El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-02-12
The Touch
A short story.

! IN THE main entrance OF big city
: building I jostled against a man
/ Z who was entering hurriedly. L had
. begun to murmur an apology, when 1
3 realized that he was d client whom I
: was on my way to see. He was a pro-
! duce broker named Westgarth. His
office was on the first floor.
"Oh, it's you, Heseltine, is it?' he
! exclaimed, in a tone Of relief. 1T was
getting so late that I had almost given
you up for today, SO I ran out Tor
/ Gun OF tea before looking up. Have
I you brought the affidavit Tor my sigma
tUre?'
J is quite ready for completion.
Mr.. Westgarth had sought my pro
( fessiOnal services in a mattef WHICH
| lawyer as 1 am, seemed 10 me more
by legal instruments. He had a nelSh-
I Dor in the suburb where he nVed-
/ ROslin who had threatened to XIII MIN
/ because he alleged that Mestgartn was
in the habit Of meeting Mrs. Roslln IN
the lane that ran at the PACK , 9i DoIt
and. as I believed, truthful denlals,
coupled with the assertion that he had
never spoken to the woman ana ola
not even know her Dy sight had Deeh
of no avail ROslin had sent him let
ter after letter threatening him with
death if the alleged clandeStlne meet
ing did not cease.
At first I had advised Mr.. West
garth to take no GOUIce, but on the
letters being repeated with more def
mite menace. and on Iearnlng that kos
lin was half a Spanlard with a tend
encv to drink. I came to the cOnclu-
sion that it might be as well to have
him bound over TO keep the peace. 10
that end. as a preliminary TO applying
for a summons, 1 had prepared the affl-
dayit which my client was now perus-
He took the prodigious time about
it. as most laymen do when they
choose the alternative OF graphing
with legal phraseOlOgy to the other
one Of signing anything put before
them. When had got tired OF watch
ing his shaky finger following the en-
crossed lines down the page, 1 let my
eve stray around the room
1 was looking idiy at the screen
when, with a sudden movement and
little irritable exclamation, my client
rose and readjusted the swinging cleo
trio burner over his head, so as TO
throw a better light on his desk. He
sat down again Immediately, with
muttered explanation, but paid no
heed to him. Ny attention was riv-
eted upon spot on the floor close 10
There was a shadow there that had
not been there the moment before
the clearly defined outline Of pistol
I grasped the ugly situation at once
" eStgarth'S enemy had gained access
to the office during his absence at
tea and had escOnsced himself be
hind the screen, with murderOuS IN
tent which had been temporarily post
pOned owing to my presence He was
crouching there now, waiting for nay
departure to achieve his purpose with
out a witness and without hlndrance-
The shifting of the electrict light had.
unknown to him, projected the shadow
OF the revolver beyond the edge Of the
screen.
Though I did not lose my presence
of mind, was al a Toss to know what
course 10 pursue In Westgarth's ner-
vous condition, to so much as hint at
my discovery to him would be TO pre-
cipitate tragedy. He would prob
ably rush from the room ana be shot I
down ere he could make his escape. ]
There was a telephone on the wall, but !
to ring up police assistance was OBJ
viOusly impossible for the same rea- J
SON And there was no hope that a /
business caller would look in, as it was
nearly o'clock past business hours.
/ glanced across the table Vest q
garth's index finger was still plOddinE
line by line down the affi- (
daVlt. but there was not many more 3
lines for him to peruSe, and when he Z
came to the last one the crisis would /!
rise, for nothing would remain but for 4
Then L could not leave him alone with I
that unseen lurker, while If persuaded !
him to leave the office with me he I
would probably 90 behind that screen 1
to wash his hands and bring his over I
coat then anything might happen.
Suddenly, to my intense relief. there I
came tap at the outer door. Feeling
secure IN ny company, Westgarth had /
not locked it on the inside, and he 4
now. raised his head and called out: /
Directly he had done so he looked I
across at me all of a fluster-
I was so absorbed in reading this /
hoarse whisper. 1T may be him" /
I don't think So" 1 answered grim /!
". knowing pretty well where Roslin
was. Besides, the steps that heard /
crossing the clerks office did not sound I
like those of a man.
The next moment my surmise had 1
proved a
who stood in the doorway of the pTi-
yate room, holding by the hand pref
~ little girl Of eight She was an at
-ractive woman, neatly but inexpen-
5iVely dressed, and traces Of tears sug-
Eested that she was in trouble Of some I
sort she looked from WeSJgarIh 70
ne and back again, as though in doubt
whom she ought to address, -
1 saw a light over the fanlight OF
your door and the others are all in
darkness. said the faltering woman.
oh, sir, believe me, feel the humilia-
ion, but 1 have special reason for
wishing to reach home before 10 o'clock
tonight and 1 ask you to lend me my
are the applicant went on. claSplng
would walk the 10 miles rather than
subject mvself-rather than ask a IA
-Or of a stranger"
Lets hear the reason for your
hurry" said Westgarth, leaning back
n his chair, and regarding her with
IN amused incredulIty that made me
Ong to punch his head.
The woman hesitated. but proceeded
With an air of. desperation.
I don't suppose can convince you,
Tut 1 am telling you the simple truth
have a scapegrace brother, who IS TO
meet me tonight near our house so that
may relieve his necessities He often
ONES unknown to my husband, who
S hard man and has forbidden him
he house"
The woman looked down at her lit
lie girl as though dazed at the pros
.ect- and then began to turn toward I
he door, but the sudden disappearance
( the shadow had fired me with an
Inspiration.
See here!" I called her back. MY
riend is worried about business or ne
7ouldn't be so hardhearted- Here IS /
sovereign to meet the emergency
ust write your name and address on / ,
hat slip of paper, as a mere matter OF
Orm." |
AIurmuring her thanks, she complied,
nd with a slight bow TO WesIgarIn I
nd grateful look at me, TOOK heE
eparture. When she was gone, l just
lanced at the slip and held out my
and to Westgarth for the atfldaVlL
But I sign first, don't T. ne pro- ,
ested. nevertheless passing 1t over TO I
You won't need to sign at all"
aid /. and tore the document TO atoms;
Do YOU know who your visitor was
"No-hOw should II And what the [
ickens has that got to DO Win u! }
e began to blusteT. ,