Bunker Bean

ssassin, no gentleman! It was all too true. Very well, for that vaunted force of will, but to what base ends had it been applied! He was merciless to himself,

tress, and the others! How she would loathe him! And you couldn't tell what minute it might become known. People were taking a

ssons to be drawn from the Napoleonic episode, but just now, when

ne chronicle. Very well, he would act. Again he would sta

ared that the Countess Casanova might have returned to European triumph

tess appeared from behind the heavy curtains, a p

, for the Countess began to tell him th

, you said, it was written on the slate what I was-" He could n

And what was you w

-lidded eyes, a figure of m

me who I was befor

er eyes rapidly, as if

s-what I was first." He looked helplessly around the room, then glanced

t sometimes the conditions ain't jest right and y'r c'ntrol can't git into rapport with them that ha

, I wouldn't care anything a

glanced up

k at it, friend, but h

ars," confessed

wenty, if you was told

and that other t

d her eyes briefly,

te hands over her brow in the throes of recollection. "I think his name is Professor Balthasar. I ain't ever met him, understand what I mean? but they s

nd which she carefully pulled sliding d

cared for the twenty dollars. He could get along by borrowing seventeen-seventy-nine from Metzeger. The voice still

' I want you to get over here quick's you can an' give him about a ten-minute spiel. Wha's that? Well, they's twenty, an' I split with you. But listen here, Ed, I get the idee this party's worth nursin' along. I dunno, something about him. That's why I'm tellin' you. I want it don

the Countess reappeare

d out t' give some advice to one the Vandabilts. But I got his private secata

to be causing

etter come a

to listen to unspoken words, looking far off. "Th

hast before

omes. Don't tip him off what you want. Let him do the talkin'. If he's the real thing he'll

the Countess were a pa

The mere sound of its mounting was impressive. The Countess lai

rockcoat, loose-fitting and not too garishl

asar?" inquired the Coun

ferred upon the Countess a glistening tall hat, and then covered his expa

e Countess, elegantly apologetic; "your secatar

brushed it aside with an eloquent hand. "My m

this young ge

sen, regarding him with serious eyes and

e nearer to Bean, staring intently, then started with dramat

-what is this

med with difficulty to withdraw his fascinated

stronger than my own. His powerful mind is projecting the most vital queries. I shall be compelled to disclose to him matters

ly withdrew. The two m

ing you," ventured the Cou

es and impossible lines. It seemed that he must have been rather dashingly done in the first place, then half obliterated and badly mended with fumbling, indecisive t

an forefinger poised above an outheld palm. It seemed to the listener that the word when it ca

e finger pointed Bean to the

culiar apprehension which physician

He sat in a chair facing Bean and regarded him long and intently. At brief interva

s tingling nerves were accurately defi

are cruel, insatiable, a predatory monster. But retribution comes. You are hurled from your throne. Again you ascend it, but only for a brief time. You fight your last battle; you lose! You are captured and taken to a lonely island somewhere far to the south, there to be imprisoned until your death. Afterwa

itement, his mouth open. "Yes, that's ju

passes from my view. I am led back, away from it-far back-the c

r, wincing under each blow. He wiped his face and

elmed me at first; you are so self-willed, so dominant, so ruthless. The name, the name!" He cried th

an hastily. "Let it go! I-I don't w

ssor's look bec

t blood-lust!" He breathed deeply and

mouth. The city is Venice in the fourteenth century. He is dressed in a richly bejewe

arther back, can't

led once more w

rth to battle. You are a tyrant, ruling by fear alone,

had enough of all that battle and killing. I-I

adept redirect

s lay by a roadside in ancient Greec

ent sitter, resolving not to pay twent

control did not relish these interruptions. He see

re born from another as yet unknown to our astronomers. You are

asure at this, he continued

ago. You are the last king

a king-one of

g. I see a peaceful realm pe

to know. Go on; te

hand of man. You are ministered to by slaves, and your councillors of state come to you with their reports. You are tall, handsome and of a most kingly presence. Your personal bravery is unquestioned, you are an adept in a

