“Quite likely.”
“Will you sit down?”
“I have some important business with you,” explained the stranger, with a glance toward Gallup and Hodge.
Immediately Bart started for the door.
“See you later, Frank,” he said. “Come on, Ephraim.”
Gallup followed Hodge from the room.
When they were gone, Frank again invited the stranger to be seated.
“Thank you,” said the man, as he accepted a chair. “For reasons I wish you would look at me closely and see if you recognize me. I recognize you, although you are older, but I must proceed with the utmost caution in this matter, and I wish you would recognize me and state my name, so that I may feel absolutely certain that I am making no mistake.”
Frank sat down opposite the gentleman, at whom he gazed searchingly. He concentrated his mind in the effort to remember. Frank had found that he could do many difficult things by concentration of his mental forces. Now he sought to picture in his mind the appearance of this man without a beard. Gradually, he felt that he was drawing nearer and nearer the object he sought. Finally he made a request:
“Please speak again, sir.”