People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 40, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 March 1893 — A LITTLE COMEDY OF ERRORS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

A LITTLE COMEDY OF ERRORS

By S. S. MORTON

[Copyrighted 1891, by S. S. Morton, and published by special arrangement.]

CHAPTER V.—CONTINUED. This resolution probably was not taken on the loftiest of moral grounds; but Allan North was not in a position just then to view the case from any elevated moral or ethical standpoint. If he had blamed his brother more severely he might possibly have been less inclined to shield him; but for some reason he had a distinct feeling that Ollin was more to be pitied than blamed. All his righteous indignation was visited upon the beautiful woman whom he believed to have been the cause of his brother’s temptation and stumbling. “And now,” he reflected, having definitely determined upon his course, “can I so perfectly assume the character of my brother that not own his intimate friends and daily associates shall suspect the deception? My success thus far has been very encouraging; the only thing that staggers me is my utter ignorance of his private affairs here in X—— , his social, political and professional connections. Then there is the uncertainty about how long Noll will remain away. If he should return before I have succeeded in gaining any evidence from Mrs. Maynard, my labor will be wasted. But, by Jove!—No, no, that is a wild supposition! Noll would never do anything so cowardly as to run away when he discovered that he was suspected. And yet, his leaving so suddenly as he did that after receiving message from Hopkins and Shepherd has a rather significant look. I must bear that in mind. Well, I shall have to trust largely to fortune, and make the most of the time that I have for developing and accomplishing my purpose. In the meantime, of course, I must not forget my mission for Hunter and Ketchum. I will write them a line now to report progress —or lack of it— and then give myself up to a careful consideration of this other, still more important matter.” The letter to Hunter and Ketchum was hastily written and sealed; then, as he laid his pen aside, North’s eye fell upon the envelope that Mrs. Maynard had given him. “Ah,” he thought, taking it in his hand, “this is the letter that Noll had urged her to find, as he fancied that it might be of value as evidence. It must have some more or less direct bearing, then, upon this will case. I think I can soon judge of its value.” He drew from the envelope a sheet of thin blue paper. When he had unfolded it, the old-fashioned chirography of Mrs. Dunkirk met his eye. The ink was pale, and the writing tremulous and illegible. North was obliged to brighten the gas and study the document carefully before he succeeded in deciphering it as follows: “NEW YORK, May 22, 18—. “DEAR NINA: Yours of the 15th is at hand. I am sorry to hear of your difficulties, but am in no position to advise you. Mr. Maynard used his own discretion in the matter, and his right to do so no one can dispute. That you are disappointed is of course natural; but why you should feel so despondent in regard to your future I cannot understand. You were always overfond of money. I have learned from my own experience that it brings to its possessor great responsibilities, as well as weariness and vexation of spirit, and it is a fruitful source of envying and strife. Beyond a modest competence, such as you will possess, it is not desirable, especially for a woman who has only mercenary lawyers to look out for her interests. Nevertheless, if wealth would bestow upon you any happiness, I should like to gratify you in that respect. While I live I must retain the control of my fortune. After I am gone, what matter to me who has it. ? I am anxious only to wrong no one in what I do. A few years ago I believed that I had a niece living—my only surviving relative, Hamilton's daughter—who ought to be my heir. The most diligent search has failed, however, to discover her, and I have at last most reluctantly given up this belief. There is no one who has a greater claim upon me than yourself. This claim I feel inclined at present to recognize. Charitable bequests I do not favor. I have given freely to public and private charities during my lifetime, and have received but meager thanks. During the five years that you were with me before your marriage, you were like a daughter to me. This I have always remembered kindly. “My health is slowly improving with the return of warmer weather. The bleak springtime is an enemy to my constitution. I find Jenner a faithful attendant in my declining years. My regards to Mr. Maynard and family. “Yours affectionately,

“JANE DUNKIRK”

CHAPTER VI.

