Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-01
CHAPTER w.

Inc man fer0u.
A shadow swept swiftly across one o.
the windows, and the stranger at the
door was aware of a slight Earring. al
though some more than ordinarily bruta
gust of wind had shaken the house upor
it's foundation, or an inner door had beer
slammed violently. But otherwise he had
so little evidence that his summons had
fallen on aught but empty walls or deaf
ears that he had begun to debate hi.
right to enter without permission, when {
chain ratified, a bolt grated and the dool
swung wide. A flood Of radiance together
with a gust Of heated air struck him In
the face. Dazzled, he reeled across the
threshold.
The door banged, and again the house
in the dunes shuddered as the storm fel
upon it. with momentarily trebled feroc
ity; as if. cheated of it's foreordainef
prey, it would rend apart his frail refuge
to regain him.
Three PAGES within the room Amber
paused waiting for his eyes to adjust
themselves to the light. Vaguely con.
scious of a presence behind him, he faced
another-the slight. spare silhouette of 6
mans figure between him and the lamp
ing subjected to close scrutiny-both
searching and, at it's outset. the reverse
of hospitable. But he had no more thar
become sensitive to this than the mar
before him stepped quickly forward and
with two strong hands claSped his Shout
ders.
David Amber" he heard his name pro
nounced i'm a voice singularly resonan,
and pleasant so you've run me to earth
at last.'
Amber's face was blank with incredu.
lily as he recognized the speaker. .'Rut-
toni he stammered. ''Rutton-why-by
all that's strange"
Guilty said the other. with a quiet
laugh. But sit down" He swung Am.
Der about. gently guiding him to a chair
You look pretty well done up. How
long have you been out in this inferna
night? But never mind answering; l car
wait. Doggott!"
Yes. sir
Take Mr.. Amber's coat and boots and
bring him my dressing gown and Slip
pers.''
Yes sir
And a hot toddy and something to ca,
and be quick about it,
Very good. sir
Ruttons body servant moved noiseless-
ly to Amber's side, deftly helping hin
remove his shooting jacket. wherein snow
had caked in thin and brittle sheets. His
eyes. gray and shallow. fiickered recogni
ton and softened, but he did not speak
i'm anticipation of Amber's kindly "GooG
evening, Doggott." To which he re-
spended quietly, Good evening Mr.. Am
Der. It's a pleasure to see you again.
trust you are WE'LL
Quite, thank you. And your
ATM very fit, thank you, sir
"And'-Amber sat down again. Doggotr
kneeling at his feet to unlace and remove
his heavy pigskin hunting boOts-."and
your brOther?''
For a moment the man did not answer
His head was lowered so that his fea-
lures were invisible. but a dull, warm
flush overspread his cheeks.
And your brother, Doggott?''
I'm sorry, sir, about that, but il was
Mr. Rutton's ORDER muttered the man.
You're talking of the day you met
Doggott at Nokomis station?' interposed
his employer from the stand he had taken
at one side of the fireplace. his back &c
the broad hearth, wherein blazed a CRATE
full driftwoOd fire.
Amber looked up inquiringly. noddine
an unspOken affirmative.
1T was my fault that he-er-prevari-
Gated. I'm afraid, as he says. it was by
my order"
Buttons expression was masked by the
shadows; Amber could make nothing OF