The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-02-11

@A--A sNu -eAAA AneN A4AA4LEs
ut would be something il he had sue
ceeded, but he has still to do that /
admit, however. that he made me sit
up for the time being. Ii all comes Of
going ON tire job 50 far from home.
There was the old brute with the whole
thing in his morning paper. He knew
IL must have been done by some fellow
who could pass himself of for a gen
tleman. and l saw his eyebrows go up
the moment I told him was the man,
with the same old twang that you
could cut with a paper knife. ] did my
best TO get out Of it-swOre had a PAL
who was a real swell-but I saw very
plainly that had given myself away.
He gave up haggling. He PIT! my
price as though he enjoyed dong It.
But I felt Lin following me when
made tracks, though Of course didn't
turn round TO see"
''W'hy nOt:"
my dear Bunny, it's the very worst
thing you can do. As long SIS you look
unsuspecting they'll keep their dis
tance, and so long as they keep their
distance you stand a chance. Once
show that you know you're being fol.
lowed and it's flight or hght for all
you're worth. l never even looked
round, and mind you never do in the
same hole. just hurried up TO Black
friars and booked for High street,
Kensington, at the top Of my voice,
and as the train was leaving Sloane
square out 1 hoped and up all those
stairs like a lamphghter and round to
the studio by the back streets. Well.
10 he on the safe side. I lay low there
all the afternoon. hearing nothing In
the least suspicious and only wishing
I had a window to look through in
stead Of that beastly skylight. How
ever, the coast seemed clear enough.
and thus far il was my mere idea that
he would follow me. There was moth.
ing TO show he had So at last march
ed out in my proper rig-almOst
straight into old Baird's arms"
What or earth did you do?"
Walked past him as though I had
never set eyes on him in my life. and
didn't then; took a hanson in the
Kings road and drove like the deuce
TO Chaplain junction: rushed on to the
nearest platform without a ticket,
jumped into the first train l saw. got
out at Twickenhsm. walked full tilt
back to Richmond, took the District to
Charing Crsss, and here / am. ready
for a tub and n change and the best
dinner the Cub can give us. / came
TO you first because I thought you
might be getting anxious. Come round
with me and I won't keep you long"
You're certain you've given him the
slip?" I said as we put on our hats.
Certain enough, but we can make
assurance dOubly sure" said Rafies,
and went to my window, where he
stood for a minute or two looking
down into the street
"AH right?" / asked him.
"AH right" said be, and we went
downstairs forthwith and so to the
Albany arm in arm.
But we were both rather silent on
the way. I. for my part. was wonder
ing what Rafies would do about the
studio in Chelsea. whittier at all events
be had been successfully logged. To
me the point seemed one Of immediate
importance, but when 1 mentioned it
he said there was time enough to think
about that. His one other remark was
made after we had nodded, in Bond
street. to a young blood Of our &C
ouaintance who happened to be get
ting himself a bad name.
poor Jack Rutter! said Rafties
with a sigh. ''Nothing's sadder than
to see a fellow going to the bad like
that. He's about mad with drink and
debt. poor devil! Did you see his eye?
Odd that we should have met him to-
night. by the way. It's old Baird who's
said to have skinned him. by God
but Id ike to skin old Baird"
Ap6 h's fo..e ton, ? Sudden low fnry.
mace ne more uoticas he ~ smother
9oag siieore. qh.c5 issoe0, indeed
,bvosoUou So admirable djooea' S, ne
club and Io- some tine after we h~u
settled down in quiet corner OF Uhe
smoking room with our coffee ana
cigars. Then at last saw Rafies look
ing at me with his lazy smile ana l
knew that the morose fit was at an
end.
81 dare say you wonder what I've
been thinking about an this time: salu
he. I've been thinking what rot II is
TO go doing things by halves"
well" said 1. returning his smile
that's not a charge that you can
bring against yourself. is it:
I'm not so sure. said Rafies' oloW-
ing a meditative pun. As a matter
NJ fact I was thinking less OF myseh
than OF that poor devil Of JACK nut
ter. There's a fellow who does things
bv halves. He's only half gone. 10 Sue
had. and look at the difference pc
tween him and Us! Hes under lhe
thumb OF a viUainous money lender
We are solvent citizens. Hes taken