The Washington times., 1912-10-06

wenou Vu'chAy tVWAru1. the WnitnBe
Reaching the gates. he looked swiftly
around once more, and from behind .
pile OF trunks stepped Colson. Grafton
breathed q sigh Of relief and turned 70
T"Coisonr' b
Hello. Graftoni"
The other approached ana shook his
rssSs;r and 0ISftop locked him over
not quite the usual one. t,,
His eye. seemed TO have developed q
queer trick OF WANDERING. They did not
rest steadily upon the new arrival, but
seeming preference for the Iron -girdered
roof above. His hand, too. was cold and
e eramn,y a and With a suggestion Of 2
had his debtor been drinking. or was
there another cause for his evident
nervousness7
Good srasious. man! You frightened
IBID II" colson smiled slightly. .T
of me for n whiier'
wonder isn't the wordr' cried Graf
ton n,.N Wh Ssseys took you on SO sudden
Colson's eyes nittsd from side to side.
he replied softly. Come along. Grafton.
1 h%sSsnfh a Ssa a'nn1 Ws IT. 60 over to
the"
mo, we won't I'm not frequenting
the little place where I have a room. I
car an sslk 70 you there"
oh! come along" said Coison. i'm
patiently. II have no end Of things to
explain, you know"
td as ssneG ssay S.nDs ssS Hsps
was an entirely new ana unexpected
mystery-what had Colson been doing
that he did not care for the better class
They left by a side entrance and Col
son set a rapid gait down the street. At
the corner they turned and passed into
not too elegant thoroughfare, running
from the mSrs pretsn,ou, nssn
tracks.
In the course Of few blocks It i'm
pressed Grafton that the environment
was becoming almost sinister. Tene;
and the few occupants visible at that
hour betokened anything but fashion.
And yet questions ELECTED from Colson
only the request TO hurry along and
When they stopped before a door.
LGraftons eyes opened widely. II was
hotel Of the cheaper class which Colson
patronized. On the street level, q dirty
groggery occupied the corner: behind
dingy restaurant sign appeared beneath
q gas lamp. Colson entered unhesitat-
ingly, however. and Grafton came close
behind. The former selected table
and and dropped to his chair with a tired
"WelI-there's nothing conspicuously
fashionable about this" Grafton OBJ
served. -
But there is a reason for IT. Gratton.
and a pretty good ope."
He glanced up as sauare-jawed
walter approached and muttered an Or
der for himself. Grafton BREEZY declin-
10, % toin n lQft yrAftnn
leaned over.
"Colson. for Heavens sake. what"
THAT ! don't want my whereabouts
"But why? Has 1t any connection
with the dav after tomorrow"
Yes"
| "The unioveiy walter was returning.
| Colson regarded the table thoughtfuIiy
until he had gone again: " O.
Then he looked up suddenly.
"Grafton. I'm going. TO ask you some
thing that Will strike you as very re-
II had been on the tip. of Grafton's
tongue to tell Of the stealing Of the, pa,
this las, odd r remSrE wais
what Is It, Colson?" l.,
I'm going to ask you to stay here IN
Chicago until after the twenty-secohd
| OF this MONTH" NV, 49,
|
| tventy-first we are going to settle up
| that traction matter, aren't weE"
Mot Il you'll stay over here uhu'
"But"- Grafton gasped. What the
devil ails you, Coison? Don't you sup
pose / want the matter settiedT
"If you do. stay here" said the o'her
quietly.
but why? why7", There was an
angry Fash in the others eye now, ,
For number Of reasons which !
cannot divuige," Coison replied coolly.
"Thc same that brought me here"
THAT sounds very WE'LL. however
have a right to know them" .,o,., I'M,
It is Impossible for me to 80 into the
fishy," smiled colson. ''But It isn't in
reality, you know. It Is simply here; u
you'll take me on faith ana remain mere
with me until the day after the notes
are due, I'll go back with you ana pay
every last cent, Grafton. II you e aont,.
| II you insist on pressing matters, there
going to me a muss-and you'll come Out
at the small end Of the horn!'
| Naturalization stared hard. az
much with amazement as with anger
Had his power as q leader and manipu'
lator of men and affairs departed alto.
gether. that colson could SIT ana taiA
my dear fellow. taking you ON faith
Is ali we'll enough, OF course. but can
do II in this Be sane and reasonable
an dtell me precisely what's wrong any
way. II you want an extension OF time
"a week or even q month-I'n give J,
to you. You know that. But to talk II
the mysterious way that you are talk
ing
| Cout,uu.ttou NJ TShia Story VIII