Evening star., 1919-01-19
CHAPTER XXvI.
A Tramp and Other Things.

He was awakened by glorious
morning, and, looking out of his
window, he saw the street astir in the
sunshine, stout men in white flannels
with morning newspapers in their
hands, children already on their way
to the beach with spades and buck
cts all the morning life of an Eng
lish seacoast town in summer
Then he dressed. He had no razor,
his beard was beginning to show, and
to go about unshaved was impossible
to his nature. For a moment the wild
idea of 1etting his beard grow--that
Oldest form of isguise--occurred to
him, only to be Dismissed mme lately
beard takes month to grow he
had neither the time nor the money
to do It, nor the inclination.
At breakfast--two kippered her
rings and marmalade--he held a coun-
Gil of war with himself.
Nature has equipped every animal
with means for offense and defense
To man she has given daring, and that
strange indifference in cool blood to
danger. when danger has become fa-
miliar, which seems the attribute of
man alone.
Jones determined to risk everything,
go out, prospect find some likely road
II
eight thousand pounds in the London
bank shone before him like a galaxy
OF eight stars; no one knew of it's ex-
istnce. What he was to do when he
had secured 1t was a matter for fu-
ture consideration. Probably he would
return right away to the states.
One great thing about all this
Hoover business was the fact that it
had freed him from the haunting
dread Of those terrible sensations of
Lisrh fiy,D 10
the finest antidote to nerve troubles
and mental breads. and he was fight
ing now for his liberty. for the fact
stood clearly before him, that, wheth-
er the Rochester family believed him
to be Rochester or believed him to
be Jones, 1t was to their interest to
hold him as lunatic in peaceful re-
tirement.
Having breakfasted, he lit a ciga-
rette. asked Mrs. Henshaw for latch
key so that he might not trouble her,
put on his panama and went out.
There was a barber shop across the
way, he entered it, found vacant
chai ir and was shaved. Then he bought
newspaper and strolled in the direc-
ton of the beach. The idea had come
10 him that he might be able to hire
q sailing boat and reach London that
way, preposterous and vague idea
that still. however. led him till he
reached the esplanade, and stood with
u
The only sailing boats visible were
excursion craft. guarded by long
shoremen, loading up with trippers,
and showing placards to allure the
innocent.
The sands were swarming and the
bathing machines crawling toward the
sea.
He came onto the beach and took
his seat on the warm white sands
with freedom before him had he been
Aci To f,1y pS
cockleshell rowboats and scull few
miles down the coast would lead him
where? Only along the coast, rock
strewn beyond the sands and faced
with cliffs. OF boatcraft he had no
knowledge, the sea was choppy and
the sailing boats now out seemed
going like race horses over hurdles.
No, he would wait till after lunch
con. then in that somnolent hour,
when all mems thoughts are q bit
duiied. and vigilance least awake. ne
would find some road, on good hard
sland and make his dash.
He would try and get bicycle map
OF this part of Wessex. He had
sellers near the beach, and he would
call there on his way back.
Then he fell to reading his paper,
smoking cigarettes, and watching the
crowd.
Watching. he was presently re-
day disgrace Of England. Out of q
bathing tent, and into the full SUM-
light. came q girl with nothing on.
for skin tight blue stockinette is
nothing in the eyes of modesty;
every elevation. every depresson,
every crease in her shameless anat-
omy exposed to a hundred pairs OF
eyes. she walked calmly toward the
water. A young man to match fol-
lowed. Then they wallowed in the
sea. ., st.,.....s - .-.... ..1-,.-:+ -,lsl.
Jones forgot Hoover. He recalled
Lady Dolly in "Moths''-Lady Dolly.
Sea would have been the pink Of
propriety., and the inhabitants, OF this
beach were not wicked society ,peo-
pie, but respectable middle class, folk.
That's pretty thick" said Jones to