Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-12

Aynesworth glanced at the person in
question. He was theatrical agent and
financier of stock companies, whom he knew
very well by sight
Il suppose Wingrave continued, that
was born with. the usual moral sentiments
and the usual feelings of kinship toward
my fellow creatures Circumstances, how
ever have wholly destroyed them. To me
men have become the puppets and women
the dancing dolls of life. My interest in
them, If it exists at all. is malevolent.
should like to them all suffer exactly as
l have suffered. 1t would interest me ex-
ceedingly.'
Still Aynesworth remained silent. He was
anxious to hear all that was in the others
mind. and he feared lest any interruption
might divert him
There are men in the world. Wingrave
continued. called philanthropists, am:able
obese creatures as a rule, whose protested
aim in life 1t is to do much good as
possible. l take my stand upon the other
pole. 1t is my desire to encourage and to
work as much evil as possible l wish TO
bring all the suffering l can upon those
who come within the sphere of my lnfiu-
ence."
You are likely" Aynesworth remarked
ito achieve popularity.
Wingrave regarded him steadfastly.
Your Speech" he said, SIS flippapt but
you yourself do not realize how near 1t
comes to the truth. Human beings are like
dogs-they are always ready to lick the
hand that fiogs them. l mean to use the
scourge whenever I can seize the opportu-
nifty. but you will find the jackals at my
heels. nevertheless, whenever l choose to
whistle
Aynesworth helped himself to a liqueur
He felt that he needed it,
'One weakness alone distresses me-" Win
grave continued. I'm all ordinary matters
of sentiment l am simply negation. There
is one, antipathy, however, which l find Ii
hard to overcome. The very sight of a
woman, or the sound of her voice, dis
treSses me- This is the more unfortunate.
he continued because it is upon the shoul. :
ders of her sex that the greater portion OF
my debt to my fellow creatures rests. How
ever, time may help me-!
Aynesworth leaned back in his chair, and
contemplated his companion for the next
few moments in thoughtful silence. 1t was
hard, he felt, to take man who talked ike
this seriously. His manner was convincing
his speech deliberate and assured. There
was not the slightest doubt but that he
meant what he said, yet it seemed to Aynes-
worth equally certain that the time would
come, and come quickly, when the unnatu-
raj hardness of the man would yield to the
genial influence of friendship, of pleasure
of the subtle joys of freedom. Those past
DAYS of hideouS monotOny, of prohtleSS, de-
basing toll, the long, sleepless nights, the
very nightmare of life to a man OF VIM
graves culture and habits. might we'll have
poisoned his soul, have filled him with ideas
such as these. But everything was so oil.
ferent nowI The history of the world could
show no epoch when pleasures so many and
the golden key Today he was a looker-on.
and the ice of his years of bitterness had
not melted. Tomorrow. at any moment, he
might catch Whit of the fragrance of life,
and the blood in his veins would move to a
different tune. This was how it seemed to
Aynesworth, as he studied his companion
through the faint blue mist OF tobacco
smoke.
remarked at last, lis interesting SO far as
it goes II am, however, a practical per-
son, and my connection with you Is of a
practical order. You don't propose, | pre-
sumo, to promenade the streets with cat
o'-nine-tails?'
Your curiosity Wingrave remarked
sis reasonable. Tomorrow I may crafty
some portion of it after my interview with
Lady Ruth. In the meantime, l might re-
mark that to the observant person who
has wits and money the opportunities for
doing evil present themselves think. with
reasonable frequency. 1 do not propose,
however. to leave things altogether TO.
chance
"A definite scheme of ill-doing." Agnes
worth ventured to suggest, would be more
satisfactory
Exactly" he admitted.
He called for the BILL and his eyes wan
dered once more around the room as the
waiter counted out the change. The band
was playing the ''Valse Amoureuse; the
bacco and the mingled perfumes of flowers
and scents. A refrain of soft laughter fol-
lowed the music. An after-dinner air per-
vaded the place Wingrave's lip curled.
My lack of kinshp with my fellows"
he remarked. lis exceedingly well defined
just now. / agree with the one philosopher
who declared that eating and drinking are
functions which better performed in
private
The two men went ON to a theater. The
play was society trifie-a thing of the
moment. Wingrave listened gravely, with
out smile or any particular sign of in
terest. At the end Of the second act he
turned toward his companion.
1.-The lady in the box opposite he re-
marked. desires to attract your atten-
ton
Aynesworth looked up and recognized
Lady Ruth. She was tanning herself Ian
guidly, but her eyes were fixed upon the
two men. She leaned little forward, and
her gesture was unmistakable.
Aynesworth rose to his feet a little doubt
fully.
You had better co. Wingrave said.
present my compliments and excuses. I
feel that a meeting now would amount to
an ante-climaX.
Aynesworth made his way upstairs. Lady
Ruth was alone, and he noticed that she
had withdrawn to a chair where she was
invisible to the house. Even Aynesworth
himself could not see her face clearly at
first for she had chosen the darkest cor
ner of the box. He gathered an impression
of a cleaning white neck and bosom rising
and falling rather more quickly than was
natural. eyes which shone softly through
the gloom. and the perfume Of white roses,
a great cluster of which lay upon the box
ledge. Her voice was scarcely raised above
a whisper.
That is-sir wingrave with your"
''Yes!" Aynesworth answered 1T was
he who saw you first!''
She seemed to catch her breath. Her
voice was still tremuous.
He is changed" she said. II should
not have recognized him.
''They were the best ten years Of his lfe,"
Aynesworth answered. Think of how and
in what surroundings he has been COM
PEELED to live No wonder that he has had
the humanity hammered out of him.
She shivered little
lis he always like this?' she asked. II
have watched him. He never smiles. He
looks as hard as fate ITSELF
II have known him only few hours,
Aynesworth reminded her.
Il dare not come tomorrow" she whis-
pered; II am afraid of him.
do you wish me to tell him so?'' he
asked.
II don't know" she answered. you are
very unfeeling, Mr.. Aynesworth.'
Il hope not" he answered, and looked
away toward the orchestra. He did not
wish to meet her eyes.
You are!' she murmured. u have no one
to whom l dare speak--of this. l dare not
mention his name to my husband. 1t was
my evidence which convicted him. and