The Tracer of Lost Persons

iosity, consumed a week in prowling about the edifice

who smilingly reported progress and suavely bowed him out. He look

ility. His third visit proved anything but satisfactory. He sidled and side-stepped for ten minutes before he dared ask Mr. Keen where Miss Southerland had gone. And when the Tracer replied that, considering the business he had undertaken for Mr. Gatewood, he real

hat he had done were varied with moody hours of speculation. Suppose Mr. Keen did find his ideal? What of it? He no longer wanted to see her. He had no use for her. The savor of the enterprise had gone stale in

reakfast and found the unspeakable Kerns immers

t gentleman affably. "Any news from

ed Gatewood, sorting his mail with

be patient. Dearie wi

Gatewood, "I shall

orry; Dovey shall be found, and all will be joy and gingerbread. . . . If you throw that orange

word and y

are, dear friend? My heart is so happy tha

is badgered victim d

ell you what a cocktail before breakfast doe

the laundress does to m

a short sp

ame you put me up against. Do

d. The Tracer of Lost Perso

ting it upon the table. "I don't want to see her; I'm not interested. I never saw but one girl in

othed out the telegram an

d, Lenox Club

scovered. Call here

KEE

of that?" demanded

enough, I fancy. Go and se

deal! I don't want to marry. Why do

therwise you'll go to the doggy-dogs. You

't I ask you that when you put me up to all

to wed me and spend her life in stealing kisse

aven

ook to prove it. You simply bet $5,000 that your idea

e business," said Gatewood wr

ed within the week!" said

l you bet, Tommy? You may have what odds y

ately, "an entire silver dinner service

" snapped Gatewood.

ou don't

er service? But, all righ

g the bet. "I may as well canter out to Tiffany's thi

ewood sullenly, striding across the breakfast room to take hi

the prospect of being notified month after month that a lady would be on view somewhere. It was like going for a fitting; it was horrible. Besides, what us

irway and sent his card to Mr. Keen, and in due time he wa

and be done with it, "I may as well tell you how impossible

expostulatory hand,

it is almost an accomplished fact. In other words, I think

he be found, wh

d show you his miracles for the price of admission. But for that price

"that it is utterly impossible you should fin

are wrong," smiled Keen,

tter rest as it is. I am satisfied, and you have lost nothing. Nor have you found anything or anybody. You think you have, but you haven't. I do not wish you to continue the search

egarded him

Mr. Gatewood? I can

simply want to stop being on

ry beautiful person we have discovered to be t

but I know well enough she

ers. When one of my agents discovered where this person was, I was rather-

could understand how ashamed and

lso am sorry; Miss Southerland was to have r

S-S-S-ou

uite so many S's,"

that person?" exclaimed

iss Southerland could eventually discover the person you were in search of. It seems

rtable than he had ever been in al

thousand dollars to her-" He shrugged his shoulders, looked up, and, as though rather surprised to

Miss Southerl

oment following my instructions to

re is she? I-I'll take a look at the

ason to believe was to be found every morning riding in the Park. So Miss Southe

yes-g

had found your-er-the person. So I said you would meet h

n said nothing: "I'll go; I want to go, I really do! Can't-can't a fellow change

reason, Mr. Gatewood. But do you suppose you are the only

aced the room, gray head bent, delicate, wrink

d abruptly. "Suppose you ride out and see how close

fervor out of all reason; and it is curious that the

ve ventured to trust his son-even when I heard how aimlessly he was living his

subdued, perplexed,

hould have told a son of mine. I am so old that you will not take offense-you will not mind listening to me, or forgetting the dull, prosy things I say about the curse of

rised, descended the st