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absurd two…million…dollar…fool parent or something of the sort。〃
〃Maybe；〃 said the Fool…Killer 〃 maybe I I might have looked at it
differently。 Would you mind going back to the restaurant and bringing
your friend Kerner here？〃
〃OH； what's the use； Jesse；〃 I yawned。 〃He can't see you。 He didn't
know you were talking to him at the table； You are a fictitious character；
you know。〃
〃Maybe He can this time。 Will you go fetch him？〃
〃All right；〃 said I； 〃but I've a suspicion that you're not strictly sober；
Jesse。 You seem to be wa… vering and losing your outlines。 Don't vanish
before I get back。〃
I went back to Kerner and said：
〃There's a man with an invisible homicidal mania waiting to see you
outside。 I believe he wants to murder you。 Come along。 You won't see him；
so there's nothing to be frightened about。〃
Kerner looked anxious。
〃Why；〃 said be； 〃I had no idea one absinthe would do that。 You'd better
stick to Wurzburger。 I'll walk home with you。〃
I led him to Jesse Holmes's。
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〃Rudolf；〃 said the Fool…Killer； 〃I'll give in。 Bring her up to the house。
Give me your hand； boy。〃；
〃Good for you； dad；〃 said Kerner； shaking hands with the old man。
You'll never regret it after you know her。〃
〃So； you did see him when he was talking to you at the table？〃 I asked
Kerner。
〃We hadn't spoken to each other in a year；〃 said Kerner。 〃It's all right
now。〃
I walked away。
〃Where are you going？〃 called Kerner。
〃I am going to look for Jesse Holmes；〃 I an… swered； with dignity and
reserve。
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TRANSIENTS IN ARCADIA
There is a hotel on Broadway that has escaped discovery by the
summer…resort promoters。 It is deep and wide and cool。 Its rooms are
finished in dark oak of a low temperature。 Home…made breezes and deep…
green shrubbery give it the delights without the inconveniences of the
Adirondacks。 One can mount its broad staircases or glide dreamily upward
in its aerial elevators； attended by guides in brass but… tons； with a serene
joy that Alpine climbers have never attained。 There is a chef in its kitchen
who will prepare for you brook trout better than the White Mountains ever
served； sea food that would turn Old Point Comfort 〃by Gad； sah！〃
green with envy； and Maine venison that would melt the official heart of a
game warden。
A few have found out this oasis in the July desert of Manhattan。
During that month you will see the hotel's reduced array of guests
scattered luxuriously about in the cool twilight of its lofty dining…room；
gazing at one another across the snowy waste of un… occupied tables；
silently congratulatory。
Superfluous； watchful； pneumatically moving wait… ers hover near；
supplying every want before it is ex… pressed。 The temperature is perpetual
April。 The ceiling is painted in water colors to counterfeit a sum… mer sky
across which delicate clouds drift and do not vanish as those of nature do
to our regret。
The pleasing； distant roar of Broadway is trans… formed in the
imagination of the happy guests to the noise of a waterfall filling the
woods with its restful sound。 At every strange footstep the guests turn an
anxious ear； fearful lest their retreat be discovered and invaded by the
restless pleasure…seekers who are forever hounding nature to her deepest
lairs。
Thus in the depopulated caravansary the little band of connoisseurs
jealously bide themselves during the heated season； enjoying to the
uttermost the de… lights of mountain and seashore that art and skill have
gathered and served to them。
In this July came to the hotel one whose card that she sent to the clerk
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for her name to be registered read 〃Mme。 He1oise D'Arcy Beaumont。〃
Madame Beaumont was a guest such as the Hotel Lotus loved。 She
possessed the fine air of the e1ite； tempered and sweetened by a cordial
graciousness that made the hotel employees her slaves。 Bell…boys fought
for the honor of answering her ring； the clerks； but for the question of
ownership； would have deeded to her the hotel and its contents； the other
guests regarded her as the final touch of feminine exclusiveness and
beauty that rendered the entourage perfect。
This super…excellent guest rarely left the hotel。 Her habits were
consonant with the customs of the dis… criminating patrons of the Hotel
Lotus。 To enjoy that delectable hostelry one must forego the city as though
it were leagues away。 By night a brief ex… cursion to the nearby roofs is in
order； but during the torrid day one remains in the umbrageous fast… nesses
of the Lotus as a trout hangs poised in the pel… lucid sanctuaries of his
favorite pool。；
Though alone in the Hotel Lotus； Madame Beau… mont preserved the
state of a queen whose loneliness was of position only。 She breakfasted at
ten； a cool； sweet； leisurely； delicate being who glowed softly in the
dimness like a jasmine flower in the dusk。
But at dinner was Madame's glory at its height。 She wore a gown as
beautiful and immaterial as the mist from an unseen cataract in a mountain
gorge。 The nomenclature of this gown is beyond the guess of the scribe。
Always pale…red roses reposed against its lace…garnished front。 It was a
gown that the bead…waiter viewed with respect and met at the door。 You
thought of Paris when you saw it； and maybe of mysterious countesses；
and certainly of Versailles and rapiers and Mrs。 Fiske and rouge…et…noir。
There was an untraceable rumor in the Hotel Lotus that Madame was a
cosmopolite； and that she was pulling with her slender white bands certain
strings between the nations in the favor of Russia。 Being a citi… zeness of
the world's smoothest roads it was small wonder that she was quick to
recognize in the refined purlieus of the Hotel Lotus the most desirable spot
in America for a restful sojourn during the heat of mid… summer。
On the third day of Madame Beaumont's residence in the hotel a
young man entered and registered him… self as a guest。 His clothing to
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speak of his points in approved order was quietly in the mode； his
features good and regular； his expression that of a poised and sophisticated
man of the world。 He in… formed the clerk that he would remain three or
four days； inquired concerning the sailing of European steamships； and
sank into the blissful inanition of the nonpareil hotel with the contented air
of a traveller in his favorite inn。
The young man not to question the veracity of the register was
Harold Farrington。 He drifted into the exclusive and calm current of life in
the Lotus so tactfully and silently th