Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-04-30

ueSSeuSeE 10Y DIe0 10
1E-ESS5 the front steps Of Mere
ksSassY dith's house and handed
the colored servant four yellow en-
velopes. night messages. The man
carried them upstairs, left three with
his masters guest then knocked on
Meredith's door till a response as
sured him that the occupant was
awake and slid the fourth envelope
under the door. Meredith lay quite
without motion for several minutes,
sleeplly watching the yellow rhombold
In the crevice. 1t was hateful looking
thing to mix itself In with a pleasant
dream and insist on being read. but
after while he climbed groaningly out
OF bed and perused the message with
heavy eyes, still half asleep. He read 1t
twice before II penetrated
Suppress all newspapers today. Con.
ventton meets at IL IL we succeed. a
delegation will come to Rouen this after
noon. They will come HELEN
Tom rubbed his sticky eyelids and
shook his head violently in q Spartan
effort to rouse himself but what more
effectively performed the task for him
were certain sounds that issued from
Harkiess room across the hall For
some minutes Meredith had been DULY
Gsfsz6ES @ q asE.ss aSa ctr N tie
@~aAGe asaeEs6es. azE - bsgaa -
realize that no mere tossing upon a
bed would account for noise that
reached him across a wide hall and
through two closed doors Of thick wal
nut Suddenly he heard quick, heavy
tread, shod, in Harkless' room, and a
resounding bang as some heavy object
struck the floor. The doctor was not
to come till evening. The servant had
gone downstairs. Who in the sick
mans room wore shoes He rushed
across the hall in his pajamas and
threw open the unlocked door.
The bed was disarranged and va.
can't Harkless, fully dressed, was
standing in the middle of the floor
hurting garments at small trunk.
The Mortified Meredith stood for a sec
ond bleached and speechless; then he
rushed upon his friend and seized him
with both hands.
Mad. by heavenl Madw
Let go OF me, Tomp
"Lunaticl Lunaticp'
Don't stop me one instantw
Meredith tried to force him toward
the bed. mo: get back to bed. You're
delirious. boyr
"Delirious nothing! I'm q well
man."
go to bed! Go to bedw
HAIRLESS set him out Of the way
with one arm. ITO bedw he cried.
I'm goicg to Plattvillew
Meredith wrung his hands. "The
doctor
Doctor be hangedr'
What in the name Of all that's ter
rible is the matter. Johnf"
His companion slung a light overcoat.
unfolded, on the overlooking, mis-
shapen bundle Of clothes that lay In
the trunk. then he jumped on the lid
with both feet and kicked the hasp into
the lock, while very elegantly laun.
dered cuff and shirt sleeve dangled out
from under the fastened lid ~ haven't
one second to talk. Tom; l have eight
cen minutes to catch the express. It's
more than a mile to the station, and
L
there at 10:47. Telephone a cab for
me, please, or tell me the number.
don't want to stop to hunt it up
Meredith looked him in the eyes. In
the pupils of Harkless fared a fierce
light His cheeks were Redeemed with
an angry. healthy glow. and his teeth
were clinched till the line of his jaw
stood out like that of an embattled
athlete. His brow was dark, his chest
was thrown out, and he took deep.
quick breaths. His shoulders were
squared. aud In spite of his thinness
they looked massy. Lethargy or ma.
laria, or both-whatever his ailment--
1t was gone. He was six feet OF hot
wrath and cold resolution.
Tom said. "You are going?"
yes" he answered quietly. II am
going"
Then I will go with you.'
Thank you, Tom," said Harkless
simply.
Meredith ran into his room. pressed
an electric button and began to dive
into his clothes with painting rapidity
astonishing!y foreign to his desire The
colored man appeared in the doorway.
The cart, Jimr' shouted his master
1--WE want it like lightning Tell the
cook to give Mr.. Harkless his breakfast
in bury. Set cup of coffee on the
table by the front door for me- Run
We've got to catch train. That will
be quicker than any cab" he explained
10 Harklcss. wen break the ordi-
nance against fast driving getting
down there"
Ten n !nutes later the cart swept
away from the house at a gait that