The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-09
CHAPTER XIV.
vANDERDAAL


! he reached Washington for going
either 70 the races or to the banks for
learning about the examinations. Where
fore he went to a hotel and registered,
then sought some place of amusement,
seeing there was no more work 10 De
done.
of having an evening off. IL was an
unusual circumstance. ordinarily ne
must spend his evenings hard at work
more strenUOusly than his days
He chose a comic opera trom the hStS
presented in the eveniu6 papers lie
felt that something uolousihS IlSnS
and amusing might refresh ms nlno
after its struggle with the dlhcut proD-
lens on which he was woT king
He was little surprised 10 mo
trouble m securing a seat IL was 50
carly in the season that ne SUPPOSED
there would be room in any or the
When he sat down in an orchestra
seat well forward, It was Win Sol,It
pricking OF conscience tor having spent sl
50 much on a ticket. He conSoied hllh-
SELF with the thought that his present
salary warranted little mild eNtraVa-
NV the end Of the first act he re.
srrefted more than ever the two dollars
Sc had spent He was, also, IN d post-
ton TO guess the reason ior lhe Aise
GnS he reflected that the large at
.o1dance was a sad comment on the
mental, If not the mora pIdlLI-e al
big crowd of people 1heIe We H. ~ -
lest which did not owe its powers 70
Mn a laugh to the fact Inal II SUE,
e,ested something evil to eYliiy Ancllneu
minds. 49,, -ooord acr he
ne pranorinc to leave without any Ell
foY-t 10 get back part of his seat money e
Tie was Disguised beyond turther en-
oq ne s'' had picked up his hat and risen
from his seat. when he saw a move,
1nenf into one Of the boxes which mao
hitherto been empty. ..,
II vas a party Of men who entered
80 l,ox They were young men, yer
t1non the face of each were sJampeu
tho marks OF dissipation buI ~ We
the third face which attracted MS at
For a moment he stared incredulously-
: 1t seemed that he must be mistaken =. - e &
could hardly believe that a race Could
have changed so much IN the CouIse
of three or four years.
And vet he was not mistaken Inc
gross fat puffy. ugly counteRance vs.
none other than that OF Dawson al
And. If this had not been sufficiently
shocking TO keep him now in MS place
as a matter of business. there was an
added reason why he felt called upon
TO remain TO the end Of the nauseous
For lust behind the vice-distOrted Wis
age of Vanderdam he saw another i Iece
and that this very morning " was the
weak-chinned, water-eyed, sallow coun-
tenance Of Howard Heath.
Young Heath took his seat rather be
hind the shelter Of the blOated figure
Of Tanderdam. only occasional glancef
could the young detective get Of the
boyish face still eager with the first
srousement OF vicious curiosity.
But what he saw was enough to con-
vince him that Heath Ike all the 9th
ers, had been drinking There was a
almfness and fixity Of the eye, n flush
OF the cheek that betOkened a state Of
Standardization The rest We're OnlS
mildly stimulated by what had already
rendered the youngest OF the party
rather beyond perfect self-control
Twice during the rest Of the second
act. page was sent TO caution the box
against bOisterOusness and at the end
Of the act Of the party arose TO 20 out
Quickly Jarvis passed out of the near
est entrance. He bought box OF Gig
arettes at tire cafe on the corner Of the
foyer, and stood there 20 smoke one.
The five young men came IN, ordered
drinks, swallowed them hastily. anC
passed out into the street. They went
around 20 the stage entrance. and were
promptly admitted.
Not wishing TO make himself known
there and having no means for gaining
admission without showing his detec-
tive's card, he went back into the thea
ter believing that the men would re-
main till the end OF the show.
They came back into the box some
where near the middle Of the act The
faces of the four others seemed to h,1vC
gained a little animation now, I'm con
trast TO the sOddeu. blase heaviness
they had worn at first The face o.
Young Heath was a little more reckless
~ IN evidence It showed the first signs
Of heavy intoxication-
A thousand miserable thoughts
coursed through the brain Of vOuu-
Jarvis as he watched the real drama
in the box quite 60 the exc .usion Of thu
coarse piece upon the stage.
He was looking upon the swift worl
% the ruin Of young man. For tn
others Of the party. as ne noted thei
faces one after another. he could fee
nothing but loathing. But his feelini
for young Heath was one Of pity
Perhaps, II 81 had been some othe
youth he would have shrugged hi
shoulders An ordinary man usual,
feels that IL IS none Of his business
another chooses TO make fool OF him
self
Jarvis employer What was sull NOR
important ne was the brother OF tina
EMPLOYERS daughter.
And only too well did the Young de
tectfve know that such course as thu
youth was pursuing must lead him &
disgrace that would descend upon tn
whole family.
YET there was one grief in william
Jarvis heart that was even NOR
noIguant than that OCcaslOned by IN
downfall Of young Heath. II was IN
thought that the leader Of this part
Of deEenerates was a man Of some In
terest TO Alice Heath herself.
His mind wandered into tie future
and he thought OF the misery tina
awaited the woman who should b
welded 10 such a man. 10 was an yer
real 70 him. for every one or the sol
rows he fO-esaW was a sorrow for Ae
whom he would have given evcrythin
IN the world TO make happy