The Monmouth inquirer., 1922-03-16
CHAPTER XIII

Monday afternoon t1tznuSH VlSIteo
| in turn three places In State street of
kindred spheres. He entered first a
pawnshop, from which he emerged,
dissatisfied and went farther north
TO where an old German piled his ma
| tive trade of gunsmith. He was very
! skilled in his handicraft, this venera-
BILE Teuton, and enjoyed some reputa
| tion among a certain gentry. Fitzhugh
came from the little shop carrying a
small parcel in his overcoat pocket,
and walked across the street to a
large jewelry establishment.
AS a direct result of these three
mysterious visits there was delivered
to Artie Sparkle few days later an
oblong package, in size not unlike that
which Fftzhugh had brought from the
German gunsmith: and to all ques
tions anent the sender of the parcel
| the messenger who conveyed it was
close tongued, affording no informa-
tion beyond, 81 dunno,' or, Il never
seen i'm" Not long afterward Fitz-
hugh rang the door bell of Artie's
apartment. Artie himself answered 1t
was the twenty third of December and
| Christmas cheer was meet, yet there
seemed an enormous lack of it IN ar
ties greeting. Attired In pale blue
dressing gown and silk slippers of
| corresponding color, he opened the
door an inch, stared stonily at the cali
er from head to foot, and after en-
| deavoring unsuccessfully to out face
| him and waiting in vain for some ex-
planatory word, snapped, arrogantly:
"You rung. I'm heah What do you
want?'
you seem to have poor memory.
Mr.. Sparkle"
'If you have business with me, be
brief, suh!"
"To discuss my business here would
be as disagreeable to you as to me-"
"Who or what are you?' Artie's
pink and white face was turning red.
He was On the point oS closing the
door, yet felt that to do SO would con-
fess defeat.
1.-THE man In whose debt you have
the good fortune to be. Surely you
have not forgotten the poker party of
last Sunday?"
The young fop opened the door an
other inch, knitting his brows, scfut-
inizing the face above him. his eyes
winking rapidly, as though to clear
his vision. Suddenly wave of recol-
lection swept over him. He swung the
door wide.
How disgracefully rude of mel" he
exclaimed, in abject apology. "Step
right in. My memory is wretched
Can't remembah anything any more"
Fitzhugh was shown into the same
room he had entered once before. saw
the same chair he had occupied that
! first time, remarked the exact spot
| where he had knelt over an uncon-
scious form and opened gold locket,
shaped like heart, while the morning
| sun shone through window and light
ed up the Titan hair of the girl he
loved.
His host did not pause here howey-
| er, but led the way into an adjoining
chamber furnished entirely in blue.
"This,'' boasted he, with a grand
air of modesty, removing a ma tese
| cat from an azure chair, this is my
blue room. I'm bit proud of it too.
| Sit heah, deah fe1law, while / have
Buttahfly bring you . cup o. tea."
| Fitzhugh sat in the azure chair, un-
| derstanding many things, among them
being the wherefore of the sky blue
apparel. Atrie clapped his hands twice,
and six foot Irishman, attired in q
Japanese costume embroidered with
blue butterflies and looking very much
ashamed of himself, appeared and
touched his brow respectfully. Tea for
two was ordered and the man depart
ed with his modification.
my own little invention" beamed
Artie Hes Flanagan every day in
the week except Friday. when pres
to!-he becomes Buttahfly Friday is
my receiving day. doptcher know.
and always have tea heah in the blue
room All my friends think it's dread.
fully killing-about Flanagan, /
mean" He glanced at a little tur-
| Qouise clock. ITS about time now for
some of 'em to pop in"
"Then we must get down to business
| at once.' said Fitzhugh erispIy.
Artie sat upon blue flowered diyan
crossed his legs under him and set
tied back indolently among the cush-
! ions.
Jaw. to what business do you allude,
Mr.-Now! See that! That is rude O.
| me. can't remembah your name"
at Is hardly to be supposed you
would since you didn't remember my
| face. MY name is Fitzhugh''
"Fitzhugh? Haw! Droll name, that
| Irish, Mr.. Fitzhugh?,'
81 am pretty thoroughly American :
| The humbled Flanagan entered
half apologetically Offered tea to Fitz
! hugh, who declined, and served his
! master. who again reposed himself On