South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-10-23
THROWING THE POETS DO HAVE
SOME USE IN THE WORLD"

SOhE ISE IN THE NOhLD.
1 cannot understand the queer
sensation which the very utterance
Of the name or Mr. Gordon gives me.
Why the personality OF this elder
~ man should affect me so strangely
is a deep mystery TO me.
OF course the romantic manner
with which ne followed me and
. traced me until ne discovered that
was the daughter OF the best loved
friends Of his youth has much 20 do
with my feeling. But it does not eX-
plain the uncanny, almost occult
hold that the man has upon my i'm
agination.
wonder at my own mental at
titude. but / feel powerless to alter
IT,
So when Dicky said: do you
realize what a romantic figure your
elderly admirer. Mr.. Gordon, isl" 1
turned to him, thrilling with the eX-
pectation OF learning something
more concerning the mysterious
man whose distinguished personality
had so impressed me.
why! no." / stammered, con-
scious that Dicky's eyes we're keen
~ studying me- Us there anything
unusual about him."
We'll. rather" Dieky returned:
hes about the most unusual thing
on Broadway. In the first place, he's
worth scads of mOney-nobody
seems to have any idea how many
millions-and in the second place,
nobody has any idea how he got it
or who ne really is.
He says his name is Robert Cor
don, and that he has been in South
America for over 20 years. I guess
ne has, too. for people who know
say that his securities are all South
American. and that he has a grasp
OF financial and political affairs
down there unequalled by any one.
There is something queer about
him. He acts as if the regular melo-
drama secret sorrow or crime we're
preying upon him; always has that
air Of romantic melancholy, as IL he
were waiting for the third act
climax"
why have you known him be-
for2" / asked. for / was sure 7 had
seen one OF Dickys friends intro
duce Mr. Gordon to him the even
ing before.
A Strange Figure.
II never happened TO meet him
before, but I've seen him off and on
for "A number OF years. He's quite
figure on Broadway always haunt
ing the cafes and sitting alone at "A
table hour after hour watching. al
ways watching"
Dicky had drawn word picture
with the brush Of an artist. ! could
see as clearly as if he sat before me
the solitary. mournful, watching
figure.
II thrilled me. saddened me- and
Their with a lightning-like fash Of
certainty it came to me. the convic-
ton that il was l for whom the
mysterious stranger had kept so
long vigil. / tried TO tell myself
that the idea was absurd, prepOster-
Gus, that / was mad 10 read such
a meaning of the mans interest in
me. but I could not shake off the
conviction
do not know whether Dicky.
watching me closely, read my wild
imaginings correctly. or whether he
was simply talking at random, but
his next remark startled me-
Looks as if you might be the OBJ
ject Of his long quest" he said AT
any rate. he acted last night as If a
load had been lifted from his shout
ders"
I tried 20 speak easily. carelessly
and / almost choked over the effort.
"SmOthcrcd i'm Crimson"
What nonsense. Dicky" 7 man
aged 10 say at last. LAS you tell me,
sometimes your ina ,rr ton must
be working overtime"
Dicky laughed. and / fancied that
there was a note OF relief in the
laughter
Shouldn't wonder" he assented.