Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1914-04-09
BOOK /.
The Silent House.
CHAPTER |.
Number 1311

| NbH1pcT 1918.
AS Rudolph Van Vechten entered
me outer doorway of his club, the
handsome mission clock in the hall
vas Ginning the three-quarter hour
| liter eight
Inc young mans thin. sensitive lips
assumed rueful curve and his brow
gathered In scowl.
Fifteen minutes yet until nine" he
nuttered in tone of complaint, star
ng hard at the dial. whatever |
nall DO until night the gods alone
NOW. Plague on such rotten luck!"
AND having thus given audible ex.
preston of his feelings, he dismissed
he temporary irritation with a re-
lgned shrug and sauntered listlessly
nto the luxurious but deserted loung-
ng-room overlooking the street. where
lie dropped heavily into a huge. bill
oWy leather chair which stood facing
one OF the windows. He Immediately
discovered that the chair was insuffer-
ABLY not, and bounding to his feet.
slared round for an attendant.
None was to be seen: 80 he showed
the stuffy chair await was too
neavy to kick-and jerked a cooler
and more inviting willow one into its
place. wherein he once more seated
himself.
somebody ought to kick me for
having come here" he feelingIy re-
marked. Then he turned again to his
incipient contemplation of the hot.
empty street.
van Vechten might have told Won.
II ne had paused to analyze his feel
ings respecting the Powhatan. that his
attachment to his club was based upon
some sort of sentiment. His slender
modishly attired figure, and his finely |
chlseled. high-bred features (which |
were much paler than they should
nave neen) were by no means strange
10 their present rich and elegant sur.
roundlngs In point Of fact, no men,
Der OF the Powhatan more assiduously
a'alled himself of the clubs exclusive
privileges than did he. Among tho
small coterie OF his intimates and
irienos, and the much longer LIST Of
acquaintance who would have Iikod
70 share the closer Relationship No.
Uoay ever thought of calling for him at
ms own handsomely appointed bache-
lor apartments In the Kenmore until
'ue fowhatan Club had first been
Lrieo' ana even then not before moon !
because, prior to that hour. all Of. /
-empts 10 communicate with him an
nVariaoly had been frustrated by his t
iipiomatlc valet, Barnicle. that everv- a
'ody had long since learned that 10 a
welve O'Clock. '''e =
anliiiar, therefore, as his appear.
nee was to the astonished and die. d
omnted club attendant lin seaaonl {
was associated-reluctantly as the b
ACT must be admitted-only with late
ours. the poker or bridge table. and l.
multitude OF cocktails whose nurn h
=. was known by no man save that a
racie OF diyination. the Powhatan's b
'e~aro. He carefully indexed and '
reserved all the checks which Van b
ecnten 30 promptly forgot.
Wlthout spending too much time
= lying 10 interpret too many words q
=. us ehoeavor to make the situation a
iear; Tor 1t was all very strange Tho 4
manner In which the commonnlaoa e,t, !,
alton described interlaced with wha, :,
Immediately followed. "AA' =
Here-and this ia tbo ,.,-.
iousnt 10 the front and borne in mind
was concurrence OF time. place and
ioiVldual which had never bannanad !,
eiore' and In all likelihood uo,,1s
ever happen again. but which wors q
very outward aspect of one of those =
are and inexplicable tricks on ths
sft OF Fate. as rare and mysterious
-, mushrooms, freakishly contriyed to a
lna some poor mortal plump in the T
nus. Oh a troublesome predicament \
ne Napoieon's star at Waterloo Nor. =
ory oiazed at midday on that nam.
1sp'e occasion, If yQu hays not for Il