The American Claimant by Mark Twain
page 54 of 254 (21%)
page 54 of 254 (21%)
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Mulberry--as earl; but it's office hours, now, you see, and the earl in
me sleeps. Come--I'll show you his very room." They reached the neighborhood of the New Gadsby about nine in the evening, and passed down the alley to the lamp post. "There you are," said the colonel, triumphantly, with a wave of his hand which took in the whole side of the hotel. "There it is--what did I tell you?" "Well, but--why, Colonel, it's six stories high. I don't quite make out which window you--" "All the windows, all of them. Let him have his choice--I'm indifferent, now that I have located him. You go and stand on the corner and wait; I'll prospect the hotel." The earl drifted here and there through the swarming lobby, and finally took a waiting position in the neighborhood of the elevator. During an hour crowds went up and crowds came down; and all complete as to limbs; but at last the watcher got a glimpse of a figure that was satisfactory-- got a glimpse of the back of it, though he had missed his chance at the face through waning alertness. The glimpse revealed a cowboy hat, and below it a plaided sack of rather loud pattern, and an empty sleeve pinned up to the shoulder. Then the elevator snatched the vision aloft and the watcher fled away in joyful excitement, and rejoined the fellow-conspirator. "We've got him, Major--got him sure! I've seen him--seen him good; and I don't care where or when that man approaches me backwards, I'll recognize |
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