The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-04-25
AN EXPECTED
LETTER.
by W. Tittertou.

]
! Destiny chatting at the street cor
I ner! Four destinies Presently they
p would part. and then rap-rap at the
q doors, and they would push life or
: death into the letter-box
/. Did they know, these impaasiyo
: cattle. did they know there were pee
S pie looking at them whose nerves
! were on edge with anticipation /?
3 They were laughing. He felt tempt
, ed to imagine they knew.
NJ What sacrifices should he make to
the gods that they might hasten their
messengers?
20 Destiny, Destiny, quicken thy
chariot, though the wheels pass over
and crush met"
They seemed to hear him, for they
started apart with farewell gestures.
One went straight down the long
main road, one passed under the
window, one vanished toward the
door of the hotel
The man at the window stood
playing with the curtain rings, pull
Ing the curtains TO and fro.
The waiter would bring II up with
the coffee. II 1t were there Ii mott
tHe smiled at the prospect his face
was almost set into smiling.)
When he had come home last
night Madam mad pushed her head
and arms through the spy hole and
eyed him sourly. His stern, trem.
/ bling greeting had only got curt
"B'soir." AS he climbed the stairs.
/ stumbling he had felt her sharp
| glance at his back When he turned
at the landing she was still looking
up at him. She had been on the verge
Of asking. He was sure of 1t. AS he
! passed the box he had seen "a white
paper between her fingers.
Why wasn't the waiter here?
Past eight, and all the shops open.
Monsieur the friseur, white-ap-
roned the sleeves rolled up, stood
bulKily in his doorway, Monsieur the
patissier was setting out his window.
becoming distinct In the picture be-
bind the glass placing his cakes and
becoming blurred again. In the little
cremerie, benches full of men and
women swallowed their three sous
worth of chocolate or cafe au lait
the busy hostess passed and repassed
with her smoking bowls why wac
II so late?)-One, two. three, four,
Ave, six, numberless lines of tele-
graph wires over the housetops. A
forlorn rag of kite, entangled ia
them, struggled to get free. 1t was
going to rain.
The man at the window stretched
himself. yawning. He felt as one does
after seasickness. Surprising he went
down to fetch It? He couldn't 90.
A group OF people In the street
we're
Here he came! No. the heavy tread
went past the door and up to the top
story He could hear them moving
about on the floor below, and voices
murmuring.
Perhaps they would keep the let.
ter! Nonsense; why should they?
They couldn't get the money.
He must do something to hll up
the time
Taking down pen from the
splashed cardboard rack, and an ink
pot and paper from behind the glass
Gagged clock on the manteiplece, he
sat down at the rickety table.
Dear f." he wrote, IL have no
THE reprieve. or the death war
rant or both, will come up with the
coffee strong. They are always gener-
BUS, says the common report, with
the last meal OF a condemned there
being no fear OF indigestion, sup
pose.
Forgive me II | am theatrical. II
S trick OF the nerves--a trick, let
ne confess. that | am thankful for.
One must strut II brayely before
hese blackguards.
Meanwhile my friend the waite~
S mounting the staircase. Yes, sir.
ictually mounting. Do you not hear
lin cross the footllghts? He rat
les confoundedly with his coffes
ups. Is 1t the weight of those two
nissives that makes him unsteady?
ia! ne KNOCKS.
"-Come i'm
"iie enters. No word
" Thank YOU
Silently he puts the tray on the
able and retires. Shall | look VI +,
Would you like TO know soon VIII .
5 or are lying beside the crescei Z
readlets? Well. I will satisfy 20 :
mpatience. will raise an eye"
He looked up-and turned SUI
emily white and haggard. The M.
lent after he bent again.
II have looked There IS one r.
er. Without an envelope. Neat ),
Dubbed. They are discreet peoplo.
is under the coffee-pot. am {,
rink my coffee first"
He poured out . cup with only one
nsteady jerk, which sent a tiny
plssh upon the white-metsl tray. sa-
AIRED. stirred. and slipped Il.
DeliciOusl They have doubled
BE- strength"
He drank the coffee in tiny sips
-Good-byi Shall ] tell you the
No: why put you to the
'odbie Of forgetting the silly num-
ers. Besides. have not looked yet.
here Is stu half a cup Of coffee In
he pot" Ill