Mer.—How is the man esteemed here in the city? Ang.—Of very reverent reputation, sir; Of credit infinite, highly beloved, Second to none that lives here in the city. —Comedy of Errors. Having folded this letter, replaced it in the envelope and put it carefully in his note book, North had just composed himself for the serious meditation that his circumstances required, when he heard a quick knock at his door. He started to his feet nervously. “Who is that, I wonder?” he asked himself blankly. “Some friend of Noll’s, I presume. Well, there is no help for it; I must meet this ordeal sooner or later.” Crossing the room he unfastened the door and threw it wide open. Instantly, without pause or cere-

mony, a gentleman rushed into the room. North gave him one keen, comprehensive glance. He was short, slight and nervous, with sharp gray eyes, fierce black mustache, saucy nose and determined chin, a wide-awake, busi-ness-like manner and a frank, pleasant smile. All this North noted in his first glance; and the burden of his unuttcred thought was: “Who is he? Who is he?” “Well, well! I say now, North;” were the first words of the visitor, spoken in a sharp, slightly-nasal voice, as he placed his hand impulsively on North’s arm, “what on earth do you mean? You’re a mighty cool fellow, seems to me!" “Come, my dear friend,” interposed North, with suave self-possession, “not too fast, if you please. Sit down—let me give you this lounging chair—and we will talk matters over. I trust that I shall be able to give a satisfactory account of myself, as to and that you will be lenient toward my delinquencies as to actions.” “When did you get back?” inquired the gentleman, as, disposing himself comfortably in the offered chair, he elevated his feet to a convenient altitude and looked sharply at North. “Why, let me see! I reached X—— about noon, I think. Yes, I recollect, now; it was twelve o’clock.” North indolently twirled his drooping mustache as he spoke, and his whole manner was the perfection of nonchalance. No one observing him would have suspected that he was waiting

with bated breath to see what turn the conversation would take. “Come back to stay?” “Indefinitely. I may leave at any time. I am scarcely in a position to determine that question for myself. It is optional with business interests, you know.” “Yes, I know. You mentioned some complications to me yesterday. Found out anything new about them?” “Nothing of importance.” “Changed your plans pretty suddenly, didn't you, North?” “Well, yes, my plans have undergone a rather important alteration since morning. But as I said before I do not know how soon the aspect of affairs may again change, and I be called away from X—— , consequently”—North smiled radiantly as this inspiration came to him —“to all intents and purposes lam still absent. Do you understand me?” He spoke these words with a certain significance in his tones and not a little anxiety as to how they would be received. He looked keenly at his visitor. The latter in his turn looked keenly at North. In an instant a quick flash of intelligence passed between them. “I see, I see!” commented his visitor, with two or three sharp little jerks of his head to emphasize the fact. “In other words we are to govern ourselves and our actions precisely as we would if you were a thousand miles away. That was what puzzled Clipper and me. You see, while you were away we knew just what to do, because you had put everything right into our hands; and, as we’re not the fellows to let the grass grow under our feet, we had already mapped out our campaign for the remaining two weeks, and had taken a few preliminary steps. Then all at once we heard this afternoon that you had returned, and without notifying us—”

“That was not an intentional neglect, I assure you, my dear fellow,” interposed North, apologetically. “No, I suppose not. It’s all right, now, of course, only at first we didn’t know what to think of it; and so finally I decided that I’d come up here and see you, and find out what you did mean. Hope I’m not interrupting you, North?” he added, as his sharp eyes rested upon the writing material on the table. “Not in the least,” returned North, hospitably. “I have been writing a letter, which I was anxious should leave to-night.” “Time it was in the office, then, if you want it to catch the evening mail,” remarked the other. “Going down? I’ll go with you, if you don’t object.” “Come on, then,” said North, starting up; and he added to himself, as he got his hat and gloves: “Object? Not I! On the contrary, the great advantage of being accompanied by some one who knows the exact location of my objective point presents itself at once and forcibly to my mind. I shall endeavor, in the course of our conversation, to discover —though I half suspect already—in what relation to Noll this gentleman and Mr. Clipper stand.” “Everybody’s off to club, or the political meetings to-night,” remarked North’s companion as, going down the deserted hotel steps, they started leisurely up the street. “I hear there is to be a big Wymer meeting this evening—sort of a grand rally round a forlorn hope! Know anything about it, North?” “No, I had not heard of it at all,” rejoined North; adding mentally, with a slight shrug of his shoulders: “I have had quite enough of ‘Wymer meetings,’ myself! I don’t ask for a repetition of the experience.” “He’s a regular fool, now, Wymer is,” pursued the other, thereby proving

