ume of "Who's Who," "Who's It," or "Iowa's Prominent
Citizens."

Outside Philo Gubb's door a man was standing, studying that part of
"Iowa's Prominent Citizens" devoted to the town of Riverbank. The man
was not as young as he appeared to be. His garments were of a youthful
cut and cloth, being of the sort generally known as "College Youth
Style," but they were themselves no longer youthful. In fact, the man
looked seedy.

Notwithstanding this he had an air--a something--that attracted and
held the attention. A cane gave some of it. The extreme good style of
his Panama hat gave some of it. His carriage and the gold-rimmed
eyeglasses with the black silk neck-ribbon gave still more. When,
however, he removed his hat, one saw that he was partly bald and that
his reddish hair was combed carefully to cover the bald spot.

The book in his hand was a small memorandum book, and in this he had
pasted the various notices cut from "Iowa's Prominent Citizens" and
one--only--cut from "Who's Who," relating to citizens of Riverbank. He
had done this for convenience as well as for safety, for thus he had
all the Riverbank prominents in compact form, and avoided the
necessity of carrying "Iowa's Prominent Citizens" and "Who's Who"
about with him. That would have been more or less dangerous.
Particularly so, since he had been exposed by the New York "Sun" as
The Bald Impostor.

The Bald Impostor, to explain him briefly, was a professional
relative. He was the greatest son-cousin-nephew in the United States,
and always he was the son, cousin, or nephew of one of the great, of
one of the great mentioned in "Who's Who." He was as variable as a
chameleon. Sometimes he was a son, cousin, or nephew of some one
beginning with _A_, and sometimes of some one beginning with _Z_, but
usually of some one with about twelve to fourteen lines in "Who's
Who."

The great theory he had established and which was the basis of all his
operations was this: "Every Who's Who is proud of every other Who's
Who," and "No Who's Who can refuse the son, cousin, or nephew of any
other Who's Who five dollars when asked for one dollar and eighty
cents."

The Bald Impostor's operation was simple in the extreme. He went to
Riverbank. He found, let us say, the name of Judge Orley Morvis in
"Who's Who." Then he looked up Chief Justice Bassio Bates in the
latest "Who's Who," gathered a few facts regarding him from that
useful volume, and called on Judge Orley Morvis.