Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-09-07
Continuation of Chapter VIII.

see him."
Faith. ana It's meseIf win have a
worrud or two 20 whispher in the ear av
him. sor." announced O'Hagan, grimly.
I'm AFRAID the opportunity VIII be
lacking. You may fix me a
hot bath now. O'Hagan. and put out my
evening clothes. I'll dine at the club to-
night and may not be back"
And. rising. Maitland approached mir
ror: before which he fingered for several
minutes. eataloguing his injuries. Taken
altogether. they amounted 10 little The
swelling OF his wrists and ankles was
sshsiding gradually; there was slight
rNdneSs visible in the corners Of his
mouth. and a shadow OF discOloration on
MS right temple-something that could be
concealed BY brushing his hair In a new
way.
Il think shall do" concluded Matt
land; there's nothing to excite partie-
ular comment. The bulk OF the soreness
Is inside
Time said the short ana thiek-set
man casually. addressing no one in par
ticular.
He shut the I'D OF his watch with q
snap and returned the timepiece TO his
waistcoat pocket. simultaneously he sur
veyed both sides OF the short block be-
tween Seventh and St Nicholas avenues
with one comprehensive glance
Presumably he saw nothing Of interest
n him. IL was not a particularly inter
est block. for that matter; though some
what ty-pical of the neighborhood. their
dinxy-red brick fEcsdes regularly broken
BY equally dingy brownstone as 10 those
above The south side was mostly taken.
I'd BY a towering white apartment hots,
with an oStentatious entrance against
one OF whose polished stone pillars tne
hanging.
The sidewalks. north and south. swarm
I'd with children OF assorted ages, playing
with that prsrocious energy characteristic
OF the young Of Harlem; their blooo-
cvrdling cries and premature Fourth OF
July fireworks created an appalling din;
70 which. however. the more mature den
ixens had apparently become callous,
through long endurance.
Beyond the party-eolored lights
q drug store window on Seventh avenue.
the electric arcs were casting sickly ra-
dance upon the dusty leaves OF the tree
lined drive The avenue itself was crowd.
I'd with cotor cars and horse-drawn pleas
ure vehicles mostly bound uptown, their
occupants seeking the cooler airs anc
wider spaces spaces TO be found beyond
the Harlem river and along the speed
way A few blocks TO the west Cathedral
heights bulked like a great wall, wrapped
STARK against an evening sky OF susve old
rose.
The short and thick-set body, however,
seemed 70 have no particular appreciation
OF the beauties Of nature as exhibited BY
west One Hundred and Eighth street. Oh
4 summers evening. II anything. he
could apparently have desired a cooling
breeze: for after q moments doubtful
consideration, he unbuttoned his waistcoa1
"a zfHn Of relief.
Then. carefully shifting the butt of a
dead cigar from one corner OF his mouth
10 the other. where IL was almost hidden
BIZ the Jutting thatch Of his black mus
tache. and drawing down over his eyes
the brim OF a rusty plug hat, he thrust
fat hands into the pockets OF his SHABBY
trousers and Iounged against the polish
ed pillar even more energetiealy tnan
before II that were possible An unro-
mantle. apathetic figure. fitting so natn-
rally into his surroundings as TO demand
no second look even from the most oo-
servant: vet one seeming 70 possess
rnaenetie Attraction for the eyes OF the
hall bow Of the apartment hotel (who, &C
uuafnted BY sight and hearsay win the
stout gentlemans identity and ealhns'
bent upon him a steadfast and adoring re-
rar51. as well as for the policeman who
lorded II on the ST. Nicholas avenue cor
rer in front OF the real estate office, and
who from time to time shifted his con-
formulation from the infinite spaces OF the
hAavens the better to exchange a furtivs
nod with the idler in the hotel doorway.
Presently-at no great lapse OF time al
ter the short and thick-set man had stow.
ed away his wstch-out OF the tnrohseo
mgdewafks OF Seventh avenue q man ap-
rearpd- waking west on the north side OF
fha sweet and reviewing carelessly the
nupbers OF the illuminated fanlights; a
sail nan. dressed all in gray, ana swing
ing thin walking stick
The short. thick-set person assumed a
main OF more intense abstraction than
ever.
The tan man In gray paused indefinite
IN hefors the brownstone stoop OF the
house numbered sos. then swung up the
stems and into the vestibule- Here he
halted. bending over to scruunize the
names on the letter boxes.
The short. thick-set man reluctantly
detached himself from his polished pillar
and waddled ungTscefully across the
street.
The policeman on the corner seemed
suddenly interested In Seventh avenues
and walked I'm that direction.
The gray man. having vainly deciphered
all the names on one side of the vesti-
bule strasghtened UP and turned his at
tention 10 the opposite wall. either un-
conscious Of or indifferent to the shuttle
Of feet on the stoOp behind him.
The short, thIck-set man removed one
hand from a pocket and tapped the gray
man gently on the shoulder.
"Lookin' for McCabe. Anisty?' he I'm
Quired genuinely
The gray man turned slowly. exhibiting
q countenance blank with astonishment
Beg PARDON he drawIed; and then
with a dawning CLEAN Of recognition in
his eyes: why. good evening. Hickey
What brings you up this Way"
The short. thick-Set man permitted his
law 10 droop and his eyes TO protrudt
fer some seconds. oh" he said in a tone
Of great disgust. Excuse me. Mr.. Matt
land" he stammered. Il wasn't lookin
for yeh."
ITO the contrary. I gather from your
greeting that you were expecting ouI
friend. Mr.. Anisty?-' And the gray mar
smiled.
Hickey smiled IN sympathy. but with