New Britain herald., 1923-12-28

l 1 at you. My eyes are mot what they were. more's the pity. though anyhow they wouldn't know you. The last time I saw you was-well. my memory isn't what ii was either, but you were about this high six years old maybe, and were an internal nuisance"
 I'm sorry, sir"
 oh. l don't suppose your mother thought SO but I always did hate chill dren. and women too for that matter. What's the time?"
 About nine o'clock"
 Past my usual bedtime, but I'll stay up to hear you talk. You have dined I suppose. Good. There should he some whiskey about. My housekeeper, 1 Mrs. Ashe, will have put it somewhere, ' 1 and he leaned round the wing of his ! chair 10 look about the room. An, ! wonder. This being an occasion you may give me a little to keep you com pany."
 mixed the drinks and the old fellow drank almost as if it were a vice with | him. although his appearance did not suggest that such was the case. Since he did not attempt to get out Of his chair l judged there was something wrong with his legs, but mentally he was alert enough. He questioned me about relatives and people he had known, but whcn l told him that hay lps been abroad had cut me of from my family and that ho probably knew more about them than did. he seemed relieved not to have to make mental effort II pleased him better to listen to my adventures abroad. and l fancy my efforts at thrilling fiction were as good and better than much of the stuff you can read in books. They. seemed to convince him that I was very fine fellow indeed,
 And while talked took noto of my surroundings Tho room was full of furniture. crowded with il, some of il old and good There was quantity Of silver on tho massive sideboard and pictures almost hid tho walls.
 Are you fond of pictures" he asked seeing mo looking at them.
 Yes. but I am not learned about them"
 An, modest about your knowledge You're young. and that's how it shoul6
 be. but 1 expect you have bit of mf artistic taste in ynu. You1l enjoy your. self whllo You stay with mo. unless you have friends in London to sad about with"
 "G haven't friend in London, nor anywhere else for that matter"
 "WhN you're IS lonely chan as your old uncle" he chuckled. "You'n enjoy yourself here. The house is a museum you must tell me what you think of it. Of course, I'm dealer, but | get go fond of some things that I cannot bear to sell them, Every room Is packed with all kinds of stuG-rub- hish Mrs. Ashc calls it when shc wants to do bit of cleaning There's cal,i- not in inc hall for which Sir Hapley Graham would siye me ten times its value. but cant bear to part with it. By inc way Harry, how ls your mother?"
 Mother. She is dead"
 screed had told me SD. | vas fol- lowing his instructions exactly My pauclty Of friends my foreign travels and the stories connected thereVith. . were all based on the line Of action 1 Screed had marked out for ms. and was utterly in the dark ss 10 the game 1 ! was playing. More than once had glanced at tho old man wondering whether by any chance he zas screed masaucradins IIs had deceived me 1 often enough before.
 "IIcad. Ur course she fs. had for gotten~ And then after pause l,e went on: What a feast the dealers will have some day when go. Old 1 Pirott's collection rome 70 the hammer i Thcren ba some record prIces at Chris | ties warrant. anlcsz-IIarry. you must talk t0 me about tbe things in 1 this houz" If voa-re got tho founda- 1 tion Of lnoal ledge and Inc vIt 10 learn ! ro7i might carrg on the business after ] I'm gons We must tals aloat it. Euf ! ! am uat Goirr ,st. at least snly re l bod must e~t mv hran'r strrP. Ring 1 the i,ril. nspber~
 , d-d so making ro rommsnt on the ] suggestion tIa+ might go into inc business sc-sed had not said that such an ofor vrtIl5 l's made. "Mra Ashe viH sivr ue an arm 70 ur room. my lerz have unfgrtunatr's . Eroan older than tfe rest uf rle. then shc VII show roa yours. Mine is along the haU saves climbing stairs. yours is just behind this. not because ] your legz want saving. but because up- stars it's all museum. Toau see what i's like tomorrow"
 The aid man was irritable the mo- moui he began ta move. and was sir8rE Hith M-s. Ashes care and pa- tience in handling him. TIe must Be 2 grim iDtliridus1 to liss with. and he --ae raffrr frte-t1s7+4-v tr, t.r, .s Ia, t,z-.