Evening star., 1922-09-24


was no simple trick. |
OF course, to Ines. almost every |
guest who drifts In is suspicious |
person. an excuse for getting squinty |
in the eyes. Inez has that kind OF |
a mind. She'd make q perfectly good |
assistant for J. Roach Stratton or |
Johnny Sumner. only her speciality |
is seeing crooks and not assorted |
vice. Honest. she can take one look |
at the assistant editor Of religious |
weekly, flivering back to his roh-top |
AFTER a months stay in the mountains.
and before he has unstrapped the
suit case she'll have him sized up
as the very man who pulled of the
big diamond robbery she read about
only day before yesterday.
But in The case OF this stranger
with the worried eyes and the
slumped shoulders you could hardly
blame her for working up some
thoughts along that line. In the
first place, he came tramping In
across the fields toting q kit bag
and claimed the driver of his hired
car had let him out at the wrong
house. OF course, that might have
been so; and then again, he might
have wanted to throw the chauffeur
off the track as to where he really
stopped. Also he made few other
odd motions, such as looking care
full behind him before he come around
front. and then scouting up and down
tho road as he hesitated on the door
step. Inez and had been watching
him from the windows
"I bet he's up to something, that
one" says Inez.
"oh. don't know" says I. ANY
way, he's coming in. so we can soon
tell whether to shunt him or not"
r \ -
nut when I'd had a closeup Of
ID that round ruddy face with all
the deep tan on It, and noted the
grayish hair and the straight nose
and the capable chin, and listened to
the way he sounded all the broad
as and final g's. I couldn't tag him
offhand as one Of the forty-nine per
cent No. If he had q criminal
career it mus. be well in the back
ground. Honest, for looks and man
ners Monte Cristo in the second act
had nothing on him.
And yet he did ask a lot OF odd
questions. Pardon me-" be begins.
but is this a hotel, or-er-merely a
tea room?'
IT'S a little Of both" says I.
"Ah. yes" says he. Exactly. And
-er-you could put me up for few
days. could you?"
.It depends" says I. ION hike, are
you?"
Which was where he puts over
this thin tale about a stupid driver.
That's funny" says I. There's no
other place that even looks like q
tavern within miles. Where was 1t
he dumped you out?"
He was rather vague on that point
and switched the subject by asking
II we had many other guests at
present.
shook my head. "As a rule"
says I, I'VE have 'em just for over
night"
Excellent" says he. And may
I ask if there is-er-agolf course
nearby"
Not nearer than ten or twelve
miles," says I.
Thank you" says he, enthusiastic.
'"That-that is fine"
- You're not strong for the game,
I take it?' says I.
Perhaps I imagined 1t, but fan
cied he almost shuddered. Decidedly
no." says he. 'Its not sport In
the true sense of the word. It.
it's q mental malady; at least, it is
a pastime which should be confined
to isolated country clubs and sani-
tariums. where the victims can be
properly supervised. And all women
should be forbidden by law to take
up golf"
He was SO earnest about It that
had to smile. WELL" says 1.
"there's no danger Of anybody get
ting bitten by the golf bug here
for we haven't even a practice put
ting green, although we had talked
of laying one out"
Don't. I advise you." says he.
"But let me ask another question:
With no permanent guests. I sup
pose you do not try to get up enter
tainments for them-such as-er-
baby parties, and gymkhana games.
and 80 ont"
"No," says T. I'VE haven't gone 1r
for anything like ,that as yet"
"Goodw says he. And you seem
to have q very attractive place here.
rye been told that this was at one
time an old colonial tavern. and tha
YOU have an excellent cook"
1--WE don't deny it." says j. And
while we try to accommodate almost
eyerybody who comes along, we do
occasionally hang out the 8. r. o.
sign, just to do little sitting. Let's
see. you are"
my name Is Adams" says he.
"Horton Adams Of Brookline, Mass"
SHHAT listened we'll, SO I decided
to take q chance. I let him In.
showed him room he could haves
named fairly stiff price. and he
promptly dropped his kitbag In
chair. When he signed the guest
book, however. 1 noticed that he put
himself down as H. Adams, Boston,
and = handwriting expert couldn't
have made out the signature.
lust to be friendly gave him his
choice of having dinner with US at
the big table, or taking 1t alone In
the tea room, and he promptly de-
cided on q solitaire service. Not
only that, but he asked to have .
corner screamed of; on account OF
drafts, he explained.
"Huh!" says Inez. "Fie acts like
he don't want anybody to see him."