The Fortune Hunter | Page 6

to you for Mr. Kellogg, sir, and
the address was Omaha."
"I didn't get that far. Fetch along that suitcase, will you please? I want
to put some clean things in it."
"Then you're not staying in town over night, Mr. Duncan?"
"I don't know. I'm not staying here, anyway." Duncan switched on the
lights in his room. "Put it on the bed, Robbins. I'll pack as quickly as I
can. I'm in a hurry."
"Yes, sir, but--I hope there's nothing wrong?"
"Then you lose," returned Duncan grimly: "everything's wrong." He
jerked viciously at an obstinate bureau drawer, and when it yielded
unexpectedly with the well-known impishness of the inanimate,
dumped upon the floor a tangled miscellany of shirts, socks, gloves,
collars and ties.
"Didn't you like the business, sir?"
"No, I didn't like the business--and it didn't like me. It's the same old
story, Robbins. I've lost my job again--that's all."
"I'm very sorry, sir."

"Thank you--but that's all right. I'm used to it."
"And you're going to leave, sir?"
"I am, Robbins."
"I--may I take the liberty of hoping it's to take another position?"
"You may, but you lose a second time. I've just made up my mind I'm
not going to hang round here any longer. That's all."
"But," Robbins ventured, hovering about with exasperating
solicitude--"but Mr. Kellogg'd never permit you to leave in this way,
sir."
"Wrong again, Robbins," said Duncan curtly, annoyed.
"Yes, sir. Very good, sir." With the instinct of the well-trained servant,
Robbins started to leave, but hesitated. He was really very much
disturbed by Duncan's manner, which showed a phase of his character
new in Robbins' experience of him. Ordinarily reverses such as this had
seemed merely to serve to put Duncan on his mettle, to infuse him with
a determination to try again and win out, whatever the odds; and at
such times he was accustomed to exhibit a mad irresponsibility of wit
and a gaiety of spirit (whether it were a mask or no) that only
outrivalled his high good humour when things ostensibly were going
well with him.
Intermittently, between his spasms of employment, he had been
Kellogg's guest for several years, not infrequently for months at a time;
and so Robbins had come to feel a sort of proprietary interest in the
young man, second only to the regard which he had for his employer.
Like most people with whom Duncan came in contact, Robbins
admired him from a respectful distance, and liked him very well withal.
He would have been much distressed to have harm happen to him, and
he was very much concerned and alarmed to see him so candidly
discouraged and sick at heart. Perhaps too quick to draw an inference,
Robbins mistrusted his intentions; his dour habit boded ill in the
servant's understanding: men in such moods were apt to act unwisely.
But if only he might contrive to delay Duncan until Kellogg's return, he
thought the former might yet be saved from the consequences of folly
of some insensate sort. And casting about for an excuse, he grasped at
the most sovereign solace he knew of.
"Beg pardon, sir," he advanced, hesitant, "but perhaps you're just
feeling a bit blue. Won't you let me bring you a drop of something?"

"Of course I will," said Duncan emphatically over his shoulder. "And
get it now, will you, while I'm packing.... And, Robbins!"
"Sir?"
"Only put a little in it."
"A little what, sir?"
"Seltzer, of course."

II
TO HIM THAT HATH
It had been a forlorn hope at best, this attempt of his to escape Kellogg:
Duncan acknowledged it when, his packing rudely finished, he started
for the door, Robbins reluctantly surrendering the suit-case after
exhausting his repertoire of devices to delay the young man. But at that
instant the elevator gate clashed in the outer corridor and Kellogg's key
rattled in the lock, to an accompanying confusion of voices, all
masculine and all very cheerful.
Duncan sighed and motioned Robbins away with his luggage. "No
hope now," he told himself. "But--O Lord!"
Incontinently there burst into the room four men: Jim Long, Larry
Miller, another whom Duncan did not immediately recognise, and
Kellogg himself, bringing with them an atmosphere breezy with
jubilation. Before he knew it Duncan was boisterously overwhelmed.
He got his breath to find Kellogg pumping his hand.
"Nat," he was saying, "you're the only other man on earth I was
wishing could be with me tonight! Now my happiness is complete. Gad,
this is lucky!"
"You think so?" countered Duncan, forcing a smile. "Hello, you boys!"
He gave a hand to Long and Miller. "How're you all?" He warmed to
their friendly faces and unfeigned welcome. "My, but it's good to see
you!" There was relief in the fact that Kellogg,