The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-12-18

London, together with sucn names o.
Paige's friends as he could recall. Hav-
ing completed this to his satisfaction, !
he next directed his attention to the
composition OF a cablegram which, he
trusted, would elicit news of Paige or
Mrs. Devereaux without occasioning
too much comment on the part of the
recipient.
1t was we'll after ten o'clock when
he finished his labors and departed.
The instant the door closed Barnicle
left off what he happened to be doing
at the time, and stood listening to the
footballs growing fainter in the hall.
Presently he heard his masters voice
utter a sharp Down." an ensuing
clank and clatter of the elevator door,
and Barnicle broke into activity again.
fastening over to the writing-table,
he went deity through number of
papers. Van Vechten had left sew
eral rough drafts of the cablegram and
also one or two complete, but badly
scratched list of names. One each of
these Barnicle selected, carefully fold
ed and placed in his pocket.
In the meantime taxi cab con-
veyed Van Vechten to the nearest
telegraph office, where he fled the
| following message, directed to each
| person on his list:
| Have lost my Cousin Paige Carew's
| address. She will not write until she
! hears from me. Fear she is i'll. Can
! you supply her present address,"
He left instructions that all replies
i be delivered at the Powhatan, whittier
| he betook himself to wait.
! Barely had he, made himself comfort
! able in front of one of the windows
overlooking the street, when the hall
door again opened. He looked round
and beheid Tom Phinney. Reserving
| his greeting until Tom drew nearer, he
! was about to turn away again, but
| something in Toms appearance and
! bearing abruptly struck him as being
| q bit cold. He gave the truant sharp
glance.
/ For one thing, Toms noiseless en-
trance was in marked contrast to his
customary Eoisterous arrival; a grave
ana thoughtful cast now sat upon his
usually good-humored countenance,
arI6 he was contemplating Var Vechten
with d preoccupied stare which plain
ly took no note of his surroundings.
Seeming all at once to become aware
Of the figure over by the window, Tom
halted, uttered a faint "Hullo, Rudy
then proceeded to a chair beside Van
Vechten's into which he sank DELHI
erately. He sat gazing dreamily into
the street, as inert as protoplasm.
NpchtpD surveyed hi-1
time 10 time, growing more and more
puzzled, as the minutes passed with
out sound or movement from his COM
panion.
''Well?" he dryly broke the silence
at last. "a was an invigorating show
er we had last night
A grunt from Tom was the sole re-
sponse. He didn't even trouble to look
around. Then Van Vechten injected a
note Of cheerfulness into his. next
speech.
But it has turned delightful today"
"Uh-huh," from Tom.
Great Scott" cried the other ir,-
patiently. Whats the matter with
you? Are you ill? Or is it money
or debts?"-although he knew Tom to
be a marvelously healthy animal, and
that neither of the other two possibili-
ties had power to disturb him in the
least
Tom now slowly revolved his head
and looked at Van Vechten, classify.
Without replying, he absently fell to
caressing one wrist, which appeared to
his companion to be somewhat swol-
20 ,,,i-
osity mounted.
Where have you been?" he de-
manded.
Tom answered with poorly assumed
carelessness: lover at Rocky Cove" "
Then unconsciously he began caress-
ing the other wrist, which also was
discolored and swollen, Van Vechten
observed.
Rocky Cove-h'm. What's hap
pened to your wrists?"
Tom flushed and tried to hide the
telltale wrists, but finding this impos-
sible he came suddenly back to earth.
"Ruddy," he abruptly announced, Il
mean to find job"
"a laudable ambition" commented
his friend, still cycling him curiously
Il never had a job myself, nor any
desire for one; which, as has been
pointed out to me more than once. is
nothing whatever to my credit. What
do you purpose doing, may / inquirer
!; I'm serious" returned Tom, scowl
ing. 81 mean just what / say. l in
: tend to go to work. Think OF all the
years I've soaandered in idlcness--'
tContinAed Tomorrow