Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-07-08

want to sit here eating and drinking
when | don't know what's going to
happen. Oh, for Gods sake. say what
you're going to dc?'
He broke off 10 glance somewhat
wildly about the ROOM
The waiting is almost over. Mr..
Reich" said Semi. AS for pity, per
haps | pity you, in my own way, and
for reasons of my own"
And there's another thing com
planned Homer. Every time you say
! something the things got two mean
ings. Why don't you say what you
mean
AT least Dual responded, Il al
ways mean what | say. Mr. Reich
Charlie came back and served our
order and quantity OF sWeetmeats
| filling the triangular compartments of
a circular tray.
| Lucille drew her steaming bowl Of
chopsuey before her, picked up her
! chop sticks as one accustomed and
| save piobl VI lilt dsortt ioh 'hut shS
was hungry.
Sheldon eyed her performance up
on the mixture of chicken, ham, rice
sprouts, and mushrooms, with uncon-
Cealed interest.
You act like you liked it, he
gTnned.
Lucille nodded and smiled. Il do
she admitted. Here. taste it. Open
your mouth
She deity fished up ball of shred
ded chicken and sprouts in her sticks.
and as Colonel Mac separated his
jaws, dropped it lightly on his tongue.
The colonel chewed in ruminatiye
fashion. "Sorter like chewin' on
bunch of string, amt it," he OBJ
served dryly.
you old fraud, l believe you like
it, accused Miss foote. III you
think this stringy what about Mr..
Reich's order?"
Sheldon glanced at Homer. deftly
consuming noodles, and chuckled.
Il reckon they charge for them
things by the yard, don't they?' he
suggested with eyes which twinkled
The old feeling of non-understand.
ing crept upon me AGAIN as listened.
Here We sat eating and drinking and
chatting. To hear us one would have
thought us party of tourists as we
seemed.
Yet under the surface of the seem.
Ing we were bent on quest as vital
as one of life and death. 1t was odd,
grotesuue, outre. as bizarre as the set.
ting in which it was staged.
&yet.tlfo0gh it all like basal note
ran Duals calm assurance of an end
ing ere long. | glanced at him where
he sat, nibbling at rice-cake and sip.
ping tea. Lucille and Sheldon still ran
on with their banter. Homer finished
his noodles and sat staring straight
down into the bowl before him. Nc.
Kabe was eating in an impassive con.
tent.
olHfl SutSlS ldu tllttitu anu lOuHu
seats while my thoughts had held me.
They came in by parties and alone
frcm time to time. It was after one
such arrival that Miss Foote'S actions
caught my attention.
From no apparent reason she short.
ened her chopsticks and using their
butts, tapped McKabe lightly on the
hand.
I'm about minute, lamp the dame
at the corner table-the one in black
with the willow plume she whis
pered, and turned back to her eating
and Colonel Mac.
lei my eyes wander where she had
directed, and saw a short heavyset
woman. with heavy featured face.
and dark hair; a woman of such a
type in fact as one meets with among
the Italians, and the people Of south
ern France.
She sat at small table and seemed
TO be giving an order to Charlie. |
brought my glance back and saw that
Mckabe had found an opportunity to
sweep the room with his gaze.
For a moment his eyes ran over the
place, now here, now there, with no
apparent object, came back and
dropped to tea bowl in his hand. He
nodded. "All right. I've mapped her.
What about herr" he questioned soft
ly.
Miss Footc smiled brightly and
nodded. fished "A portion of mushroom
out Of her bowl and thrust it between
her lips.
She's Greek Annie she said.