Page:Barbour--cupid en route.djvu/49

 greatly obliged if you will inform me of her name and address." He strove to recall the few detective stories he had read and wondered what Sherlock Holmes would do under like circumstances. He might, he supposed, proclaim himself a census taker or the agent for a directory, but if the girl didn't live at the Fifty-third Street residence that wouldn't answer. He was still cudgeling his brains when Dave returned, followed by a page with his arms full of packages.

"Boy," he said when the page had littered table and chairs with the parcels and taken his departure, "I've been havin' one great time! Reckon I'll have to go back this afternoon an' buy me a new trunk. Just look a' here, Wade." He began to pull the wrappings off and display his treasures. "That's for the Missis," he explained, shaking a crimson flannel wrapper at Wade. "Warm! Feel of it! An' just throw your optics on this, boy. Sewin' set, scissors, two pair of 'em, big an' little, thread, all