The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1912-10-07
AWHITE STREAK OFDISASTER

BY EDGAR FRANKLIN
,csvyrishs ,sia yssn. A. xunss, o.,

Grafton shook himself. Every bone
seemed to ache. his head ached, his
skin was hot, his mouth dry snd
q strong gathering Of his forces did he
succeed in throwing on the clothes.
''Drugsed. by thunder!" said John
Yes, tina. was what had happened g
MANAGED to. poison his ale and-now
His head reeiins. he managed 70
stand erect and steady himself against
duly and his eye caught sight Of a
plain iron sink In the corner. He made
for II eagerly and turned the faucet.
A grateful now Of cold water reward
his SO ll Ssp /. OF tEs 'i pipe. drnslns deeply
and It refreshed him wonderfully. he
thrust his burning head under the cool
stream and held It there: he bathed
Stronger ana stssdier, he stifed any
qualms, reached for the grimy towel
In the rack, and looked around him.
Well. the environment vas -, 6ad
s %Sss .aa IN .s%Sisnes Of human
habitation could hardly have been con- on,
ceived. Was he in. Colson's .'hoteii
That seemed the only explanauon. He
searched again. and found painted on
To- It seemed to confirm his surmise.
He was q guest of Room IL.
How long had he been theref That
phase came over Grafton with stag.
ss Sc ase rs slsi M Mis dosing must have
occurred at about midnight on the
18th Of May. and no drug OF which ne
had any knowledge would give one
two days OF unconsciousness without
Ha was most Certainly alive again.
and therefore II must be the 10Th of the
month. Tho sun In the narrow court
seemed 70 indicate sfternoSn. .r Grsft s..
Yet the timepiece was in his pocket,
and his roll Of bills a. well. Evidently
the game was far too profitable for
the keepers Of the h9 sSss 70 isfs
him his clothes and his watch and his
money. The hands pointed to
O'Clock. So he had been out OF the
world for fifteen hours at the very
Grafton imbibed more Of the water
and slowly drew on his clothes. Then
he sat down heavily on the edge OF the
groaning bed. to consider matters In
Beyond question. Colson had iured him
to this den for the sole purpose Of hold.
ing him. Also beyon.. question, Colson
| motive had been to have him out Of
| henyOnVllle THO Elbt. LoBlChiyi
| therefore. Colson was q criminal and
one Of a puzzling sort.
Had he fallen Into trouble and devised
some such desperate scheme as this to
free himself? or wa. .i he professions "a
| To save himself, Grafton couldn't de.
termine the question to his satisfaction
II q professional, Colson had been . con.
fool. in that he had not dared lay mat:
tiers before Grafton In straightforward
But Whatever his intent or his pas
very serious thing in the drussins q
Grafton-and now, just what use die
he intend to make Of II?
Perhaps even now he was back II
,,kenyonville. rearransing matters Z
n: SHa WaH arafan had Su s'
turned, and few more things. Per
haps he was planning for tomorrow
and-what? That was It!
Even granting that the man hat
matters all his own way whom tn
notes. Just what would he do? Tn
possibilities were SO wide, and man.
of them appeared so extremely FAR
fetched that Grafton hesitated at fix
ing a definite plan Of action for tn
lately trusted debtor.
Colson meant to do something, and
was reasonably sure to be somethin,
desperate; more than that, 1t would b
something highly detrimental to Graf
toms interests. II might mean hi
ruin. Very surely. II would mean
great deal of trouble.
With Grafton to see trouble was I
forestall 1t by every means possible
He would go back to Kenyonville wit
all possible speed, and when he foun
Colson, matters would become merr
in the last degree for one Of them.
Grafton rose and went back to tn
sink; and with pocket comb and tn
fragment Of q mirror he contrived o
apology for toilet, after which h
gathered up his overcoat and Wake
to the door.
A Continuation Of mt story Wi