himself to be a violent partisan of the North faction. “What chance has he? A fellow with no brains at all, and no influence to speak of. Simply a thirdrate criminal lawyer, for whom no one has an atom of respect. Why, you’re a thousand times as popular, and, what’s more, you have shown your superior ability as a lawyer. Wymer’s chances may be represented by a cipher. No one wants a blockhead for city attorney. Too many of them in office already.” “Waiving all personal interest in the matter,” remarked North, airily, “and speaking precisely as I might if I were not myself a candidate”—it certainly required no severe exercise of the imaginative faculty for him to take this dispassionate view of the matter — “I must say that I do not consider young Wymer a very hopeful specimen of political timber; and since he has been put into this contest, I am glad that it is with the indorsement of no more influential a party than the one he represents.” “Only chance for him,” was the dry rejoinder. “Get a set of unprincipled demagogues to nominate him and a big enough set of ignoramuses (and the world is full of ’em!) to vote for him and he’s elected, but not otherwise. You’ll catch a weasel asleep when you see me letting my party come out sec-ond-best in any of our municipal elections! Not if I have to work day and night. Neither Clipper nor I will keep our coats on, I assure you, when there’s so much work to be done.” North made some appreciative response to these words, while mentally commenting: “Just as I surmised—he and Clipper are electioneering in Noll’s interests, and now they have the whole affair in their hands, just as Noll left it when he went away. In the meantime I shall exist in quietness and peace, unruffled by any political excitements that may prevail, representing, in fact, the model politician who is in the hands of his friends, and who calmly awaits the verdict of the people; who will, pro bono publico, accept the honors of office when they are thrust upon him, but in the meantime is neither actively exerting himself to secure his own election, nor apparently ‘taking on’ about it. Very good. I see more clearly now the position, politically speaking, that I am to occupy. But—the very thought appalls me! —what if Noll should write to them to inquire how matters are progressing? That would place me in a most embarrassing position! However, this is borrowing trouble. Letter-writing never used to be my brother Noll's besetting sin, and it is to be hoped that his absorbing business complications, together with his sublime faith in these electioneering friends of his will prevent him from committing so absurd a blunder as that.” While he was struggling with these reflections North had been half-listening to his companion’s conversation, and had absently responded to many hasty but cordial greetings from persons whom they met. He did not recognize among the latter anyone that he had seen before until, on turning a corner abruptly, they came face to face with the gentleman with the eye-glasses, who made too disagreeable an impression on North’s mind to be easily forgotten. North gave a very cool response to this gentleman’s growl of salutation and was intending to pass on immediately; but his companion halted with the brusque greeting: “Hello, Wec! Any news afloat?” “Concerning what?” inquired that gentleman in slightly non-committal tones, with a defiant “you-don’t-get-anything-out-of-me!” air, as he paused grudgingly and only half turned toward his interlocutor. “Oh, things in general—politics, for instance. What are they doing up at that Wymer meeting?” “How should I know? Haven’t been there. You’d better go yourself, Warner, if you’re so pushed to find out!” And with this gracious response, accompanied by a surly little laugh, he was turning on his heel to pursue his way, when he abruptly checked him-

