Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-04-22
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| ley, on the crowds outward edge, and
Il was only an accident of relative 20
sitions that afforded her an uninter
rupted view.
What terrible. gripping horror was
it that seemed to be paralyzing all her
fancies? What did this mans death
signify to her more than it did TO any
one else here present?
To one such as Van Vechten, accus.
toned 10 reading the all but impercept
ible indices OF schooled features, this
vision was like a naked human soul
Terror and despair parted the delicate
pink lips and widened the lustrous
dark eyes. they blanched her cheeks
and held her breathless, utterly OBJ.
liyious OF aught else save the dead
man.
And now he discovered. suddenly,
that he, was not the only person inter.
ested in the agitated girl. His atten.
ton was somehow drawn to a man
standing half dozen or SO feet from
her; a tall. raw-boned fellow with a
powerful frame and a suIlen cast of
countenance-a countenance Just now
scratched and bruised, as IL its owner
had recently met with a severe acct
dent OF some kind.
This man was staring angrily at the
girl. He too seemed to be oblivious of
the dead man, and intent only upon
catching her eye. And then the mag
netism of his look had its effect; her
eyes were drawn to his, and she came
to herself with start A tinge Of color
appeared in her cheeks; but Van vech-
ten observed that the terror and de-
spair still fingered in her eyes.
Van Vechten turned his attention
to the man With something like resent
ment stirring in his bosom, for the fell
lows manner suggested a proprietary
relationship toward the girl which, for
a reason he did not attempt Just then
to explain, made him angry. AS far
as attire went, the man was present
able enough; but Van Vechten was not
fayorably prepossessed by the sullen,
battered coIntenance, the coarse,
sandy hair, nor the big, loose ointed.
powerful body.
Then the cautioning glance was of a
sudden accounted for; the man, salts
fed that the girl had caught his mean
ing, showed that he had noted Van
Vechten's more than casual regard, by
a vindictive look from a pair of steely
gray eyes--a look at once so keen and
truculent and challenging that it's re-
cipient was for the moment dunn
founded.
However, Van Vechten's puzzlement
over this strange bit OF byplay, his en-
crossing admiration OF the girls
beauty, was broken rudely in upon by
sudden confused movement of the
crowd. With changing bell and a
noisy CHATTER of iron-shod hoofs upon
the asphalt, police ambulance drew
up at the alley. Phinney and Van Vech-
ten were jostled with the others, and
the latters attention was distracted
from the girl and the sandy-haired man.
He watched a second officer and the
young surgeon leap nimbly down; the
first to join his comrade in holding
the crowd in check. the other to rem
der such aid to the stricken man as
any faint indication of life might call
for. The motionless figure. however,
was beyond the reach of any surgeons
skill; 1t required but cursory inspec-
ton to determine this.
Van Vechten saw, hazily, the young
ha I'll a -
mans temple, and lay the tip of fore
finger upon another spot behind the
left ear. the while he talked in under
tones to the two policemen. Then the
crowd quieted. and he had an oppor.
tunity to look at the girl again.
1t was with something of shock
that he realized she was no longer con-
fronting him. His glance flew quickly
hither and taither-even hoping for
the sandy-haired man, as a sort of
clue-but she was nowhere to be seen.
Both had vanished.
The ambulance was now departing
with its silent burden, the crowd was
dissolving or breaking up into little
groups to discuss the tragedy, and the
two friends we're walking at leisure
ly pace back to the Powhatan. Once
more to themselves and Tom Phin-
ney's volubility returned.
Why the dickens didn't you want
to tell him what you know ?" he de-
manded.
| The answer was uttered softly.
Tom. whatever reasons | may have
| couldn't put into words. At least, !
sha'n't attempt to just now. You sure
ly know what 'hunch' is: your
scheme of life seems largely to be gov.
erned by them"
"Huh!" grunted Tom. without under.
standing, but inadvertently hitting up
on a part OF the reason for his friends
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