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Show P0E STIFLED HIS WELCOME Mechanical Actions of Distinguished Guest Astonished Servant, Host and the Other Visitors. Todd, who had opened the door silently sil-ently and crept in, laid his hand on his master's shoulder. "Marse George, can I speak to you a minute?" he whispered. The boy looked as if he had seen a ghost. "Speak to me! Why haven't you taken my message, Todd?" "Yes, sah dat is can't ye step in de hall a minute, Marse George now right away?" ! "The hall! what for? is there anything any-thing the matter?" St. George rose to his feet and followed fol-lowed Todd from the room. Something, Some-thing, evidently, had gone wrong something demanding instant attention, atten-tion, or Todd wouldn't be scared out of his wits. Several minutes passed: Again the door swung wide, and a man, deathly pale, erect, faultlessly dressed in a full suit of black, the coat buttoned close to his chin, his cavernous cavern-ous eyes burning like coals of fire, entered en-tered on St. George's arm and advanced ad-vanced toward the group. Every guest was on his feet in an instant. "We have him at last!" cried St. George in his cheeriest voice. "A little lit-tle lute, but doubly welcome. Mr. Poo, gentlemen." Kennedy was the first to extend his hand, Horn crowding close, the others walling their turn. Poo straightened bis body, focussed his eyes on Kennedy, shook his extended ex-tended hand gravely, but without the slightest sign of recognition, and repeated re-peated the same cold greeting to each guest in the room. He spoke no word did not open his lips only the mechanical me-chanical movement of his outstretched hand a movement so formal that it stilled all exclamations of praise on the part of the guests or eveu of welcome. wel-come. Sciibner's Magazine. |