self, and facing around squarely for the first time he continued, addressing North: “By the way, North, old Archer was around this afternoon, and not finding you there, he tackled me. Very anxious to see you.” “Old Archer? What did he want of me, Wec?” inquired North at random, airing his newly-acquired information, i. e., the gentleman’s name—or, more properly, nickname. “Want of you? Quite a mystery!” retorted Wec with a sarcastic laugh. “He swore up and down that he wouldn’t be put off any longer, and said that if you don’t move in the matter yourself he’ll soon find some way to fetch you. I believe I am quoting the gentleman literally.” “Swore up and down, did he? Well, he will find that he will gain very little by that,” said North, assuming an expression of stoical defiance which would probably have caused Mr. Archer to renew his profanity, could he have seen it. Like the aesthetic dragoons, North was not at all sure that he was doing this correctly, but it was the safest venture that his ingenuity could suggest. Wec lifted his eyebrows with a pro-

voking air of surprise; while Warner preserved a discreet and sympathetic silence as he glanced from one to the other of the two gentlemen, either of whom was head and shoulders above him in height. “Really, North, you're a little cantankerous this evening,” drawled Wee, with his exasperating laugh. “For my part, I think old Archer has been very patient; and, bless your heart, you can't expect a man to wait forever! I can't defend you, North, indeed I can’t! You’re an unpardonably careless fellow in money matters.” “Ollin’s old failing; it sticks to him, I see,” commented North, mentally, with an involuntary smile; though why he should smile at that reflection he could scarcely have explained. “It’s no laughing matter now, North, let me tell you,” continued Wee, sharply, as he perceived North’s expression. “A man can’t afford to run his credit down through sheer carelessness. You’d better set to work to redeem yours; now, right along, you know, while you’ve got some to redeem!” With this disinterested advice and another characteristic laugh, Wee turned away for the last time and vanished quickly around the corner. Indignation and amazement kept North silent for several moments, as Warner and he pursued their way together. “Really,” he thought, “who is that fellow that he should feel privileged to speak thus to Noll! His manner is quite insufferable! We shall have a little score to settle between ourselves some day, if he is not more careful." “Hold on, North, where are you going? Here’s the post office,” said Warner at this point, interrupting himself in the midst of a sentence and North in his reflections. “Got your letter there? Better hurry. Mail closes in precisely ten minutes,” he added with a hasty glance at his watch. “There is time enough, my dear Warner,” returned North, negligently, as he drew the letter from his pocket. “Don’t you know, I never hurry”—he glanced critically at the superscription —“when I can possibly avoid it”—he turned the letter over and inspected the seal—“and, generally speaking, I consider ten minutes ample time for mailing a letter.” He dropped it carelessly into the box with these last words. Once more on the street, they halted by common consent to light their cigars. “Anywhere else in view this evening?” inquired Warner, briefly, between vigorous puffs at his cigar, which exhibited an exasperating inclination to go out, notwithstanding his efforts to prevent that catastrophe. “No,” returned North as briefly, as he waved his fragrant Havana with its pale wreath of smoke and tiny spark of fire with an air of slight triumph, and proffered the still burning taper. “Have a light, Warner? Oh, I see you’ve made it go at last. Well, then, suppose we saunter back to the Clement house. Unless you have some other engagement—’’ “Oh, not at all! Nothing in the world to do.” “The truth is,” resumed North, after a meditative puff or two, as they started slowly on, “I’m not in the mood for anything to-night — club, politics or society. Confound business! Attend to it faithfully and it makes a slave of you; neglect it, and it's an avenging Nemesis, forever at your heels!” [TO BE CONTINUED.]

Illustration of two men. One man in a bowler hat and checked pants is leaning back in a chair with his feet on a table. The other man sits to his left. They appear to be engaged in a conversation. [Caption is "WHEN DID YOU GET BACK?"

“WHEN DID YOU GET BACK?”

Illustration of three men wearing hats and suits, standing facing each other and engaged in conversation. Caption: "HELLO, WEC! ANY NEWS AFLOAT?"

“ HELLO, WEC! ANY NEWS AFLOAT?”