P recluse
»/FIFTH
1 AVENUE
MARTYN
F o r m a n y y a a ra Raead, f a it h f u l b u tle i
to P a te r M U m a n . In th a q u a in t old m e n ­
tio n
on
lo w e r
F if t h
avenue,
had
w a tc h e d hla e m p lo y e r <o th r o u g h a ll
th a c ity 's d a lly p a pers a n d c a r e fu h y
c lip Ite m s an d new s a r tic le s
b a le r
th e s e c lip p in g s w o u ld be a rr a n g e d ay*
t a m a tic a lly w ith th o u s an d s o f o th e rs
h eld
In
th a
lib r a r y
In
s te e l-lin e d
d ra w e rs , s e c u re ly lo cked
Kneed a m i
li llm a n bad g ro w n old to g e th e r. E ach
was d epend en t upon the o th e r and
a p p a r e n tly as m uch a p a r t o f a pa*
g e n e ra tio n as th e old house In w h ic h
th e y liv e d w a s re p re s e n ta tiv e o f the
f o r m e r a r l s t o i r a i y o f Its s ec tio n o f the
•Ity .
Kneed w o n d e re d w h y his e m p lo y e r,
w h o had w it h d r a w n fro m th e w o rld
and seem ed to liv e o n ly am o n g his
books, p ic tu re s and Ane c o lle c tio n of
a n tiq u e o b je cts o f a r t , sh o u ld have
been ao e a g e r to k e e p In to u ch w ith
a c tiv e a ffa irs th ro u g h th e n e w s p a p e rs
H a d the b u t le r re a lis e d the c a r e fu l
an d
th o ro u g h
system
of
M llm a n 's
w o rk , he w o u ld h ave k n o w n those
c lip p in g s re p re s e n te d a m o re c o m p le te
b u re a u o f th e lives, h is to rie s , c rim e s
and o th e r s ta tis tic s o f a m a jo r it y o f
th e r it ii^ n s <»f M a n h a tta n Is la n d th a n
cou ld hava been fo u n d
w it h in
the
a rc h iv e s o f th e po lice d e p a r tm e n t or
a n y p ro fe s s io n a l d e te c tiv e a g ency.
T h e fa c t la t h a t P e te r M ilm a n , g e n ­
tle m a n and s c h o la rly rec lu s e, w as b e t­
te r equipped fo r re a l d e te c tiv e w o rk
th a n a lm o s t a n y o th e r m an In th e c ity ,
ao t h a t w h en his closest fr ie n d w as
ru in e d and his o w n fo r tu n e a b o u t to
s u ffe r w re c k th r o u g h th e m a c h in a ­
tio n s o f a m an h ig h In th e p o litic s
and A n a n c la l a ffa ir s o f N e w
Y o rk ,
he k n e w Just w h a t course to pu rsue
a g a in s t the en e m y T h e fa v o rn h le n e s s
o f M tlm a n e po sitio n w a a enh a n c e d by
th e fa c t th a t, to the fe w o f th e n w d -
e ra g e n e ra tio n w h o k n e w him . he was
re g a rd e d as an e c c e n tric , a lm o s t a h e r ­
m it and a b o u t th e least d a n g e ro u s o f
a n y In d iv id u a l w h o could h ave been
fo u n d In th e m e tro p o lis ’ vast horde
H is s tre n g th r e a lly e x is ted In his a p ­
p a re n t w e a k n e ss T h is Is a new and
v e ry a g re e a b le s o rt o f m y s te ry a to ry
CHAPTER I
It was cliariK-terlatir of Peter Jill-
man that he should bear the »hock of
Ilia second of hl« Ilf,'» Irngedles with
Do visible symptom of emotion.
The first of th»H, blow» had been
dealt him twenty-five yeur« Imfore
Ha had «iifTered It In thia »am» rich
I f furnlahed room of hla hona. In
L#wer Fifth avenue. Kneed, the but­
ler. who had Juat handed him the
morning pupera, had brought him—a
quarter of a century ago— the letter
In which hla wife told him ahe had
gone nw«y and would not return.
