Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-18

tricks with clocks. Now the hours Will
fit by like dust specks through SUM-
beam. they now will lag like dragged
weights: let the mind be free Of all but
routine incidents and the minutes will be
licked off unnoticed. let event crowd on
event and seconds will swell to hours.
hours to days. 1t seemed as II weeks had
passed since / had set foot on the strand
to come to the village in answer to the
betraying message, yet but ten hours
had elapsed. Morning beheld me lightly
chatting Andrew over a breakfast omelet:
night saw me standing over a man newly
killed. All the fantastic happenings of
the day had thrown time out of gear,
stretched 1t tremendously. Kaleidoscope
scenes succeeded one another in my mind
The coming Of the messenger: the hurry
ing up the street: the blind. unequal
struggle in the room: my form bound to
the chair: the jeering Of Pilon; my peer
ing out the window; the visit Of Senior
Del Hervalle; the breaking OF the pane;
the terrible fascination Of watching the
three men below me; my shouts to Billy;
my dealings with Esper; the hurled chair;
flight down the stair and along the golden
fog-filled street: the cautious crouchfng
of Descarte and me: the struggle fierce
and savage-and now Describes body.
like black period at the end Of the
paragraph, lying on the sands.
Esper spoke to me: will you not go
home now, monsieur"
There was a note of solicitude in his
voice. 1 laid hand on his shoulder.
"Yes-and your"
It's not best that I go with you yet
master, while Pilon and the senior are
angry. Pilon's knife might peep in be-
tween my ribs and should open my eyes
wide in surprise. No. that will not do. 1
shall go back to the house and tell a fine
story" For q moment he unused. L
shall go back running. scarcely able to
gasp for breath and fright. my hair
standing on end" How that would be
accomplished 1 could not conceive. Upon
a stool 1 will collapsed point. stutter.
cry out that Descarte is dead like a pig.
that killed him because he set you free
and that you chased me all the way up
the street. even to the door. with a great
club and greater curses. That will make
q fine tale, ehr'
1T will satisfy even Senior Del Her
valle.''
But he will not laugh
mo, I don't think he win laugh. The
manner in which his plan has turned out
will hardly amuse him."
"Ah. the senior and Pilon will depart
quickly from La6ouche. master. I am of
the opinion
why do you think SO, little Esper?'
They sought to kill and pickle YOU"
They may invent a tale Also
ESper was visibly impressed. He looked
up at the moon. down at Describes body
and rubbed his nose, reflectively.
Yes. a tale could be made"
Can you guess my valet. how the tale
will run?'
Again he rubbed his nose, cycling me.
"A little"
del Hervalle will invent the tale and
Pilon will tell 1t. and much money will
be offered Esper. ALSO to tell IT.
There will be money. them"
"Undoubtedly.'
very good little purse for money"
But you are my valet"
'Humph." said he. thoughtfully.
And. therefore. cannot tell the tale"
He looked about at the mastS and of
toward the island.
"Humph," said he, once moro, In
study.
How much money will there be. mas
ter?"
THAT depends on what amount you
could squeeze out OF them.
"Ah, then senior will be an orange, too;
could squeeze out q great DEAL
Unless he grew weary OF being pressed
and had Pilon stop the sport with his
knife. after which happening what Esper
could say or do would not matter. The
tale of Pilon alone would be enough. 1t
Is better to be q valet
Judgment would be necessary in order
to squeeze the senior just far enough" he
remarked.
Then you would lose your master and
the $500
Explain how lose that $500? If you
should have the honor, monsieur, Of 60.