Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-24
CHAPTER K.

When Septimus had seen Emmy admit
ted to the Ravenswood Hotel. he stood on
the gloomy pavement outside. wondering
what he should do. Then it occurred to
him that he belonged to a club-a grave,
decorous place. where the gay pop of q
champagne cork had been known to pro-
duce a scandalized silence In the luncheon
room. and where serious-minded members
congregated to scowl at one another s
unworthiness from behind newspapers. A
hanson conveyed him thither. In the
hall he struggled over two kilograms
which had caused him most complicated
thought during his drive. The problem
was to ease Zora's mind and to obtain a
change VI raiment without disclosing the
whereabouts Of either Emmy or himself.
This he had found no easy matter, diplo-
macy being the art OF speaking the truth
with intent to deceive. and SO finely sep
arated from sheer lying as to cause grave
distress to Septimus' candid soul. At last,
after much wasting Of telegraph forms,
he decided on the following:
To Fora: Emmy safe in London. So
am i. Don't worry. DevOtedly, Septi-
mus
To Wigsleswick: Bring clothes and
railway-carriage diagrams secretly to
club
Having dispatched these he went into
the coffee room and ordered breakfast.
The walters served him in Mortified 81
lence. A gaunt member, breakfasting q
few tables of. asked TOR the name Of the
debauche, and resolved to write to the
committee. Never in the clubs history
had q member breakfasted in dress
clothes-and in such disreputably dishev
eled dress clothes! Such dissoiute mo-
hooks were a stumbling block and an Of
Tense. and the gaunt member. who had
prided himself on going by clockwork all
his life, felt his machinery in some way
dislocated by the spectacle. But Septi-
mus ate his food unconcernedly. and
afterward, mounting to the library, threw
himself into a chair before the fire and
slept the sleep OF the depraved till Wig
gleswick arrived with his clothes. Then,
having effected an outward sembIance OF
decency, he went to the Ravenswood
Hotel. Wissleswick he sent back to
Emmy entered the prim drawing room.
where he had been waiting for her, the
picture of pretty flowerlike misery. her
delicate cheeks white. hunted look In
her baby eyes. A great pang Of pity
went through the man. hurting him phys.
ically. She gave him limp hand and
sat down on q saddle-bag sofa, while he
stood hesitatingly before her, balancing
himself first on one leg and then on the
other.
Have you had anything to eat?'''
Emmy nodded.
Have you slept?'
That's q thing I shall never do again. -
she said, querulously. How can you
ask"
IF you don't sleep. you'll get i'll and
die" said Septimus.
so much the BETTER she replied
II wish l could help you. / do wish l
could help you.
"No one can help me. Least of all you.
What could q man do in any case? And,
as for you, my poor 6eptimus, you want
as much taking care OF as I do"
The depreciatory tone did not sting him
as il would have done another man, for
he knew his incapacity. He had also gone
through the memory Of Moses rod the
night before.
II wonder whether Wiggleswick could
be of any use?" he said. more brightly.
Emily laughed dismally. Wiggleswick
To no other mind but Septimus' could
such suggestion present itself.
Then what's to be done?"
.I don't know" said Emmy
They looked at each other blankly, rwo
children face to face with one OF the most
terrible OF modern social problems. aghast
at their powerlessy .ess to grapple with 1t.
| 1t is situattn0 which wrinSs the souls