The aecotid blow swept away hl»
comfortable fortune. At fifty, with
out near relatlvea and long estranged
from old friends, Peter Milman would
be cotii|>elled to move from tha house
In which he had been horn— the house
where he ho|>ed to die—to m il with
the world he had forgotten, among
people he had grown to mistrust
The three morning papers Sneed
placed before him, although they
varied somewhat In their telling of
Karen Brewer's failure, had aubstau
tlalljt the same account of It.
Brewer'» liabilities were fifteen mil
lion dollars, *Hle assets were given
as leas than five thousand dollars.
Somewhere, sandwiched among these
vast debts, was Peter Mlluiuu's modest
million.
The butler, sensing III news frvm
the hastily read captious, grew re
lleved when he saw hla employer take
out hla pocket aelaaora and begin to
clip anch extraets from the papers as
Interested him. l-ater these clipping»
would be arranged systematically with
the thousands of others which during
long years Milman had gathered. In
the library, steel lined drawers, rare
fully locked, held the harvest of these
gleanings.
At three o’clock Peter Milman catae
down the stairs and selected a cane
He was dressed as though he were
going to pay an afternoon call. He
was one of those alight, smalt-honed
men ao often seen In the dwindling
families of race« near extinction. His
smartly cut coat, his Immaculate silk
bat and distinguished cane made him
eeem. from a rear view, a hoylah fig
tire
It was when one saw the pale,
lined face, the tired eyes, and the
thin supercilious mouth, that one real
tied this was a man to whom thy
world has long sines seemed empty
vanity
On the whole, Peter Milman
presented the appearance of one to
whom fam iliarity would he distasteful
and friendship the slow growth of
years.
He was on Ills way to see his law
yer end find nut how he stood flnan
d a lly He felt almost certain that he
bad fallen with listen Brewer
Not
for more then twenty years had Peter
Milman been so much disturbed lluln
giving up his home. The Ida..
••Very true, Mr. Peter, sir." said
Sneed There was a look on his em­
ployer's face that he did not under­
stand. something hard and ruthless.
"There ure some of the wicked I
should very much like to separate
from the pious without waiting for
post mortem Judgments. I am not sure
that such an act would not be a logical
way of acquiring merit. I take It.
! Sneed, that In your essence you are
, law abiding?"
•’Always," said Sneed with cori-
I sclous rectitude. "In that respect, Jlr.
: Peter, I'm like you."
“A very admirable frame of mind."
i said Milman.
had always resented Mllman’s dis­
criminations when social functions
were still a part of his life. It Is true
that he had dined many times In the
Milman house, but his wife had never
been asked there. He came to under­
Sneed had rarely known him com
stand In the end that he was asked be­ | ment on uny of the exhibits before
cause Peter Milman found It a less To day It seemed he had a word foi
tedious business than going to Lod­ 1 everything.
don's office.
“On this settle with folding candle­
It was this fancied slight to his wife
W N U.
stick." he observed, "Benjamin Mil
S C A V tC C
which most angered the lawyer. She
man fell asleep In the Revolutionary
was a social climber, and the magic of
war and was captured by a red coat
was Intolerable.
the Milman name was a tradition tn
major, who gave him liberty owing to
He entered the private office of Her
New York. Her husband, ashamed of
■ man I.oddon as one assured of hla hla obscure origin, Imd claimed to have bis pretty skill on a six-string has«
position and certain of his welcome. heen at school with Peter Milman, and viol. The viol Is I d the next room
Assuredly Loddon. who owed so much Mrs. Loddon felt that, were he to In­ These three mahogany pieces," lie
to the Milmuns. would be able to sup- sist. she could be a guest In the en­ said, pausing before a six-legged high
case of drawers, “once belonged to
! ply him with the Information he de- vied home.
the man whom Aaron Burr speaks of
Loddon hated Milman because, de
' aired.
'as my friend Hamilton whom I
The first direct Intimation of the spite his unwise boasting, he knew he killed.’
ditTercnce between a millionaire und had never convinced Milman of his
“It was my Intention to beqtienth
i a poor innn was given him us he en Importance.
them to the Metropolitan." Milman
“Always,"
he
said
slowly,
with
W
1 t,red Loddon'» room.
