Part 2 (2/2)

”You'll be the thirteenth that's been 'turned down' to-day for that job!” observed cook blandly With which cheering assurance she consigned him to some one else--a maid with a tipped-up nose--and presently he found hi ”shown up”; that was the expression used

The room into which he was ushered was a parlor Absently he seated himself The maid tittered He looked at her--or rather the tipped-up nose, an attractive bit of anatomy Saucy, provocative! Mr

Heatherbloom's head tilted a little; he surveyed the detail with the look of a connoisseur She colored, went; but remained in the hall to peer There werearound--on tables or in cabinets--and the caller's appearance was against hi; he had the i there in a chair!

He was leaning back now as if he enjoyed that ats and the bronzes with interest But for no good reason, thought the ave a start of surprise The hand of the suspicious-looking caller had lifted involuntarily to his breast pocket; a ht arette case Did he intend--actually intend to--but the caller's hand fell; he sat forward suddenly on the edge of his chair and seemed for the first tiathering up his shabby hat fro, he abruptly rose

Just in time to confront, or be confronted by, an austere lady in stiff satin or brocade and with bristling iron-gray hair! He noticed, however, that unlike the maid, she had a very prominent nose--that _now_ sniffed!

”Good heavens! What a frightful odor of gasolene Jane, where are my salts?”

Jane rushed in; at the sas that had followed in the lady's wake began to bark as if they, too, were echoing the plaint: ”What a frightful odor! Salts, Jane, salts!” And as they barked in many keys, but always fortissih chased by soasolene), or chasing one another in a mad outburst of canine exuberance

”Sardanapolis! Beauty! Curly! Naughty!” the lady called out

But in vain Sardanapolis continued to cut capers; Beauty's conduct was not beautiful; while as for Naughty (all yellos and black curls) he see to live up to the fullest realization of his name

”Dear me! What _shall_ I do?”

”Just let 'em alone, ma'am,” ventured Jane, ”and they'll soon tire themselves out”

Fortunately, by this ti that state of ennui

”Dear me!” said now the lady anxiously ”Hoet the poor dears' tongues are!”

”Nature of the b--poor dears, ma'am!” commented Jane

The lady looked at her ”_You_ don't like dogs,” she said ”You can go”

And then to Mr Heatherblooht you here? Don't answer at once Stand farther back”

Mr Heatherbloo this little ihtened with a start; he retired a few paces, observing in a ar the hi and--

”You're another answer to the advertisement then, I suppose?” the lady's voice unceremoniously interrupted

He confessed himself Another Answer, and in that capacity proceeded now to reply as best he ht to a merciless and rapid fire of questions

She would have made an excellent cross-examiner for the prosecution; Mr

Heatherbloo A number of queries he answered frankly; others he evaded He see certain details of his past He did not care to say where he was born, or who his parents were

What had he done? What occupations had he followed?

Well--he see dishes; but--drea about there being a debit balance on account of daed crockery He had essayed the role of waiter but had lasted only through the first courses; down to the entrees, he thought; certainly not e He believed he bue had seemed put out; afterward, he himself was put out And then--well, he had somehow drifted, more or less

”Drifted!” said the lady ominously

”Oh, yes! Tried his hand at this and that,” he added rather blithely He once worked for a -picture firm; fell from a six-storyfor the--a net or a platform--was supposed to catch hiot smashed on the sidewalk He was a little doubtful about their intercepting him at the fifth and that he, instead of the du the risk--reflectively They said he was a great success falling through the air, and they had hih drawbridges into the water, for example That's where he contracted a bad cold, and when he had recovered, another man had been found for the heavier-than-air role--

”What are you talking about?” The lady's back was stiffer than a poker