a broad smile upon the pallid cheeks and sharpened profile beside him. “Colonel, as a health-seeker who can’t keep warm enough, you’re great!” he cried. “Lord, but you look the part!” [119]“If I can’t shed some of these confounded mufflers soon,” growled the pale sufferer addressed, “I’ll get so red with heat it will come through my beautiful powder. I hope those fellows won’t see us, for they will be on to us, all right.” [119] “Our own mothers wouldn’t be on to us in these rigs,” the chauffeur replied cheerily; he seemed to be in a hopeful mood; “and let us once get into the house, and surprise ’em, and there’ll be something drop. But I haven’t really had a chance to tell you the latest—having to pick you up at a drug store this way. Now, let’s sum things up! You think the boy got out through Keatcham’s apartment? Or Mrs. Wigglesworth’s?” “How else?” said the colonel, “he can’t fly, and if he could, he couldn’t fly out and then lock the windows from the inside.” “I see”—the chauffeur appeared thoughtful—“and the Wigglesworth door was locked. You think that Keatcham is in it, someway?” “Not Keatcham,” said the colonel. “There was another man in the car—Atkins they called him, though he has disappeared. But Mercer remains. His secretary and that valet of his; I think the secretary is Cary Mercer. The boy[120] might have slipped out in those few moments we were hunting for him inside. Afterward, either Mrs. Melville Winter or I was on guard until your man came. He might go to the Fireless Stove man, slip out of his rooms, and round the corner to the elevator in a couple of seconds. Then, of course, I might see their rooms—” [120] “Provided, that is, the Fireless Stove drummer is in the plot, too.” “The Fireless Stove drummer who smokes Villar y Villar cigars? He is in it, I think, Birdsall.” “Well, I’ll assume that. Next thing: you get the telephone call. And you say the voice sounded chipper; didn’t look like he was being hurt or bothered anyway, did it?” “Not at all. Besides, you know the letter Miss Smith got this morning?” “I think I’d like another peek at that; will you drive her a minute, while I look at the letter again?” The instant his hands were free Birdsall pulled
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