Mummers in Mufti/Chapter 35

ELLSMITH passed rapidly from the foot of the elevator to the street. For a moment, as he walked through the familiar hall, he had almost an odd sense of homesickness, but out in the hot August air it passed quickly away.

At the door he paused a moment to look up and down for his car. A traffic policeman had moved it a few doors up the street, and Bellsmith lifted his hand to signal to Keefe but, as he did so, he heard a voice speaking to him.

"Excuse me, sir."

He looked around and saw a man, neatly dressed in blue serge, with his hand respectfully at his straw hat. He had very blue eyes and very blonde hair and stood with a sort of military erectness. From some vague, far-off recollection, Bellsmith recognized him as one of the stewards on one of the river boats.

"Excuse me, sir," repeated the man, "but can you direct me to the office of Dr. MacVickar?" Bellsmith motioned over his shoulder.

"Right in there. Take the elevator. It's on the second floor."

"Thank you, sir."

But as the trim, erect little man disappeared into the shadows of the hall with his rapid, deck-treading steps, Bellsmith looked after him, musing.

"Now, what in the world," he wondered, "can be the matter with him?"