Grand Forks herald., 1918-10-28
ADAMS GARDEN
"A NOVEL.
BY NINA WILCOX PUTNAM

LANOA FO.1NAM
Tn queereds for good and all, / sup
pose. What dogs trick! But 1t
can't work. won't let it. won't.
BY God, sir! She's geing to be made
to get this right She's going to listen
to me, to understand and believe
The. gate Of the garden was stand
Ing open wide; he must have left 1t
unlocked, he thought duly. enrering
to find man on an eTrand from the
knowing what he said or did. Adam
satisfied this persons demands and
sent him on his way. locking the gate
behind him. and unheedful Of the fell
lows facetious comment on the evils
OF liquor. Evidently the man thought
he was drunk-and he was drunk
with q new sort Of rage and despair.
EFlingtng himself down on the steps Of
the porch, he buried his face in his
hands, thankful for the fact that none
OF the others were at home and that
at least he could think the situation
out in privacy. y
Breck had played trump card. OF
fcourse. no woman would stand what
he had told her, and right, too, by
Jove! And the look Of It was bad;
there was no denying that. ASS that
he had been to let such situation
! arise! Why hadn't his own good
sense kept him clear Of it? A blind
man might have seen this result COM
Ing. Incredible, incredible fool that
he had been!
With an impatient gesture he arose
as though trying to escape from the
momentarily increasing weight Of his
| deep unhappiness, and began pacing
the path from gate to house and back.
= But, good Lord! What was he go
Ing to tell her? Evelyn was incensed
beyond all reason; and she had de-
term1Red not even to allow him to
speak with her. However, he must
contrive to-he must. Why, If only
she would allow him three words. just
enough to make her listen, he could
explain. 1.-THE telephones!
Fired by this inspiration he made
for the street. walking with rapid
| strides through the fast-thickening
twilight. The avenue, as he hurried
along. seemed merely a blurred panor-
ANA. in which the only clear objects
| were the blue and crimson lamps in
the chemists window ahead, burning
like beacons, towards which he steer
ed through the crowded sidewalks.
|
telephone booth, when he finally
reached it; a. languid youth in a
checked suit, who leaned against the
little shelf and talked interminably.
Adam seized the well-thumbed di-
.rectory, and paved it over. Elliott,
Elliott, Elliston, Emerson, Endicott,
Endicott What lot of them there
| were! And all downtown, no, this
must be it, at last! He read the num-
Der twice very carefully, to be sure Of
remembering it, and then he had to
wait what seemed an Internationally
long time, pacing up and down the
little pharmacy between the rows of
cheap scents and gaudy soap, and the
million and one things. that fill such
places. The chemist. a bald headed
little man who had grown stout
despite poverty and hard work, dozed
over folded newspaper behind the
untidy soda-fountain. The air was
Sitting, the moments hours, lifetimes.
tucked Wastefully, emptily away by
above the cashier. At last the check
suited young man emerged. pausing to
iight cigar on the very threshold of
the booth. in the most maddening
fashion. and then left the booth free,
save for an odor of bad tobacco and
scented hair-oil. Adam slammed
himself into the close little hold, and
gave Central the number in a voice
which shook a trif1e: and then waited
breathlessly through that strange.
blank period when the whole world
seemed to hum vaguely and buzz and
converse at a great distance, even as
Jove might hear it from afar. Then
little click sounded close at hand,
and the voice of the stolid butler was
inquiring what he wished.
ITO speak with, Miss Evelyn" said
who shall say, wishes her?" said
the buffers voice.
That doesn't matter" said Adam,
ant"
"1t's usual to take the name" the
voice protested. respectfully. will
Tell her it's important" repeated
Adam. firmly.
please" "/said the man. And again ;
Adam waited. Distantly he could
hear voices, and Equality barked
sharply. His heart leaped at the
familiar sound, and then he heard a
rustic close to his ear, sending his
pulses thnobbing. y
Hello" said Evelyn. This is Miss
| CAuISolt w no Is IL, please!
"Evelyn!" said Adam, brokenly,
its me- I've got to speak with you
1--we. -"
please don't!" said the voice, cold
~. Changing in tone so swiftly and
formidably that his heart sank. "1've
said all there Is to say"
There was another little click, and
silence.
| Evelyn. Evelyn, listen!" he cried,
shaking the receiver. violently; but no
answer came. She was gone. He
flung out of the booth, and into the
hot, crowded street again. Like a
great dog trying to shake of some
thing. he shook his broad shoulders,
and stalked DOWNTOWN, blind es to
where he was going. not knowing, not
caring, anxious only to rid himself by
the strenuous exercise Of some degree
of this unwelcome pain. Full Of re-
sentiment at its tenacity. he walked
through the night. further and fur
ther. tearing along at a pace which
made people stare and wonder. until
at length 1t grew so late that there
was hardly anyone about to see him
as he passed. always hurrying, the