Loddon re­
frowned a little. " It will seem like
mained seated. Hitherto he hud risen rush of relief at being at last able to breaking faith with the dead.”
•lumally to his feet at sight of his voice Ills emotions. "Yes, I hated you
Sneed did not yet know that the
i distinguished client and with awkward when my father drove you to school man he served was insolvent and that
und
I
couldn’t
get
either
Inside
with
gestures motioned him to the seat of
all these relics which told so much
I ’ve
| honor. And Ids face had been wreathed you or on the box with him.
of the Milman history must come un­
' with smiles. For the first time Peter hated you for your friends and the der the hammer.
"You can leave
1 Milman saw the man Herman Loddon way you've expected me to come when
me," Milman said, after a pause. ”1
( us lie really was. Loddon hated him. you felt like calling.” Loddon laughed want to remain here some time.”
und had alwava hated him. There coul.-l snewrlngly. “But that's all done with.
At six o’clock Sneed ventured to dis­
lie no other explanation of hla lack of I'm on top and only pity you dow .”
turb Peter Milman. During the hours
"I think I prefer the former emo­
courtesy Hnd the sneering smile w i’ h
he had passed downstairs Sneed
which he greeted his client. For a tion," Milman murmured.
"In future,” Loddon said majestical­ thought he understood what his em­
quarter-century he had worn a dis­
ployer meant He had put things to­
arming smile. Hazen Brewer's failure ly, “I shall have too many big things
gether.
He believed Peter Milman
to
attend
to
to
have
time
for
you.
I
’ll
had swept away the necessity for us­
was cataloguing his treasures. Hazen
ing It any more. Things, then, were turn your affairs over to my managing
Brewer’s failure had been as complete
clerk."
desperate.
as the evening papers proclaimed.
“Thank
you,"
Milman
said,
rising.
Mllman's manner was still as loftily
Peter Mllman's manner vaguely dis­
’I
shall
not
come
again.
Send
In
your
courteous us ever.
turbed his butler. There was a smile
bill
at
once.
You
have
been
loyal
to
“I hope you have been able to find
where usually mild cynicism reigned.
out the extent of Mr. Brewer's mis­ our Interests, and that Is why we em­ Almost It seemed as If the sword
ployed
you."
Peter
Milman
passed
fortunes," he said.
which Milman held had Imbued hint
“Misfortunes 1” Loddon cried. ’Tils over the Loddon outburst of hate ns with swashbuckling courage of that
though
It
had
not
Interested
him.
crimes, you mean."
Herman I.oddon watched him depart hard-drinking, roystering Oliver Mil-
“1 am not asking you to prejudge
with
the feeling that his triumph had man who had been a notable figure In
my friend," Peter Milman said quietly.
not
heen
as assured as he could have tha Colonial wars.
"I wunt to know If the morning papers
‘T am not sure." Peter Milman oh
wished.
He
had won no look of fear
are correct In stating that his entire
or apprehension from the man he served, ’’that man made a good ex­
fortune has disappeared."
hated. Perhaps, after all, there was change when he put aside the sword
"They are," Loddon answered with
something about men like Milman and depended upon law und Its chican­
hu appearance of satisfaction, "and as
different from him. Then the thought eries."
you wouldn't take my advice about
"8o I ’ve heard. Mr. Peter, sir,”
of Ills two millions reassured him and
your Investments, your money has
lie lumbered to the window and Sneed returned, understanding noth
gone too. I tell you, Milman, you've
watched his former client cross the tog.
only got wliat I prophesied a million
”1 was not aware the view was so
road
The great limousine opposite
limes."
would presently take Herman Loddon generally accepted." said his employ­
Milman! Never before had Herman
to Ills lavishly appointed apartment, er. "The man who owned this literal­
I.oddon presumed so much. Loddon'a
where he would dine largely. He pic­ ly carved his way to fortune. He had
father had been the Milman coacli-
tured Milmuns solitary and dismal fought In Europe before he came here.
iiiaii at tlielr country place at Hast­
meal. There would not be many more His God-fearing brother, my own an­
ing« years before. When he hnd been
for him In the family home on Lower cestor. disowned him publicly In
killed In a runaway accident. Peter
Fifth avenue. The Patrician age was church on Christmas Sunday and lost
Milman, the elder, hud taken charge
all his cattle and barns by lightning
gone.
of the son's education and had even
Peter Mlltnan reached his home the next summer. 1 have always had
tuully set him up In practice and
without encountering anyone who a sneaking fondness for Captain
given him hla first ense.
knew him.
