Inviting them into his private office, Mr. Miller
requested to know the nature of their call, and Mr. Wallace at once
explained to him what had already been agreed upon. Manning further
explained that when he left Duncan, that gentleman informed him that he
intended coming to Des Moines, and would probably stop with Mr. Miller.
"Has he been here recently?" asked Mr. Wallace.
"Well, I'll tell you," replied Mr. Miller. "More than three weeks ago he
was here. It was about midnight, and I had retired to bed. Suddenly I
was awakened by a loud ringing at my door-bell. Hastily dressing myself,
I went down, and there, to my surprise, stood Tod Duncan. He was so
disguised, however, that I did not recognize him until he addressed me
and told me who he was. He was attired in a suit of coarse brown
ducking, heavy boots, and a slouch hat; around his neck he wore a large
red handkerchief, and he looked more like a German tramp than like my
old friend. I felt at once that something was wrong, or that he was in
some trouble; so I asked him in, and we went to my room. My family were
away at the time, and there was no one in the house but myself, and as
he looked tired and hungry, I produced what eatables I had in the house,
and he made a hearty meal.
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