El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-01-10

1.-THE young man did not attempt to
pursue. At the side of the road
under the shade Of a giant elm,
he had brought the car to a halt and
with his arms crossed upon the wheel
sat motionless, following with frown-
ing eyes the retreating figure OF
Jimmie. But the narrOw-chested and
knock-kneed boy staggering over the
sun baked asphalt no longer concerned
him It was not Jimmie, but the code
preached by Jimmie, and not only
preached but before his eyes put into
practice, that interested him. The
young man with white hair had been
running away from temptation At
forty miles an hour he had been run
ming away from the temptation to do
a fellow mortal "a good turn" That
morning, to the appeal Of a drowning
Caesar to Help me, Cassius, or I sink"
he had answered. Sink" That an
swer he had no wish to reconsider
That he might not reconsider he had
sought to escape 1t was his experience
that a sixtyhorse-poWer racing-ma-
chine is a jealous mistress. For retro
spective. sentimental, or philanthropic
thoughts she grants no leave of alb
sence. But he had not escaped Jimmie
had halted him, tripped him by the
heels, and set him again to thinking
Within the half-hOur that followed
those who rolled past saw at the side
of the road a car with her engine run
ming and leaning upon the wheel, as
unconscious OF his surroundings as
though he sat at his own fireplace q
young man who frowned and stared at
nothing The half-hour passed and the
young man swung his car back toward
the city. But at the first road-house
that showed q blue-and-White tele-
phone sign he left it, and into the iron
box at the end of the bar dropped a
nickel He wished to communicate
with Mr. Carroll. OF Carroll and Has
tings; and when he learned Mr.. Carroll l
had just issued orders that he must I
not be disturbed, the young man gave /
his name.
The effect upon the barkeeper was |
instantaneous. With the aggrieved air 1
of one who feels he is the victim of a 1
Jest he laughed scOrnfully-
What are you putting over2' he 4
demanded
The young man smiled reassuringly.
He had begun to speak and, though !
apparently engaged with the beer
glass he was polishing, the barkeeper
listened. I
member of Carroll and Hastings also /
listened He was alone in the most /
private Of all his private offices. and
when interrupted had been engaged in
what of all undertakings, is the most I
On the desk before him |
I
ner. to his wife; ard hidden by a mass
Of papers, but within reach of his
hand. was an automatic pistol The
promise it offered Of swift release had
made the writing OF the letters simple,
had given him a feeling OF complete |
detachment had released him. at least !
IN thought, from all responsibilities. |
And when at his elbow the telephone |
coughed discreetly, it was as though
some one had called him from a world
from which already he had made his
exit
Mechanically. through mere habit he
lifted the receiver.
The voice over the telephone came
in brisk, staceato sentences.
That letter I sent this mOrning2
Forget it Tear it up. I've been think
ing and I'm going 10 take a chance /
I've decided to back you boys. and I
know you'll make good. Pm speaking !
from a road-house in the Bronx: going
straight from here to the bank. So
you can begin TO drawn against Us
within an hour And-hellol-wiu /
-hree millions see you through
From Wall Street there came no an
5Wer. but from the hands Of the bar I
keeper glass crashed to the floor.
The young man regarded the bar
keeper with puzzled eyes.
he doesn't answer" he exclaimed
He must have hung up
He must have fainted-" said the {
!
The white-haired one pushed a bill
ieross the counter. "To paw for 2
)reakage, he said. and disappeared I
Town Pelham Parkway
Throughout the day, with the bill 4 I
or evidence, pasted against the mir r
or, the barkeeper told and retold the I
vondrous tale. :
He stood just where you're standing I