Fashionable New York Oliver.”
"Then nothing la left?" Milman
Sneed followed his master down the
with her residences and clubs had
asked.
The butler regarded
long passed on her northward way. broad stairs.
"Not a cent. You're luckier than
Those few houses which, like his own. himself as a built-in feature of the
Brewer la. beenuse you've got a valu
were still owned by their builders' mansion. He knew that to seek work
able lot on Fifth avenue, and there are
families, were mostly unoccupied save In the bustling world outside would
for a few weeks In the year. With be repellent and bewildering. lie real­
ihese people Milman hnd now nothing ised that Peter Milman and he were
In common. He had rejected their two lonely, friendless men. And they
overtures. They spoke of him with had lost their home because one of
pity, almost with contempt. A legend them had trusted Implicitly In Hazen
What a price to pay for
• >f eccentricity grew up about him and Brewer.
presently gave way to rumors of men­ friendship Sneed mused unhappily.
He did not understand how It was
tal deterioration.
Sneed, who concerned himself great­ the other seemed In no way depressed.
ly with the sudden change tn his em­ 8need was not to know that Captain
ployer’s habits, snw him return with Oliver's shade had whispered courage
obvious relief. Snped had read the Into the ear of the lust of the Mil-
papers and realized the extent of
Hazen Brewer's troubles. He wished
CHAPTER II
he dared ask Mr. Milman If he, too.
were badly M t. Peter Mllman’s face
At ten o'clock on the following
told him nothing. Nor was hla cus­
morning. Peter Mlltnan entered the
tomary manner changed.
“I am going over the upper rooms offices of a firm of lawyers which had
after luncheon," said Milman. "Please transacted the private business of
Hazen Brewer. Henry Payne, the head
see that they are In order."
The upper rooms. It was In these Of the firm, looked troubled when Mil-
spacious chambers that the old fur­ man's card was brought In. The In­
niture was stored shout which expert* terview would not be pleasHnt for
raved. The six rooms were arranged either of them.
"I came." Milman began In his ur­
as a museum. Milman moved front
piece to piece.
Everything had Its bane manner. 'To find out. If possible,
definite association. He stopped lie the extent of Mr. Brewer's losses. I
fore an Eighteenth century card table might have called up Hazen, hut In a
covered with sealskin. On tills table. moment like this he has worries
In 1743, a Peter Milman had lost a enough."
”1 hope Sir. Brewer Is not worrying
"H ave You Always Hated Me, Lod- thousand pounds on a cut of card«
with a blue-blond of South Carolina. now."
don?"
“Then things are not as bad as they
Those six chairs, called "banister
fifty men waiting to make you an of­ backed by their creator. Heppel seemed?" Mllman's heart pounded us
fer for It and put a big building where white, had been made to order for a he said IL
that mausoleum of yours standa."
“Worse. I've bsd news for you. Mr.
Milman.
Poor Hazen Brewer com­
Milman said nothing
He allowed
There waa one room devoted to th“ M llm in
Loddon'a sneer at Ills home to pass Dutch furniture that Jad come to the mitted suicide In the early hours of
Loddon did not know that, when Mllmnns from a marriage with a Van this morning I suppose when he saw
Hnten Brewer Incurred the enmity of Sluyter heiress. Peter Milman hent there was left nothing but liabilities,
great financial Interests, and was ao down to look at a Dutch church stool his mind gave way."
hardly pressed for money, he had which a Van Sluyter servant had car­
Psvne wished he could discover from
conte hv night to Milman and begged ried to a place of worship two hun Mllman's expression how much or lit
In utter deaperatlon for a loan. It dred years before. It was black tn tie this u p w s meant to him. But Mil-
waa Hazen Brewer who had arranged color, and on one elds bore a picture man hnd too much control of himself
the mortgage on the Milman home It of the Last Judgment and acme ap­ to allow any man to see how st.icken
waa Brewer alone wuo had profited by propriate verses.
he was.
the affair. And thia mortgage waa
"Poor Hazen." he murmured
"He
" I don't read Dutch," Milman ob
shortly to fall due. and there was no served, "but I remembered the trans­ was one of my oldest and best
money to pay IL
lation
Listen. Sneed, tt may do you friend« "
Petar Milman conld have aold the good."
