The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-08-14

dDic az itdtion.
"What the dickens are you doing
here?" he exclaimed.
"Just what we'd like to know" was
Walters equivocal answer. 'sHaye you
any explanation to offer before you are
marched off to jail?"
The fat man rubbed his eyes. Then
he gazed about the room, and his jaw
fell.
"I-hold on" he gasped.
81 intend to-" assented Walter.
II wish you'd put that internal re
velver up" gasped out the fat man, agi-
tatedly. "Do look like thief, sir
The explanation is simple enough. !
got into the wrong room"
Don't believe him." cried Lucille.
Its what they always say"
"Fact, assure you," declared the fat
man. at comes of having the same key
fit all these apartments. live above
here, and stopped floor to soon."
do you commonly go to sleep In an
apartment without giving . glance
around it?" asked Walter, ironically.
"Not commonly; don't know wheth-
er you ride or not, but if you do you'll
understand; I've just been on a century
| run; first of the season"
"Ah," murmured Walter, and dropped
his revolver. II begin to see"
Tired me all out. / didn't have the
strength of rat when 1 climbed up
those stairs; and just went to sleep in
the first chair could find You must
know me, sir. I've met you often COM
| ing in and out"
Exactly. didn't recognize you for a
moment" assented Walter, with great
cordially, slipping his revolver into his
pocket, and extending his hand. ''Glad
to make your acquaintance, SIR
'The pleasure is mine" said hestout
gentleman. He shook hands with them
both. by the way" he added, my
name is Clark, firm of Clark & Hopkins,
grocers, around the corner. Like to feel
l have the support of your trade, sir.
Bring your wife around some day and
look over our store"
Delighted" said Walter, with deep
gravity.
Charmed" assented Lucille. "But
+" she stopped. After all, what was
the use of explanations?
Look for you soon, them" declared
the fat man, and he numbered out of the
room.
Lucille looked after him despairingly
her first and only burglar to turn out
a commonplace individual like thisl
Then she turned about to Walter. 81
am sorry 1 troubled you," she said,
coldly.
mo trouble at ALL" answered Walter.
II was thinking of running up to say
good-by. 1 start for Greece tomorrow. !"
'Greece?" Lucille sat down in the big
armchair rather suddenly. She felt a
little faint. "They're-they're fighting
there. It's dangerous isn't it?" she
asked.
"A correspondent has to take chances
you know. It's good thing-as far as
money is concerned, and dare say I'll
get through all right; if not" he
laughed.
Lucille was not looking at him. She
stared down the street at forlorn little
Italian girl who was dancing to the
music of hand organ. "Does Grace
Merton know you are going ?" she asked
''No-yes-I don't know whether she
does or not. Ipresume Whitley will tell
her tonight. What difference does that
make?"
II thought you were engaged to her. :"
well, I'm not" said Hammond,
bluntly. He hesitated moment. an
tell you a secret. You can keep 1t, !
guess, and it's coming out next month,
anyhow. She's been engaged to Burt
Whitley for two years, but they wanted
to keep it quiet until she was 21.''
Lucille sat silent, twisting her hands
together. He looked down at her
flushed and changing face. "Of course,
if there was anyone that cared for that
cared enough for me to ask me to stay,
it would be different" he said. After
all, money isn't everything; and / can
earn enough now so it wouldn't be nee
essary-that is, if anyone cared"
He stood quiet for moment. Lucile's
eyes were still staring down the dusty
street, at the hand organ and the dane
ing girl. Hammond held out his hand.
"Good-by, Lucille" he said.
"Good-by," she answered, just touch
ing his warm hand with the tips of her
cold little fingers.
Hammond went downstairs and fin
ished packing. He looked over his let
tiers and burned them, and sorted out his
photographs. After all, he might never
come back again-and after all, what
did it matter? He was going home to
say good-by to his father and mother
that night, but it still lacked an hour
of train time. "Our special correspon-
dent sat down and stared gloomily out
of the window. The notes of a piano
came from the upstairs room.
An old tune, with a quaint refrain.
He hardly noticed it at first. but by de-
Il -