The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-11-29


ID
Ember pushed back his chair and,
rising, strolled to the door. 'MOOnrfse
and a fine, clear night" he said. star
ing through the wire mesh of the
screen. wish you were well enough
to go riding with me. However, you
won't be laid up long, | fancy. And
I'll be back day after tomorrow. Now
/ must cut along"
And within ten minutes Whitaker
heard the motor car rumble off on the
woodland road. He wasn't altogether
sorry TO be left to his own society, but
in spite of his half-hearted perturba-
ton and dissatisfaction, the WEAKNESS
of long, full day was so heavy upon
him that he went to sleep almost be-
fore Sum Fat had finished making him
comfortable.
Distinguishing the candle, the China
man, moving with the silent assurance
of cat in the dark, closed and latched
the shutters, then sat down just out
side the living-room door, to wait and
watch, sleeplessly alert.
An hour passed in silence, and an
other, and yet another. Sum Fat sat
moveless in the shadow, which blended
so perfectly with his dark blue silk
garments as to render him almost in
distinguiShable-a figure as patient
and imperturbable as any bland, stout,
craven god of his religion. But in time
there fell upon his ears another sound,
to which he stirred, if imperceptibly-
drawing himself together, tensing and
licking his tired muscles while his eyes
shifted quickly from one quarter to
another of the darkened living room
and the still more dark bedchamber.
And yet apparently all that had
reused him was the drowSy whistle of
q whippoorwill.
Then, with no other presage, a
shadow fitted past one of the side win
dows, and in another reappeared more
substantially on the veranda. Sum
Fat grew altogether tense, his gaze
fixed and exclusively focused upon
that apparition.
Cautiously, noiselessly, edging inch
by inch across the veranda, the man
approached the door. 1t was open. A
full, long minute elapsed. Even Sum
Fat held his breath throughout that
interminable reconnaissance.
At length, reassured, the man slipped
into the room. Another minute: no
sound detachable more untoward than
that of steady respiration in the bed
room; with a movement as swift and
sinister as the swoop of a vulture, the
man sprang toward the bedroom door
Leaping from sitting position, with
q bound that was little less than a
flight through the air, the Chinaman
caught him halfway. There followed
shrek, a heavy fall that shook the
bungalow, the report of a revolver,
sounds of scuff1ing
Whitaker, half dazed, found himself
standing in the doorway, regardless of
his injury.
He saw, as one who dreams and vet
Is conscious that he does but dream,
Ember lighting candleS-calmly apply
ing the flame of Il taper to one after
another as he made Il round of the
sconces. Sum Fat was kneeling on all
fours, above something that breathed
heavily and struggled without avail.
Ehitaker's sleep-numbed faculties
cleared.
"Ember!" he cried. what in the
name of all things strange"
Eltber threw him Pickering smile
@Oh, there you are?' he said cheer
fully. I've got something interesting
80 show you. Sum Fat"-he stopped
End picked up a revolv er-"you may
let him up now, if you think he's safe
Safe enough" Sum Fat rose, grin
ming. Had plenty
He mounted guard beside the door
For an instant his captive seemed
reluctant to rise. Ember moved TO his
side and stood over him, balancing the
revolver in his palm.
Come" he said impatiently. up
with you"
The man sat up as if galvanized by
fear, got. more slowly to his knees
then, graSping the edge of the table
dragged himself laboriously to a stand
ing position.
Nhltakers Jaw dropped and his eyes
widened with wonder and pity. He
couldn't deny the man, yet he found il
hard TO believe that this quivering
shaken creature, with his lean and
pasty face and desperate, glaring eyes
this man in rough, stained soiled and
tshapeless garments, could be identical
with the well-set-up,' prosperous and
confident man of affairs he remem
bered as Drummond. And yet they
were one. Appalling to contemplate
the swift, devastating course of moral
degeneration. that had spread like gan
creme through all the mans physical
and mental fiber -.
"Take a good look" Ember advised
grimly. How about that pet mytf
thing DOW? What price the astutt