The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-01-25
CHAPTER XII

ME llle ola gentleman revealed
when she opened the door was
probably the last great mer-
chant in America to wear the chin
beard. White as white frost. IL was
trimmed short with exquisite pre-
cision, while his upper lip and me
lower expenses of his cheeks We're
clean and rosy from fresh shaving
With this trim white chin beard, the
white waistcOat the white tie. the
suit of fine gray cloth. the broad
and brilliantly polished black shoes,
and the wide-brimmed gray felt hat,
hero was "a man who had found his
style in the seventies Of the last cen
fury, and thenceforth kept it, Files
Of old magazines of that period might
show him. i'm woodCut, as Type of
/ Boston Merchant" Mast might have
drawn him as am honest tradesman.
| He was so. and his quick blue eyes.
still unlocked. and as black as a
[ boys. saw everything.
well, well. Well" he said heartily
You haven't lost any Of your good
looks since last week, I see, Miss
Alice, 50 I guess I'm to take it you
haven't been worrying over your
daddy The young feller's getting
along all right, is he?"
Hes much better; he's sitting up,
Nfr. Lamb. Won't you come in?"
''Well, I don't now but might" He
turned to call toward twin disks Of
/ light at the curb, BE out in a min
ute Billy" and the silhouette Of
/ chauffeur standing beside u car could
/ be seen to salute in response, as the
old gentleman stepped into the hall
You don't suppose your daddy's re
| ceiving callers yet, is he?"
He's a good deal stronger than he
was when you were here last week.
/ but I'm afraid he's not very present
able though"
/ "Presentable?" The old man echoed
/ her joviaIly. "Pshaw, I've seen lots
/ Of sick folks. I know what they
/ look like and how they love to kind
| Of nest in among a pilt Of old blau-
! kets and wrappers. Don't you worry
about that, Miss Alice, if you think
| he'd like to see me-"
OF course he would-if-" Alice
| hesitated. Then said, quickly, "Of
| course he'd love to see you and he's
quite able to, if you care to come
up"
She ran up the stairs ahead of him.
and had time to snatch the crocheted
/ wrap from her fathers shoulders
Swathed as usual. he was sitting be
side a table, reading the evening pa
per; but when his employer appeared
in the doorway he half rose as If to
| come forward in greeting.
sit still,' the old gentleman
shouted. What do you mean? Don't
you know you're weak as a cat?
D'you think man can be sick as
long as you have and not be weak
as a cat? What you trying to do
| the polite with me for?"
Adams gratefully protracted the
/ handShake that accompanied these in
quiries This is certainly mighty
fine of YOU Mr.. Lamb" he said. It
! guess Alice has told Won how much
our whole family appreciate your
coming here so regularly to see how
this old bag O. bones was getting
! along. Haven't you. Alice?"
Yes, papa" she said; and turned
to 90 out. but Lamb checked her.
Stay right here, Miss Alice I'm
not even going to sit down. I know
how it upsets sick folks when people
outside the family come in for the
first time"
You don't upset me" Adams said.
I'll feel a lot better for getting a
! glimpse Of you, Mr.. Lamb"
The visitors laugh was husky, but
hearty and reassuring, like his voice
| in speaking. That's the way all my
boys blarney me. Miss Alice" he
said. They think I'll make the work
lighter on EN- if they can get me kind
of flattered up. You Just tell your
dady it's no use; he doesn't get on
my soft side, pretending he likes to
| see me even when he's sick"
"Oh, I'm not so sick any more"
Adams said. Il expct to be back IN
my place ten days from now at the
| longest"
well, now. don't hurry it, Virgil;
don't hurry it. You take your time;
take your time"
This brought to Adams lips
feeble smile not lacking in a kind of
vanity, as feeble. "Why?" he asked.
4 suppose you think my department
runs itkelf down there, do your"