The Washington times., 1913-03-03
THE DESTROYING ANGEL
Joseph Vance @@Hsag he EsskAM Mgeseggaga

ping. What did he resemble, Them
Simply good-for-nothing vagabond
a tramp"
"What'd he want?'
Search me"
But why the deuce didn't you tell
me this before?'
You don't mean to say you attach
any importance to the mere fact that
an ordinary tramp"
Il attach Importance to most things
that other people overlook. That's my
artfulness. / don't suppose II has oc-
CURED to you that tramps follow the
railroads. and that Long Island is free
of the vermin for the simple reason
that the Long Island railroad doesn't
lead anywhere that self-respectins
tramp would care to go!"
ITS true-I hadn't thought of that.
So that. makes the appearance of a
tramp In these parts a conspicuous cir
cumstances?"
'It does. Now tell me about him
everything"
So the truth would out, after all.
Whitaker resignedly delivered himself
OF the tale of the mares nest-as he
still regarded it.. When he had come
to the lame conclusion thereof, Ember
yawned and arose.
What are you going to do about il -
Whitaker asked with irony
Wash and make myself fit to seat
iOoo' was tne response may pos
si5ly think little. It's an exhilaratins
exercise which I don't hesitate to rec
ornmend to your distinguished consid-
eration.'
He was out of earshot. within the
bungalow, before Whitaker could think
up an adequately insolent retort. He
could. however. do no less than smile
incredulously at the beautiful world
so much. at least. he owed his self-re-
spect.
He lolled comfortably. dreaming, for
getful of his ice-packed- foot. serene in
alarmist- Drummond Gf aIive) more or
less hand-bound by his own miscon-
duct, wretched creature. self-doomed
to haunt the underworld, little potent
either for good OF for evil; while 1t was
r certainty, he believed, that tomorrow s
SUE would find him able to be up and
about, to hobble, even with difficulty,
at least as much as the eighth of a
mile.
Long shadows darkened athwart the
clearing. The bay was quick with NOV
Ing water, its wonderful deep blue shad-
inS to violet in the distant reaches.
Dow the golden arm of the barrier
beach drifted the laz..- purple sails Of
the coastwise schooners. Gradually
these olushed red and the golden arm
took on ruddy tinye, while the blue
bosom of the waters was suffused with
translucent pink, mirroring the vast
conGaGration of the western skies.
Somewhere-not far away-a whippoor-
will with piaintIve insistence urged the
advisability of prompt punitive meas-
ures.
In the deepening twilight mental
shadow grew 10 cloud the brightness Of
Whitaker's confident contentment. He
sat brooding and mumbling curses on
the ache N his frost-bitten foot and
was more than slightly relieved when
n liph tod he. Ilaez Ia, h. ltt-
ing room and summoned Ember to
help the invalid indoors
Neither good food nor good company
seemed able TO mitigate this sudden
seizure of despondency. He sat gloom
ing over his piate and glass, the burden
of his conversation mostly 70 yea, yea,
and nay, nay; nor was anything OF
Gmbers intermittent banter apparently
able t. educe the spirited retorts or.
dinarily TO be expected of him.
His host diagnosed the case from be-
meath shrewd eyebrows.
Whitaker" he said at length. "a
pessimist has been defined as dog
that won't scratch
"weIl?'' said the other sourIy.
Come on. BE sport. Have good
scratch OIL me-"
Whitaker grinned reluctantly and
briefly.
Where's my wife, he demanded alb.
ruptly.
How in blazes-".
There you are Whitaker COM
planned. You make great pretensions
and yet you fall down fiat on your
many hours. You don't know who the
Fiskcs are, you've lost track OF your
pet myth. Drummond, and YOU don I
know where I can find my wife And
yet I'm expected to stand round with
my mouth open playing DR.. Watson 10
Cnnld IN
that telephone and consult information
to better advantage"
What you need" retorted the other,
unmoved, is a clairvoyant, not a de-
tective. If you can't keep track Of
your trial marriages yourself" He
shrugged.
.'Tnen you don; know-havent the
least idea where sne is?''
My dear man, 1 myself am begin
ming to doubt her existence
Il don't see why the dickens she
doesn't go ahead with those divorce
Whitaker remarked,
morosely.
i've met few men so eager for full
in the Alimony Club.
What's your hurry
"oh. Il don't know" Which was
largely truth unvenecred. I'D like to
get IL over and done with
You might advertise-offcr a suitable
reward for information concerning the
.gie reabouts Of one docile and dormant
divorce suit
Il might, but you'd never earn it,"
"Dou btless. I've long since learned
never 10 expect any reward commen-
surase with my merits
Ernber rushed back his chair and,
RISING. strolled TO the door. Moon
rise and a fine, clear night" he said.
starirg through the wire mesh of the
screen. wish you were well enough
TO 60 riding with me. However, you
won't re laid up long. ] fancy. And
I'll be back day after tomorrow Now
must cut along
And within ten minutes Whitaker
heard the motorcar rumble of on the
woodland road.
He wasn't altogether sorry to be left
10 his own society. He was,- u fact.