Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-04-06

he had determined to have a taximeter
fitted to his car and ply for hire until
time or chance should settle the cues
ton of his future
Already. indeed, be had complied
with the police regulations. received
permission to convert his machine in
to taxicab. and arranged to have the
clock installed.
Leaving his car before noon at the
designated depot. he received the prom
Use that it would be ready for him at
four O'Clock. Returning at that hour.
he learned that it couldn't be ready be-
fore six. Facing YEARLY two hours
with nothing to do, and too bored and
restless to vile them away in a cafe.
he idled listlessly hither and yon along
streets and Observation-Disclosures in
the black melancholy depressing him,
whether or not he were recoguiZed.
In the course of his wanderings he
found himself turning from the Rue
st. Honore through the Place Ven
dome TO the Rue de la Paix.
Before one corner window LANYARD
paused involuntarily.
In that window there was mirror.
set at an angle to one side. and sud
denly Lanyard caught its presentment
OF himself-a gaunt and hungry appari.
ton, with wolfish air he had never
worn when rejoicing III the sobriuuet
of wolf, his eyes staring with preda-
cious luster.
And lest some passer-by be struck
by this betrayal, he turned and moved
on hastily.
Halfway across the Boulevard des
Capucines, to the east of the Opera, he
leaped for his life from a murderous-
minded taxicab, found himself tempo
rarily maroOned upon one of those
isles of safety which the Partisan
calls 'thank-Gods," and stood waiting
until an opening should offer in the
congestion of traffic and permit him
to gain the farther sidewalk.
Presently the policeman in the mid
die of the boulevard signaled with his
little white wand, and the stream OF
east-bound vehicles checked and be-
gan to close up to the right of the
crossing. upon which they en-
croached jealousy. A taxicab on the
outside, next the island overshot the
mark, and, Obedient 10 curt word
from the sergent, pulled up sharply
and began to back into place Before
Lanyard could move round it. it's
window had drawn opposite him and
he was staring in, transfiXed by a cas-
ual glance.
There was sufficient light to enable
him to see clearly the face of the
nger-its pale oval and the eyes
whose gaze chung to hi with an effect
of confused fascination.
She sat quite mottonIess unrlI one
white-glOved hand moved uncertainty
toward her bosom.
That brought him to- unconsciously
lifting his cap, he stepped back a
pace and started to move on.
But at that she bent quickly forward
and Unmatched the door. 1t swung wide
to him.
Hardly knowing what he was dong.
he accepted the mute invitation,
stepped into the cab, took the empty
seat beside her, and closed the door
Almost at once the block was lift
ed, and the car moved on with a jerk,
the girl sinking back into her corner
with a suggestion of breathIessness,
as though the effort she made to seem
composed had been almost too much
for her strength.
Her face, turned to Lanyard in the
half-light, appeared immObile, ex-
pressionless; only her eyes were alert
with anticipation. But she said moth
ing.
On his part, Lanyard felt himself
hopelessly confounded, in the grasp
of emotions that would scarcely suffer
him to speak. A great wonder OBJ
sessed his mind that she should have
opened the door to him no less than