ed Bean, in low,

is-oh, yes, I get it

him in the

ally. "I am probably the only living man

id he-p

f character, stern at moments, but ever just. His remains received the treatment customary in those times, and t

n his chair, his eyes lost

. If I could see you again

caressing the moustache with a deft hand. "Any

eared from betwe

ditions righ

the professor crisply, with a side-glance

orgetting something, ain't you

h blushing apologies, while the professor inspected the mantel ornaments with an absent a

until the ha

all right, I'll say that. My! do

is, he'll come back. He's a clerk somewhere, drawing twenty-five a week or so. He ought to g

e icebox. Gee! ain't he good, thoug

e inlaid dagger; the brutal Roman, ruling by fear, cutting off heads! And the blind poet! He would rather be Napoleon than a blind poet, if you came down to that. But the king, wise, humane, handsome, maste

ourse. Somewhere that very night, at that very instant, his lifeless form reposed beneath the desert sands. Perhaps the face had changed bu

nd kingly bearing might he not have been a little timid-afraid of people now and then? And the Karmic law had swe

o be timidity was a natural reaction from Napoleonic bravado. Now he had finished the circ

d himself in the glass: there was undoubted majesty in

of Breede, even in the lesser presence of Bulger, or of old Metzeger from whom he purposed to borrow seventeen dollars and seventy-nine cents? All right ab

, and be sure. But that was out of the question. It was no good wishing. After all, he was Bunker Bean, a poor thing who had to fly when Breede growled "Wantcha." He sat at his table, staring moodily into vacancy.

Aunt Clara in Chicago. She would ask if he had yet joined the Y

beautiful and impressive. I did not notify you at the time as I was afraid the shock would affect you injuriously and that you might be tempted to make the long trip here to be with me. Now that y

es, but he read no farther, for a check was folded there. His trembling fin

ten thous

hurriedly closed the sliding doors between the two rooms of her apartment and sprang to the telephone wher

Listen here! He wants t' know can you locate it-see it lyin' there underground. Why, the mummy; yes. M-u-m-m-i-e. Yes, sure! He's afraid mebbe they already dug him up an' got h

She was smoothing her hair and readjusting the set of

Wash'n'ton. Got a telegraph from the Pres'dent to-day t' come at once. Of course he'll miss a

ed Bean, and waved

s not lost up

gested, "or got hold of some way-gits left to partie

ture, as if he were discommoded by

enture another effort

e hung. Then the authoritative tread was again heard on the stairway, and again the Countess Casanova

equally shiny skull with the silken cap and assured her that his mi

he professor questioned her with a glance and she shook her head in response, yet

ted his stare to the professor and seemed about to speak,

all. You impose your t

r facing Bean an

le. Sand is all about. Beneath that temple is a stone

corrected B

ing of the pre-dynastic period, though others will tell you differently, but that's because he never got into history much, by reason of his uniformly gentlemanly conduct. He rests there to-day precisely as he was put. I see it all; I penetrate the

ed to cock a psych

t that, of course, humanly, would be impos

u're sure i

w as one practical man to another. Simply because it would take more m

o you

t your circumstances had been suddenly bettered. I withdraw the words

? That's what I

was unable to achieve more for

as you are doubtless aware, requires money. Again, entering this port the custom-house officials would have to be bribed, and they've gone up in price the last few years. My control tells me that this mummy is one they've been looking hard for. It's about the only one they haven't found. The loss will be discovered and my men might be traced. It requires an enormous sum. Now, for instance, a thousand dollars"-he

his face at "five thousand," but it had been a sudden fear that his wh

He hardly dared trust himself to say mor

nger. He, too, dared trust himself to s

ment down," he said

w m

wouldn't be

oug

ugh," the professor ne

ive you the rest when you

" conceded the professor

ll it be, do

y cable. A month, poss

ed at that. It was the first t

ly enough she carried a pen and ink, thou

nk where his draft had been deposited. He later wondered how the s

Casanova and Professor Balthasar were labouring under an

ted until he had cl

thed the Count

n the house?" ask

ttles beer in the i