The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-12-24

PhalO Ames shivered slightly as the
club doors swung to behind him. The
contrast between the warmth and the
brightness, the noise and laughter of
the place he had just quilted with the
cold, the darkness and the stiffness of
the scene he surveyed, had in it suff-
eient elements Of depression to chill
even one less lightly susceptible to ex-
ternals than Philo Ames. He stood for
a few seconds irresolutely on the
threshold. Should he think better of
lit, lac asked himself, and return to the
mirtli, the comfort and the companions
ship he had just abandoned? His host
had approached him when he left with
the severest reproach that Lord Lance
Dot ever addressed to a guest, the re-
proach of being a "quitter," one who
quilted too early the society Of his fell
lows and the triune intoXications Of
wine, tobacco and wit. He knew that
nc he chose to return his comfades OF
three minutes ago would welcome him
with enthusiasm, that Lancelot would
smile an approval tempered with irony,
and that one other might be added to
while he hesitated, toying with tenlpta-
dlon, he shrugged his shoulders at his
vacilIadon and decided to face the
might The dinner had been very pleas
amt; THAT was so much to the good.
Iancelot was king Of hosts; the com
pany had been quite to his taste; the
nlen,ory Of some green curacao still lin
geEeM, dreamiest of drOWsy syrups, on
his palate and in his mind. All had
been well; it might not have proved
beiier if he had loitered longer with the
I.ance10t fellowship. And, besides be-
tSIIeS there was always that bit of pa
per, which might, after ALL mean some
thing
He read it liver again in memory as
he stood there, with his back to the
brightness of the club hall, with his
face to the darkness and the discom-
fort of the embanklnent. 1t was q
small piece of paper, obviously the half
of a sheet that had been torn carelesSly,
OH, and it came clumsily folded up in
an envelope of a size and shape des-
tined for quite different kind of pa
ger. But the note inside was written
ON letter paper of an attractive sim
plfcity; and the writing was in a
wensan's hand that had a distinction,
that carried holiness Of script almost
to exaggeration. All it said was: "Can1
you be seen on the embankment at
midnight on Christmas eve, near Cleo
paha's Needle?" That was all, but the
few words, with their large black
strokes and bold curves, filled the page
from corner to corner. PhilO Ames
had smiled as he read it.
He had received some curious letters
an his time, but none, as it seemed to
him, quite so curious as this in the cool
simplicity of its peremptoriness. At
first, after smiling at it, he was for
tearing it in two and forgetting all
about it. But something fascinating
i'm the handwriting restrained his fin
gers. The letter could not be answered.
SO he might leave for later decision the
telnpta ton, which seemed suddenly al
most a desire, to obey his unknown
correspondent. He was dining with
Lord Lancelot at the st. Stephens club
ON that day. Did the writer know that,
PhiIo wandered, in naming the en-
bankment for the mysterious tryst?
This possibly added to the interest.
Ehe thing might be a joke, might be a,
plot, might be earnest and urgent.
Philo Ames had put the letter in his
pocket, telling himself that he would
think about it.
He crossed, the road, and, pausing
for moment, looked up at the moon
face of the clock tower. 1t wanted
three minutes to II. He turned away,
.and, leaning over the parapet, looked
ant0 the blackness of the river below
kim Its aspect chilled him, it seemed
so still and cold and desolate;; indeed,
a spirit of desolation seemed to be over
the whole place.
His way was uneventful for the first
few hundred yards. The highway
seemed absolutely deserted and the