The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-08-31
PRIZE DETECTIVE STORIES. No. 2e.

that the French had their point OF view,
and we had ours. "
"Did you, indeedi William Nash, IL
you only had been some one else, what
a clever man you might have beenl" Mr..
kennard began pacing up and down,
tousling his hair, as he walked, first with
one hand then with the other. "The
minXl-the chitl-with voice and face
that you'd think she was an understudy
for an angel, and yet 10 be burning with
a desire 10 kill herself, and anybody else
you like TO mention-why what fort My
boy, for less than monKeyl"
Mr.. Nash was lighting a cigarette.
"lt Is only" he observed, "aiter you
have lived sometime in France, among
the French, that you will begin TO realize
how much abroad you are.
Mr.. Kennard stood still TO glare at
him.
"Sententious jaclSdswlv He recon-
menced his walking to and fro. 81 say,
William, how would you like to marry
herr" There was the sound of someone
at the door. "Hullo, is this her black
again?" When the door opened, how
ever, it was NJ Gerbert who came in.
Mr.. Kennard went and laid his hands
upon his shoulders. "Gerbert, I've been
having an interview with the assassin. -
Mr.. Kennard was six foot four and
NJ. Gerbert was about four foot six.
The difference in their size was not only
a question of height. Mr.. Kennard was
clumsily made, big and brawny. M. Ger
bert's build was almost feminine. His
hands and feet were as small as a
woman's. He had long red hair the
ends of which strayed from under the
brim of his big slouch hat-uhe size OF
the hat emphasized the diminutive pro-
portions of its wearer. His face was
white and eager,a typical French face OF a
certain class-all viyacity and nerve Just
InA.lr a. 81 81
tension, OF something strained, as il a
fever burned within. But then, M. Ger
bert was, apparently, in general, such a
mere bundle of nerves that one driftod
in the habit OF taking il for granted that
all his moods were evanescent. He look
ed up at the Englishman towering above
him.
81 do not follow you"
81 say I've been having an interview
with the assassin, with the individual
you remember, who advertised that life
had become an insupportable burden"
"Ahp Nj. Gerbert slipped Mr.. Ken
nard's hands from his shoulders. "You
wrote to him"
- wrote TO him."
"Did he turn out to be the ordinary
type of bravo, or merely an invertebrate
animal with suicidal tendencies?"
81 don't quite know what you call the
ordinary type of bravo"
"It is plain enough. i am, myself, an
illustration. IL is a fact that am myself
contemplating inserting similar adver-
tisement upon my own account
den?"
"As for that, these many yearsi After
ones childhood, one always wishe to
make an end of IL.
Mr.. kennard turned to Willy Nash to
stare. Taking his cigarette from between
his lips, Mr.. Nash addressed NJ. Gerbert,
laughing as he spoke
$50 your glimpse OF Paradise has van
ished?''
"You mean Celestine-my wife? Bahi
That is finished"
1T was merely an entr'acte then?'
mo, IL was not an entr'act 1t was n
tragedy OF the little, sordid
sort, which, at present, Is the fashion. -
Mr.. Nash had resumed his cigarette. Mr..
kennard had poised himself against
corner OF the table.
"Gerbert, the other day you were raw
ng about your wife as IL she were some
hing higher than the angels Do Won
mean to tell me, sir, that that g all overl"
my rawlings? Ah, mol" M. Gerbert had
continued to wear his hat. Now, taking
{ off, crushing IL up In his right hand,
he held 1t out In front of him. "I shall
lways have my rawlings, though my wife
has gone"
.Gone? What the devil do you means"
nj. sGerbert shrugged his shoulders.
"What does 1t matter? Perhaps she has |
egun TO love another, or, without low |
ng another, she has simply grown tired |
I me, or she finds my poetry more than
he can bear"
81 suppose, young man, you have been
learing the matrimonial atmosphere, and
his is the seri-comic fashion in which il
leases you to look al 1t. ~
Nj. Gerbert placed himelf in Mr.. Ken
ard s largest armchair.
what sort was this fellow who found
necessary TO advertise the fact that he
ound his life an insupportable burden?u