The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-10

The crossing on tiptoe through the
DdrTO0m TO the door Of the hall, get
ting up the stairs and into the room
ne had hired two days ago WIS so easy
done il.
He had found a box OF sulphur
matches on the mantel over the old
fashioned fireplace and was on the
point OF making a light, when he heard
a voice below rudely awakening the
landlord from his reDose.
had ne been thoroughly acquainted
with the state of affairs. he would have
known mat the tank-keeper boarded al
the AOLels and that rOusinE the pro-
prletor from half drunken stupor was
a nightly duty of the railroad man.
de waited until the men had come
numbering up the stairs and gone TO
theiI rooms before lighting the glass
-a'ap on the table. Then, for the first
tlale IN over fifty hours, he h@d oppOr-
/. tun'ly to behold his face in a mirror.
49, Heavens he exclaimed 1t looks
llhe a nap Of Grand Union railroad
Briars and thorns had scratched it in
every conceivable direction. He glanced
INTO the water pitcher and saw that il
was SIN filled with luke warm water
over the surface of which an indus
tflous little spider had drawn a tiny
Wen He dipped his hands into the tin
Ddsln ana rubbed one Of the scratches.
10 mis- delight he found that the little
day-Old scratches without leaving any
great mark. The one thing that pre-
Sc ted difficulties was a distinctly black
ened eve. The black eye would not
Apparently nothing had been disturb
ca IN the room since he had left it, neg
lecJl9g, IN his caTelessness. to lock the
door. His suit case still stood open on
the extra chair, revealing a cOnsoling
oHtnt Of clean clothing, brushes and
shaving implements.
He got busy with the shaving imple-
menJs nrST. Shaving was no luxury,
with a face scratched as his was, and
he sighed with satisfaction when the
last struggling whisker had been re-
moved.
After that he got more water into the
tin basin and set about the task Of
bathing himself from head to foot In
view Of the fact that he had spent a
good part or the day In water and had
washed his clothes in the morning, this
might seem Ike work OF superero-
CATION
But he knew he would never feel
clean till he had scrubbed Off every
inch Of his body that had come into
even remote contact with the garments
he had been wearing.
In finishing, he held a wet wash rag
over the lamp until IL was hot enough
to apply with some effect 10 the dark
ened optic At the end he realized.
with huge satisfaction that no one
would ever imagine he was the same
individual as had surreptitiously enter
ed the old building an hour ago.
He dressed himself with unusual care.
Somehow the putting on OF each gar
ment seemed a very luxury He had
never been so well pleased with his own
appearance in his life before s he was
when he stood for one last inspection
OF his array in the mirror
81 believe, he exclaimed inwardly. Il
could walk straight through Martins
burg without being recognized.
He felt that he could go now, in COM
parative safety, into any town to which
a description Of his recent appearance
had been sent. He concluded that he
might as well take he suit case with
him, and started TO cl0se Il.
The blue silk OF his pajamas caught
his eye. He turned to look longingly at
the fairly clean bed. The temptation
was too great.
by George" he muttered. why notT'
WheTeupOn he removed his carefully
arranged attire, and ten minutes later
was sleeping a sleep in which the
dreams were pictures OF the face Of a
beautiful girl Of Kentucky.
The Continuation OF This story VIII
Be Found in TOmOFrOw's
Issue of The Times.