FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145  
146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   >>   >|  
urned about. "Yes, sir," he answered, with a stem disfavor of the applicant; a disfavor possibly a perquisite of his office. "What's wanted?" "I think I have met you," returned the other. "My name is Meredith." Mr. Barrett probably did not locate the meeting, but the name proved an open sesame to his geniality, for he melted at once, and saying: "Of course, of course, Mr. Meredith; did you want a talk with me?" clasped the young man's hand confidentially in his, and, with an appearance of assuring him that whatever the atrocity which had occurred in the Meredith household it should be discreetly handled and hushed up, indicated a disposition to conduct him toward a more appropriate apartment for the rehearsal of scandal. The young man accepted the hand-clasp with some resignation, but rejected the suggestion of privacy. "A telegram from Plattville reached me half an hour ago," he said. "I should have had it sooner, but I have been in the country all day." The two men who had been talking with the superintendent turned quickly, and stared at the speaker. He went on: "Mr. Harkless was an old--and--" He broke off, with a sudden, sharp choking, and for a moment was unable to control an emotion that seemed, for some reason, as surprising and unbefitting, in a person of his rubicund presence, as was his gravity. An astonished tear glittered in the corner of his eye. The grief of the gayer sorts of stout people appears, sometimes, to dumfound even themselves. The young man took off his glasses and wiped them slowly. "--An old and very dear friend of mine." He replaced the glasses insecurely upon his nose. "I telephoned to your headquarters, and they said you had come here." "Yes, sir; yes, sir," the superintendent of police responded, cheerfully. "These two gentlemen are from Plattville; Mr. Smith just got in. They mighty near had big trouble down there to-day, but I guess we'll settle things for 'em up here. Let me make you acquainted with my friend, Mr. Smith, and my friend, Mr. Homer. Gentlemen, my friend, Mr. Meredith, one of our well-known citizens." "You hear it from the police, gentlemen," added Mr. Meredith, perking up a little. "I know Dr. Gay." He nodded to the surgeon. "I suppose you have heard some of the circumstances--those that we've given out," said Barrett. "I read the account in the evening paper. I had heard of Harkless, of Carlow, before; but it never occurred to me that it was my friend--I
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145  
146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Meredith
 

friend

 

glasses

 
Plattville
 

police

 

superintendent

 

Harkless

 

gentlemen

 

occurred

 

Barrett


disfavor

 
slowly
 

evening

 
account
 
telephoned
 

replaced

 

insecurely

 

Carlow

 

corner

 

glittered


people

 

Gentlemen

 

appears

 

dumfound

 

settle

 
trouble
 

astonished

 

perking

 

acquainted

 

things


surgeon

 

responded

 
cheerfully
 

suppose

 

citizens

 

circumstances

 

mighty

 

nodded

 

headquarters

 

quickly


clasped
 
confidentially
 

appearance

 

geniality

 

melted

 
assuring
 

handled

 
hushed
 
disposition
 

discreetly