A curious tribute, thought the law­
house and lot and retired to acme oth­
“Certainly. air,” »»M Sneed respect yer. to one whose speculations had
er place In relative comfort until the fully
ruined him
But perhaps the other
end of hla life had he been less oh- |
did not yet realize to wliat an extent
stlnately desirous of remaining whete “Th e Ju dg m en t o f Oc4 Is new prepared
hla private fortune wes Involved
th e re Is s t ill tim e, leave u n w is ­
he had been horn
"The mortgage on my house." Mil-
dom
"Yon ran t stay thnre, if that's what Th s ploue W ill be «eparaied from the Ban began. "I suppose It will be fore­
w ic ked
Oo«l e wisdom encircle« closed?"
you are trying to figure ont." I .odd on
th e V n lv e rs a ."
paid brutally. "The taxes are heavy
"I in afraid ao. There will be x
WYNDHAM
INTRODUCTORY
My account, for Instance. Sell It and
live In Italy la my advice." He yawned
rudely.
Peter Mllman's question turned his
red face a deeper hue.
"Have yon always hated me, Lod­
don?’
The lawyer did not answer Imme­
diately. This hate of his was a com­
plex thing, less the result of a deep
injury than of u thousand envies. He
^^lbanyj2)irectory
meet.ng of hla creditors within a day
or ao. I f I can act for you In any
way, I shall be only too glad to do
I
ao.”
"Ton are very kind,” said Peter
lbany baking co
Milman courteously
He shook Mr.
k
405 U ext First
Payne's hand and left.
• uttmk - nut m tB A n
| “A thoroughbred." murmured the
lawyer, who had seen many distin­
A lbany Floral Co. Cut flowers
guished men listen to bad news In
sod pleats. Floral art for every
this office. “Poor devil, wiped out ab­
and all occasions.
solutely !"
Flower phone 456-f.
Before going home. Peter Milman
took his way to an agency which spe­
lbany state bank w
cialized In French domestic help of
invite ¡your business. Saving! and
the better sort.
commercial aceounta. Capital, surplus,
“I want," be said to the woman at undivided profits, $100.001).
the desk, “a French butler who will
ASTBURN’S GROCERY
do the entire work of a house In which
4th and Lyons Street
only a few of the rooms are occupied.
A woman comes in by the day to The place to buv good groceries at the
price. Oa the corner, plenty of
clean the place and the windows, and right
room to park. Albany.
the furnace is attended to."
— «
A
E
po RD RALES
"1 think I can suit you," she said,
and turned to a card index.
"W alt.” said the other. "There are
other necessary qualifications.
He
must be a good plain cook and know
no English.”
"That makes It easier,” she said.
“I have a man with very good refer­
ences who could fill the bill. He came
over la the last quota. I f you conld
wait a few minutes, I could arrange
to have you meet him.”
Achille Lutry was forty-seven, rath­
er terrified with the size and noise of
New York, and anxious to begin to
save money so thut be might return
to Amiens and establish a restaurant.
The wages he was offered seemed mar­
velous. The restrictions seemed no
burden to hint. He hud no friends to
ask Into the house, and the little
leisure he was allowed made the sav­
ing of his wages certain. He was to
report at the house on Lower Fifth
avenue tomorrow at noon.
That night at dinner the estimable
Sneed noted a certain unusual nerv­
ousness In his master's manner. The
old butler did not dream of the 111
fortune that awaited him.
“Sneed," Peter Milman began, when
the coffee hnd heen poured out, "my
future household arrangements will be
on a different scale from what they
have been of late. You have been a
faithful servant to me for many years.
