Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-05-31

III UALL1 Us y
IN BULLETS ON L
the little semicircular drive, and both
wide open. SO still was the place that
l had a great mind to walk boldly in
u earn something Of the premises;
N fact. | was on the point of doing
so when | heard a quick, shufling
step on the pavement behind me. l
turned round and faced the dark scowl
and the dirty clinched fists Of a dilapi-
tated tramp.
You fool" said he. You utter
IDIOT
"Rafnes!'
That's it," he whispered savagely;
tell all the Observation-Disclosures me
away at the top of your voice.
With that he turned his back upon
me and shambled down the road,
Struggling his shoulders and mutter-
ing to himself as though l had refused
him aims. \ few moments l stood
astounded. indignant, at a loss; then
l fol'owed him. His feet trailed, his
knees gave. his back was bowed, his
head kept nodling; it was the gait of
a man eighty years of age. Presently
he waited for me midway between
two lamp posts. AS l came up he was
lighting rank tobacco in a Guilty pipe
with an evil smelling match, and the
flames showed me the suspicion Of y
smile.
you forgive my heat, Bunny,
but it really was very foolish of YOU.
Here an l trying every ~dolge-beg-
ging at the door one night, hiding in
the shrubs the ~neXt-doing every NOR
tai thing but stand and stare at the
house as you went and did. It's a
costume piece. and in you rush in A-our
ordinary clothes. l tell you they're
on the lookout for us night and day.
It's the toughest nut 1 ever tackled"
We'll" said l. "if you had told me
so before l shouldn't have come. You
told me nothing"
He looked hard at me from under
the broken brim Of a battered billy
cock.
You're right he said at length.
give been too close. It's become sec,
ond nature with me when I've any
thing on, but here's an end of it, Bun
ny, so far as you're concerned. I'm
going home now, and l want you to
follow me, but for heavens sake kc2r
your distance and don't speak to me
again until | speak to you. There
give me a start" And he was OF
again, a decrepit %vagabond, with his
hands in his pockets. his elbows
squared and frayed coat tails swing
ing raggedly from side to side.
l followed him to the Finchley road.
There he took an Atlas omnibus. a.. .
l sat some rows behind him on e..
top, blu not far enough to escape tie
pest of his vile tobacco. That he could
carry his character sketch to such n
pitch-he who would only smoke one
brand Of cigarettes. 1t was the last.
least touch of the Unsuitable artist. and
1T charmed away what modification
there still remained in me. Once more
l felt the fascination of q comraIc
who was forever dazzling one with !;
fresh and unsupported facet of his
character.
AS we neared Piccadilly l wondered
what he would do. Surely he was not
going into the Albany like that? no.
he took another omnibus to Sloane
street, l sitting behind him. as boro e.
At Sloane street we changed again.
and were presently in the long lean
artery Of the Kings road. was now
all agog to know our destination. nor
was | kept many more minutes in
doubt. Rafties got down. | followed.
He crossed the road and disappeared
up a dark turning. pressed after
him and was in time to see his coat
tails as he plunged into a still darker
tagged alley to the right. He was
holding himself up and stepping out
Ike q young man once more: also. in
some subtle way, he already l,okel
less disreputable. But ! alone was
there to see him-the alley was abso-
lutely deserted and desperately dark.
At the farther end he opened a door
with a l%atchkey. and it was darker
yet within.
lnstinctively ! drew back ANA heard
him chucklc. We could no longer 500
each other.
"All right, Bunny. There's no hankv
panky this time. These are studios.
my friend, and I'm one of the lawful
tenants"
Indeed. in another minute we were
in a lofty room with skyllght. casn!s.
/ HraCCjhO n,1-J,ln vl ,,lnt
other adjunct save the signs OF ac,n,ll
labor. The first thing | saw, AZ k4c
flcs ut the gas, was It's reflection In his
SIX hat on the pegs beside The rest of
his normal garments.
"Looklng for tho works Of artGo cor,
tlnu"d Rallies, Lighting Il cigarette an
beginning TO divcst himself of hi
rag I'm nfraid you won't find uuy.
but there's III" canvas I'm nlwi.,. ~.