tO him, that l lost Maisie Ann. don't know where she went, or how. She had let 20 of my wrist. and when I grnped for her she was gone. Since I didn't see any good reason why l should stay and spy upon the boss and the major. l slipped out to the hall and curied up on the big settee beyond the coat rack; curled up, and after listening q while to the drone of voices in the farther room. went to sleep. II was away deep in the night when the boss took hold of me and shook me awake. The long talk was just get ting itself finished. and the major had come to the door with his guest
 We must manage to pull Colling- wood out of if in some way" the ma jor was saving. T don't love ;he d-n' scoundrel any betteh than you do. Graham: hut that's rea>on-a family reason. as you might say" Then he switched off quickly. You haven't asked me vel why ran away from home this evenin' when was expecting you"
 No" said the boss "Sheila told me that you had Il telephone call to the Bulard."
 The old kentuckian chuekled.
 Yes. Snh: and you'd nevch guess in q thousand yeahS who sent the call. ar what was wanted IL was ouh friend Hatch. and no otheh. And he had the face to ofleh me ten thousand dollahS yeah to act aS consulting counsel fer him against the railroad company :"
 Of course you accepted" said the boss. meaning just the opposite
 The major chuckled again Il talked with him long enough to find out about where he stood. He thinks he's got you by the neck. but. like most men O his breed. he's paltry coward, suh, ut heart"
 
 afraid off"
 He iS afraid of his life He told me with his eyes buggn' out. that thah was one man hcah in Portal City vho would kill him to ger pos session of certain papehs that were locked up in the cash vault of the Security National"
 The boss was pulling on his gloves.
 'I didn't give hm any reason to think that I was anxious 10 murder him" he said
 "Oh, Eu. my deah boy; fl isn't you. where We land afteh all k said and done Yuul hands are tied. and we've got this heah young manac to deal with. + CullinSwood gets about three tingehS of red likkeh under his belt, why, thah's one murder in prospect. And if Hatch has any reason to think that you can still get the underhot on him, why, thah's another I'm glad you've seen tit to take Hipley'S advice at last. and got you bodyguard.'
 "Whats that?" qu.ricd the boss. Rut the query was answered a minute later when we hit the sidewalk for the tramp hack tO town and Tarhell fell In to walk three steps behind Us all the way to the door of the rail road club
 l. sure did look as if things were just about as bad as they could ever be. now. Hatch once more on top. the whole bottom knocked out of the railroad experiment, our good name for political honesty gone gimmering and, worst of all, perhaps, the boss big heart broken right in two over those four little words that nothing could ever rub out-"he is my hus- band l didn't wonder that the boss said never a word in all that long walk downtown, or that he forgot to tell me goodnight when he locked himself up in his room at the club.