The Ordway new era., 1921-05-20

don't you ring for an officer and nave
him run ing -.,
The night clerk was evidently scared
of his lob. Il wouldn't dare TO do
that" he chittered. Hes one of the
New York crowd-the railroad peo-
pie President Dunton's nephew
guest of the house
The young fellow had pulled MN
self around to our side of the counter
b, this time and was hooking MS arm
TO make pass at Mr., Norcross' triih-
ming things up as he came with n lot
more language. The boss said, r'Sht
short and sharp. to the clerk uel
his room key and give 1t to boy VINO
can show me the way" and the next
thing we knew he had bashed that
lunatic square in the face and was
cutting him along to the nearest eleNa-
tor.
He came back in few minutes
looking rs cool as a cucumber.
What did you do with HIM" asked
the clerk, kind of awed and half
scared.
Got couple of the corridor sweep
ers TO nut him in bath and turn the
cold water on him. That'll take the
whisky out of him. Now. ii you have
minute to spare. I'd like to get my
assignment
We hadn't more than got our rooms
marked off for us when ! saw Mr.,
Chadwick coming across from the
farther of the three elevators He was
smiling sort OF. grim as if he'd made
a killing of some sort with Mr., Dun
ton, and instead of heading back for
his car he took the boss over to
corner of the lobby and sat down to
smoke with him.
They didn't seem to be talking any
thing private. so l sat down just be-
yond them, so sleepy that l could
hardly see straight. Mr.. Chadwick was
telling about his early experiences in
Portal City. how he blew in first on
top of the Strathcona gold boom, and
how he had known mighty near every
body in the region in those days.
While he was talking, a taxi drove
up and one of the old residenters came
in from the street and crossed to the
elevators; mighty handsome, stately
old gentleman, with fierce white mus
taches and a goatee, and southern
Colonel" written all over him.
There's one of them now; Major
Basil Kendrick-Kentucky born and
raised, as you might guess" Mr.. Chad
wick was saying
grabbed at the name, BASIL" right
away: it isn't such a very common
name. and Mrs. Sheila had said some
thing-under the water tank, you rec
ollect-about "COusin Basil' who
was to have met her at the train.
was putting two or three little private
guesses of my own together, when one
of the elevators came down and here
came our two. the young lady and
the chunky little girl. with the major
chuckllng and smiling and giving an
arm to each. They had apparently
stopped at the Bullard only to wait
until he could come after them and
take them home.
saw the boss sit up in his chair
and stare at them. Then he said {:
That's Mrs. Macrae with him now.
Is she member of his family?
"A second cousin, or something of
that sort" said Mr.. Chadwick. II met
her once at the majors house out In
the northern suburb last summer"
MIR. Norcross let the three of them
get out and away. and we heard their
taxi speed up and trundle off before
he said, "She is married, I'm told.
Where is her husband?"
Mr.. Chadwick looked up as IL he'd
already forgotten the three who had
just crossed the lobby.
"Who-Sheila Macrae? Yes, she
has been married. But there isn't any
husband-she's widow"
For quite while the boss sat star.
ing at his cigar in way he has when
he is thinking right hard, and Mr.
Chadwick let him alone. Then, all of
sudden, the boss got up and showed
his hands into his coat pockets.
I've changed my mind, Uncle John,
he said. looking sort of absent-like on,
or the window to where the majors
taxi had been standing. "If you car
pun me Into that deal tomorrow NOR
ning-with an absolutely free hand tt
10 as think best, mind YOU'LL take
the job"
CHAPTER III