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The hostess； though somewhat preoccupied； was courteous and ready。
Only the functions of the club； as they went forward； would be occasionally interrupted。 Thus she would read aloud 〃as in her private duty bound〃
〃‘The peasantry were excited； but were held in check by promises from Stambuloff。 The emissaries of the Czar'
〃Mrs。 Goodspeed； would you mind reading on？ Here is the place。 I see my postman pass the window。〃
And so； moving quickly to the front door； she interviewed the faithful Harrington； dressed； heaven knows why； in Confederate uniform of gray。 For Harrington had served his four years on the loyal side。 Four times a day did Harrington with his letter…bag renew the connection of this household with the world and other worlds。
〃Dear Mr。 Harrington； I thought you could tell us。 Here is a girl named Nora McLaughlin； and here is her trunk； both left at the door by the milkman； and we do not know anything about where she belongs。〃
〃Insufficient address？〃 asked Harrington； professionally。
〃Exactly。 All she knows is that her brother is named John。〃
〃A great many of them are；〃 said Harrington； already writing on his memorandum book； and in his memory fixing the fact that a large； two…legged living parcel； insufficiently addressed； had been left at the wrong door for John McLaughlin； also a trunk； too large for delivery by the penny post。
〃I will tell the other men； and if I was you I would send to the police。〃
〃Would you mind telling the first officer you meet？ I hate to send my girls out。〃 And so she returned to Bulgaria。
But Bulgaria was ended； and Mrs。 Conover handed her an article on 〃Antarctic Discovery。〃 She was again reading：
〃Under these circumstances Captain Wilkes； who had collected a boatload of stones from the front of the glacier；〃 when she gave back the 〃Forum〃 to Mrs。 Conover。 〃Would you mind going on just a minute？ 〃 she said； and ran out to meet the icecream man。 So soon as he had left his tins she said；
〃Mr。 Fridge； would you mind stopping at the Dudley School as you go home and telling Miss Lougee that there is a lost girl here？〃 etc。
Good Mr。 Fridge was most eager to help； and the hostess returned； took the book again and read on with 〃the temperature； as they observed it； was 99 degrees C。； but； as the alcohol in their tins was frozen at the moment； there seemed reason to suspect the correctness of this observation。〃
And a shiver passed over the Review Club。
Thus far the powers of confusion and error seemed to have been triumphant over poor Nora； or such was the success of that power who uses these agencies； if the reader prefer to personify him。
But the time had come to turn his left flank and to attack his forces in the rear； for the postman now took the field；that is to say； Harrington； good fellow； finished his third delivery； four good miles and nine… tenths of a furlong； snow two inches deep； three； four； six； before he was done； and then returned to his branch office to report。
〃Two…legged parcel； insufficient address； 99 Linwood Street！ Jim； what ever come to that letter that went to 99 Linwood Street with insufficient address six weeks ago？〃
〃Linwood Street？ Insufficient address？ Foreign letter？ Why； of course； you know； went back to the central office。〃
〃I guess it did；〃 said Harrington； grimly； 〃so I must go there too。〃
This meant that after Harrington had gone his rounds again on delivery route No。 6； four more miles and nine… tenths more of a furlong； 313 doorbells and only 73 slit boxes； snow now ranging from 6 inches to 12 on the sidewalks； and breast…deep where there was a chance for drifting； when all this was well done； so that Harrington had no more duties to Uncle Sam； he could take Nora McLaughlin's work in hand； and thus defeat the prince of evil。
To the central office by a horse…car。 Blocked once or twice； but well at the office at 7。30 in the evening。
Christmas work heavy； so the whole home staff is on duty。 That is well。 Enemy of souls loses one point there。
Blind…letter clerks all here。 Insufficient…delivery men both here。 Chief of returned bureau here。 All summoned to the foreign office as Harrington tells his story。 Indexes produced； ledgers； journals； day…books； and private passbooks。 John McLaughlin's biography followed out on 67 of the different avatars in which his personality has been manifested under that name。 False trail hereclue breaks therescent fails here； but at lasta joyful cry from Will Search：
〃Here you are！ Insufficient address。 November 1。 Queenstown letter‘Linwood； to John McLaughlin。 Try Dorchester。 Try Roxbury。 Try East Boston。 Try Somerville' and there it stops； and was not returned。〃
〃Try Somerville！〃
In these words great light fell over the eager circle。 Not because Somerville is the seat of an insane hospital。 No！ But because it is not in the Boston Directory。
If you please； Somerville is an independent city； and so； unless John McLaughlin worked in Boston； if he lived in Somerville； he would not be in the Boston Directory。
Not much！ Somerville has its own seven John McLaughlins besides those Boston ones。
〃I say； Harry； Tom； Dicksomebody fetch Somerville Directory！〃
Dick flew and returned with the book。
〃Here you be！ ‘John McLaughlin； laborer； 99 Linwood Street！
〃Victory！〃
Satan's forces tremble； and as the different officers return to their desks 〃even the ranks of Tuscany〃 in that well…bred office 〃can scarce forbear to cheer。〃
As for Harrington； he bids good…by； wraps his tartan around him； and is out in the snow again。 Where Linwood Street is he 〃knows no more than the dead。〃 But somebody will know。
Somerville car。 Draw of bridge open。 Man falls into the river and has to be rescued。 Draw closes。 Snow… drift at Margin Street。 Shovels。 Drift open。 Centre of Somerville。 Apothecary's shop open。 〃Please； where is Linwood Street？〃
〃Take your second left； cross three or four streets； turn to the right by the water…pipe； take the third right； go down hill by the schoolhouse and take second left； and you come out at 11 Linwood Street。〃
All which Harrington does。 He experiences one continual burst of joy that his route does not take him through these detours daily。 But his professional experience is good for him。 We have no need to describe his false turns。 Even aniseed would have been useless in that snow。 At last； just as the Somerville bells ring for nine o'clock； Harrington also rings triumphant at the door of the little five…roomed cottage； where his lantern has already revealed the magic number 99。
Ring！ as for a gilt…edged special delivery！ Door thrown open by a solid man with curly red hair； unshaven since Sunday； in his shirtsleeves and with kerosene lamp in his hand。
〃Are you John McLaughlin？〃
〃Indade I am； the same。〃
〃And where's your sister Nora？〃
The good fellow； who had been stern before； broke down。 〃And indade I was saying to Ellen it's an awful night for 'em all in the gale off the coast in the ship。 The holy Virgin and the good God take care of 'em！〃
〃They have taken care of them；〃 said Harrington； reverently。 〃The ship is safe in dock； and your sister Nora is i