The Lamar register., 1907-02-20

HnOrt journeys. SaI up
stiafy in my seat. Diagonally across
the aisle sat the very chap had met
in tho curio-shop! He was quietly
reading a popular magazine. and oc-
casiOnaiIy a smile lightened his sar-
dOnic mouth. Funny that / should
run across him twice In the same
evening! Men who are contemplating
suicide never smile in that fashion.
He was smoking a small. well-colored
meerschaum pipe with evident relish
Somehow, when a man clenches his
teeth upon the mouthpiece of re-
spectacle pipe. 1t seems impossible to
associate that man with crime. But
the fact that had seen him selecting
n pistol in a pawnshop rather neutral
lied the good opinion | was willing to
form. | have already expressed my
views upon the subject. The sight of
him rather worried me. though l
could not reason why. Whittier was
he bound? Had he finally taken one
of Friard's pistols? For moment
was on the point Of speaking to him.
II only to hear him tell more lies
about the ten of hearts. bit l wisely
put aside the temptation. Besides,
It might be possible that he would
not be glad to see me. l always avoid
the chance acquaintance. unless, of
course. the said chance acquaintance
IL met under favorable circumstances
like the girl in Mouquln's. for In
stance! After all, 1t was only an in
cident: and. but for his picking up
that card. never should have remem-
bered him.
Behind him sat fellow with a
countenance as red and round and
compliment as an English butler's,-
red hair and small twinkling eyes.
Once he leaned over and spoke to my
chance acquaintance. who. without
turning his head. thrust match over
his shoulder. The man with the face
OF a butler lighted the most villainous
pipe l ever beheld. wondered II
they knew each other. But, closely
rs I watched. l saw no sign from
either. turned my collar up and
snuggled down. There was NO need
OF his seeing me.
Then my thought reverted to the
ten of hearts again. My ten Of hearts!
The wrinkle of chill ran up and
down my spine! My ten Of hearts!
Hastily l took out the card and ex-
amined the back OF 1t. It was an un-
commonly handsome back. represent
ing Diana, the moon, and the midnight
sky. A horrible superstition came to
me: supposing they looked at the
back as well as at the face OF the
card? And again. supposing l was
miles away from the requisite color
aud design? was staggered. Here
was a pretty fix. l had never even
dreamed of such contingency. Hang
II, I now wished l had stuck to my
original plan. and gone to the theater.
Decidedly WAS in for 1t: there was
no backing down at this late hour.
unless I took the return train for Jer
sey City: and I possessed too much
stubboruness to surrender to any
such weakness. Either l should pass
the door committee. or I shouldn't; OF
one thing l was certain.
''BIaukshire!" bawled the trainman;
then the train slowed down and finally
came to a stop.
No turning back for me now.
picked up by suit case and got out. On
the platform I saw the curio-shop fell
Tow again. Tramping on ahead. the
smell from his villainous pipe assailing
my nostrils. was the man who had
asked for match. The former stood
undecided for moment. and during
iris space OF time he caught sight of
ne. He became erect. gave me sud-
den sardonic laugh. and swiftly dis
appeared into the darkness. All this
vas uncommonly disquieting; in vain
Z stared into the blackness that had
swallowed him. What could he be
doing here at Blankshire? didn't
like his, laugh at all: there was at
once n menace and a challenge In it.
ANY baggage. SIR" asked one of
the station hands.
NO" But asked him to direct me
to hotel. He did so.
made my way down the street.
The wind had veered around and was
coming in from the sea. pure and cold
The storm clouds were broken and
scudding like dark ships. and at
times there were flashes of radiant
moonshine.
The fashionable hotel was full. So
I pIodded through the drifts to the
Questionable hotel. Here L found &C.
commodation. dressed. sometimes
laughing. sometimes whistling, some
times standing motionless in doubt.
Bah! II was only lark. thought
of the girl in Mouquin's: how much
better it would have been to spend the
evening with her. exchanging badinage.
and looking into each others eyes!
Pshaw! covered my face with
the gray mask and descended to the
street.
The trolley ran within two miles OF
the Hunt club. The car was crowded
with masqueraders, and for the first
time since started out I felt comfort
able. Everybody laughed and talked,
though nobody knew who his neighbor
was. l sat in a corner. silent and mo-
tionless as sphinx. Once pair of
blue slippers attracted my eye, and
again the flash of a lovely arm. At the
end of the trolley line was a carryall
which was to convey us to the club.
We got into the conveyance. noisily and
good-humoredly. The EXPLANATIONS of
the women were amusing.