I am not likely to find your equal. In
lieu of notice I shall give you six
months' wages. I shall be glad If you
will leave before luncheon tomorrow."
"Oh, Mr. Peter, sir," Sneed walled,
"what have I done to be treated like
this?"
“Nothing. I f I had my way, I should
never let you go. You cannot under­
stand how sorry I am. But the thing
Is Inevitable.
There are matters
which you must not ask me to explain.
This Is one of them."
"Let me stay," Sneed begged. “I
don’t want wages. I can do the work
we pay that woman for, and tending
the furnace Is good exercise. Thia la
my home, too, sir."
"Sneed,” said the other kindly, “If
I tell you that by remaining here yon
will embarrass me and Imperil cer­
tain plans I have determined on, will
you still want to stay?"
“I'd do anything for you, Mr. Peter,'
he said brokenly.
“1 knew you would. I will say thia:
If, by any turn of the wheel, things
become better, I will have you back.
"The papers say nothing Is lefb
Sneed returned dismally.
" If the papers were alwnys correct,
this would be a direful world."
Sneed looked Into the face Of a
Peter Mtlman he did not know, and
he hnd believed he knew his employer
In every mood. It seemed to the but
ler he had discovered a new person­
ality. someone more ruthless, harder,
bitterer.
“The man who comes tomorrow
will never take your place. Y'on may
AND SERVICE
Tire» and accessories
Repairs
K ib k -P ollak M oto * C o ,
CVirtmiller Furniture Co., furni-
A ture, ruga, linolenm, noves rangea.
Funeral directora 427-433 weat Firat
»treet, Albany, Oregon.
JpINTEL WRECKING CO.
A
«36 Weat 1st
Caed Parta for all cars
H emstitching, of all stamped
fancy work
goods,
kinds at the
SPECIALTY SHOP
318 West becond at.
U O L M A N & JACKSON
A A
Grocery— Bakery
Everything in the line of eats
Opposite Poatoffice
H U B C o o f e e t i o o e r y .
Noon
lunches.
Home-made candy and
ice cream. Ftrst streeL next dooi ro
Blain Clothing Co.
A t CAFE. 209 W. First
I M PERI
Harold O. Murphy Prop.
Phone 665
Wg
MKVBB CLOSX
en n in g s A u to T o p
Shop— A u to
trim m ing, seat covers and winter in-
closures. 202 R. Second. Phone 41HJ.
N. L. Jennings Manager
J
M AGNETO ELECTRIC CO.
E’ A
Investigate the new Prestolite
Battery prices before baying.
N agel's Boh
and Beauty Shoppe,
Hotel Albany
Manicuring, marcel’ ing, facial
Mist Lamphear, operator
D ía n o s !
P ianoa 1 I
Som e
big
A bargains in second-hand pianoa; one
$85, one $195; ane $250. Call at
Davenport Music House. Albany
PULLM AN CAFE
A
Good food.
227 W. First
Popular pnces
J^OSCOK AMES HARDWARE
The Winchester Store
George William Wright
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Loans money
at
5% on (arma
Baltimore bldg., Albany, Oregon
Your eyes examined and a
pair of
fine
Tone Reading Glasses
in a frame
of
your own choiee
$ 6 to $ 7 .5 0
F. M. French & Son
Jewelers and Optometrists
Albany, Oregon
A lb an y
Creamery Association
Manufacturers of
LINN BUTTER
and Buyers o f Eggs
A Farm ers’ Co-operative
Creamery
I f you enjoy a good meal
And know a good meal whea veu get ft
Sou'll he back for you'll not forget It.
PARAGON CAFE
G E O . M. G IL C H R IS T
ALBANY
“You May Regard Him at a Tamp«
vary Expedient."
regard him as a temporary expedient
When you go, Sneed. 1 shall see one
of my few friends deparL"
________ (To be continued)
D ELBER T STARR
,
Ticket office Bell Line Stage.
Albany to San Francisco, $1$.
FARM LOANS
at lowest rate of iatereaL
Real Estate
Insurance
Prompt service, courteous treat meat.
W m . Ban«, with Lane County Abstract
company, Albany
Funeral Director and Lictnacd
Emhaltner
L ADY A SSIST A N T
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