Part 14 (1/2)
The day I arrived, and before I saw him, I was very much impressed with the simplicity yet distinction of the inn or sanitarium or ”repair shop,” as subsequently I learned he was accustoround and co and quite warreat square of green fenced with high, well-triood to look upon, level and se and oblong and gray, with very sireat wide balustraded balconies reaching out fros and set with rockers The land on which this inn stood sloped very gradually to the Sound, miles away to the southeast, and the spires of churches and the gables of villages rising in between, as well as various toy-like sails upon the water, were no small portion of its charreen-covered earth rose and fell in undulating beauty, and here again the roofs and spires of nearby villagesthe trees Due south there was a suggestion of water and sonificance other than that which attached to the vague outlines of a distant landscape By night, however, the soft glow ehts identified it as the body and length of the reen waves repeated thereen-blue haze
Interiorly, as I learned later, this place was ed for the purpose for which it was intended It was airy and well-appointed, with, on the ground floor, a great gy four or five punching bags, only medicine balls At the other end was an office or receiving-roo-roo a nu room and sun parlor On the second floor, on either side of a wide airy hall which ran fro-room at one end to Culhane's private suite at the other, were ts of bedrooave in turn, each one, upon either side, on to the balconies previously ed soer steamer, with its center aisle and its outer decks and doors opening upon it In another wing on the ground floor were kitchens, servants' quarters, and what not else! Across the immense lawn or campus to the east, four-square to the sanitariurandiose stable, al About the place, and always -e coht almost say nationalities That is as nationalities are represented in Aenerations
The day I arrived I did not see er or trainer for an hour or two after I ca allowed to wait about until the very peculiar temperament which he possessed would pere and yet gentleueur_ I have never seen He was really very princely in build and rand, like those portraits that have come down to us of Richelieu and the Duc de Guise--fawn-colored riding trousers, bright red waistcoat, black-and-white check riding coat, brown leather riding boots and leggings with the essential spurs, and a riding quirt And yet really, at that moment he remindedcostu cat, beautifully dressed, as in our children's storybooks, a kind of tiger in collar and boots He was so lithe, silent, cat-like in his tread In his hard, clear, gray anilance which sometimes troubles us in the presence of animals It was hard to believe that he was all of sixty, as I had been told He looked the very well-preserved oatee which he ere gray and added to his grand air His hair, cut a close poave hiuished air He looked very virile, very intelligent, very indifferent, intolerant and even threatening
”Well,” he exclaiave him my name
”Yes, that's so Your brother spoke to me about you Well, take a seat
You will be looked after”
He walked off, and after an hour or so I was still waiting, for what I scarcely knew--a roo to eat possibly, some one to speak a friendly word toin this rather nondescript antechaauntlets, I had an opportunity to study some of the men hom presumably I was to live for a number of weeks It was between two and three in the afternoon, and , reading, all in rather commonplace athletic costus and running or walking shoes They were in the main evidently of the so-called learned professions or the arts--doctors, lawyers, preachers, actors, writers, with a goodly sprinkling of ed society enerally a little the worse for their pleasures or weaknesses A distinguished judge of one of the superior courts of New York and an actor known everywhere in the English-speaking world were instantly recognized by me Others, as I was subsequently informed, were related by birth or achievenificance The reason for the presence of so e in intellect lay, as I came to believe later, in their ability or that of some one connected with them to sincerely appreciate or to at least be amused and benefited by the somewhat different theory of physical repair which the lord of the manor had invented, or for which at least he had become famous
I have remarked that I was not inclined to be impressed Sanitariums with their isms and theories did not appeal tohere an incident occurred which stuck in ularly lean and haughty-looking individual, who, after looking about hi some one to come out to hi that his various grips and one trunk were properly deposited on the gravel square outside, paid and feed his driver, then walked in and remarked:
”Ah--where is Mr Culhane?”
”I don't know, sir,” I replied, being the only one present ”He was here, but he's gone I presume some one will show up presently”
He walked up and down a little while, and then added: ”U one, isn't it? I wired him I'd be here” He walked restlessly and al out of theat ti on the rather casual character of it all I agreed
Thus, so us, and occasional servants or ”guests” passing through the roo without even soto be interested in us, the new arrival grew excited
”This is very unusual,” he fuo I've been here now fully three-quarters of an hour! Abusiness, I should say!”
Presently our stern, steely-eyed host returned He see somewhere, to be nowise interested in us Yet into our presence, probably into the consciousness of this new ”guest,” he carried that air of savage strength and indifference, eyeing the stranger quite sharply andwait
”You wish to see me?” he inquired brusquely once e Plainly he felt himself insulted or terribly underrated
”Are you Mr Culhane?” he asked crisply
”Yes”
”I am Mr Squiers,” he exclaimed ”I wired you from Buffalo and ordered a room,” this last with an irritated wave of the hand
”Oh, no, you didn't order any room,” replied the host sourly and with an obvious desire to show his indifference and contee_ a room”
He paused The teuest seemed to realize that he had made a mistake somewhere, had been misinformed as to conditions here
”Oh! Um--ah! Yes! Well, have you a room?”