Louis Joseph Vance

Alias the Lone Wolf Louis Joseph Vance

Through the suave, warm radiance of that afternoon of Spring in England a gentleman ofmodest and commonly amiable deportment bore a rueful countenance down Piccadilly andinto Halfmoon street, where presently he introduced it to one whom he found awaiting himin his lodgings, much at ease in his easiest chair, making free with his whiskey and tobacco, and reading a slender brown volume selected from his shelves. This dégagé person was patently an Englishman, though there were traces of Orientalancestry in his cast. The other, he of the doleful habit, was as unmistakably of Gallic pattern, though he dressed and carried himself in a thoroughly Anglo-Saxon fashion, and evenseemed a trace intrigued when greeted by a name distinctively French. For the Englishman, rousing from his appropriated ease, dropped his book to the floorbeside the chair, uprose and extended a cordial hand, exclaiming: "H'are ye, MonsieurDuchemin?"To this the other responded, after a slight pause, obscurely enough: "Oh! ancient history, eh? Well, for the matter of that: How are you, Mister Wertheimer?"Their hands fell apart, and Monsieur Duchemin proceeded to do away his hat and stick andchamois gloves; while his friend, straddling in front of a cold grate and extending his handsto an imaginary blaze, covered with a mild complaint the curiosity excited by a brief studyof that face of melancholy."Pretty way you've got of making your friends wait on your pleasure. Here I've wastedupwards of two hours of His Majesty's time...""How was I to know you'd have the cheek to force your way in here in my absence and helpyourself to my few poor consolations?" Duchemin retorted, helping himself to them in turn."But then one never does know what fresh indignity Fate has in store...""After you with that whiskey, by your leave. I say: I'd give something to know where youignorant furriners come by this precious pre-War stuff." But without waiting to be deniedthis information, Mr. Wertheimer continued: "Going on the evidence of your looks andtemper, you've been down to Tilbury Docks this afternoon to see Karslake and Sonia off.""A few such flashes of intelligence applied professionally, my friend, should carry you far."