The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1914-09-30

when 1 turn out the lights he comes
forth. So there's no doubt that he
watches you enter and takes note of
your departure"
But doesn't follow me. That's odd.
What the devil is his idea?"
I'D give a good deal to learn"
The shadow and the glowing cigar
cite disappeared around the corner
and the lights in the apartment were
turned on again. -,
Hes gone. You really think he's
watching me-"
"He is watching this apartment, I
know that much"
And ever at that moment the watch
er was watching from his vantage be.
hind the corner.
"Suspicious!" he murmured, tossing
the cigarette into the gutter. They're
watching me for a change. I'll drop
out. l know what 1 kLow. It's a great
world. It's fine to be alive and kicking
OF top Of it." He went on without
haste and took the Subway train for
downtown.
rs there any way ! could get near
him." asked Braine.
Tomorrow night you might leave
by the janitor's entrance. I'll keep
the lights on till you're outside. Then
III turn them off and you can follow
and learn who he is"
Its mighty important"
Don't scowl. At your age q wrinkle
Is apt to remain If you once get it
started"
He laughed. "Wrinkles!" She could
talk of wrinkles!
"They are more important than you
think. Every morning I rub out the
wrinkle I 90 to bed with" !.
Il wish you could rub out the gen.
eral stupidity which is wrinkling my
brain. I've made three moves and
failed in each. What's come over
me?"
Perhaps you've had too many uc-
cesses. The wheel Of chance is al
ways turning around" /
May / smoker"
Thanks. At least it proves you still
have some consideration for me-. You
would smoke whether 1t was agreeable
or not. But 1 like the odor Of a good
cigar. And it always helps you to
think"
Braine lit the cigar and began his
customary pacing. At length he
paused.
Suppose we have a real old-fash-
toned coaching party out to the old
mansion we know about?"
and. what shall we do there?"
Make the mansion an enchanted
castle where. sometimes people who
enter can't get out. Do you think you
could get her to go?"
6" car try .'
"Olga, l must have that girl; and I
must have her soon. Sometimes I find
myself nightly puzzled over the
whole thing. If Hargreave is alive,
why doesn't he turn up now that it's
practically known that his daughter
presides over his household? / might
understand it If I didn't know that
Hargreave is really afraid Of nothing
Where is the man with the five thou
sand, picked up at sea? What vas
the reason for Jones carrying that box
out in broad daylight? Who Is the
chap watching across the street?
Sometimes 1 believe in my soul-if l
have one!-that Hargreave is playing
with us, playing! Well" finging the
half consumed cigar into the crate,
"the Black Hundred always goes for.
ward, win or lose, and never forgets.'
I'VE are a fine pair!!" said the wo-
man bitterly.
"We are exactly what fate intended
us to be. They wrote you down in the
book as a beautiful body with a
crooked mind. They wrote me down
as the devil, doomed to roam earth's
top till I'm killed"
"Killed?"
"Why, yes. I'm not the kind of
chap who dies in bed, surrounded by
the weeping members of the family,
doctor, nurse, and priest. I'm a
scoundrel; but it has this saving
grace, 1 enjoy being a s%coundrel. Now,
I'm going up to the club. There's
nothing like a game of billiards or
chess to smooth that wrinkle which
seems to worry you" -.
In the great newspaper office there
was a mighty racket. Midnight al
ways means pandemonium in the
city room of a metropolitan daily.
Copy boys were rushing to and fro.
messengers and printers with sticky
galleys in their hands; reporters were
banging away at their typewriters,
and intermingling you could hear the
ceaseless clickety-click from the tele-
graph room.
The managing editor came out OF
his office and approached the desk OF
the night city editor.
Editorial page gone down?
Twenty minutes ago." said the
night city editor.
81 wanted a stick on that Panama
rumpus."
TOO late"
where's Jim NoTton?"
AT the chamber of commerce pan
uuet. The major is going to throw a
bomb into the enemy's camp"
Nothing on the Hargreave stuff"