Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1919-10-18
CHAPTER |.
A Dou and d Oamsei.

n
square after half past eleven IN the
evening a dog came trOtting up 10 me,
stopped at my feet ann whined.
There is nothing remarkable in hav-
ing a strange dog run to one, nor IN
seeing the creature rise on its hind
legs and paw at you for notice and
caress. Only, this happened to be an
Eskimo dog.
I stroked the beast, which lay down
at my feet, raising its head sometimes
20 shine and sometimes darting off a
little way and coming back to tug at
the lower edge of my oyercoat. But
my mind was too much occupied for
me to take any but a Perfunctory In
tereSt in its maneuvers. My eight
wears of thankIess drudSery rs a
clerk. following on a brief adventur-
Gus period after | ran away to sea
from my English home, had terminal
ed three days before upon receipt OF
legacy, and l had at once left Tom
Carson's employment.
Six thousand guineas-thirty thou
sand dollars-the Will said.
1 had seen for some time that Car
son meant to get rid Of me. 1t had
Seer a satfsfaettIioss 70 hHee- to set get RID
bf him instead.
He had been alternately a prospec-
tor and a company promoter all the
working years Of his shabby life. Tom
was as secretive as a clam, except
with Simon Leroux.
LerOuX was q parish politician from
some place near Quebec, and his
GIean-shaven, wrinkied face was as
hard and mean as any city boss in the
United States. He and old Tom used
to be closeted together for hours at
q time.
| never liked the man and I never
cared for Carson's business ways, !
was glad to leave him the day after
my legacy arrived.
My plans were vague. I had been
occupying, at low rental. a tiny
apartment consisting Of two rooms, a
bath and what is called Kitchen
cite" at the top Of an old building
In Tenth street which was about TO bt
pulled down. had half planned &c
take boat for Jamaica. / wanted Il
think and plan.
The Eskimo dog was growing un
easy. II would run from me, looking
round. and uttering a succession o.
short banks, then run back and tug a
my overCoat again.
Evidently it wished me to accom-
pany it, and I wondered who its mas
ter was and how it came TO be there
l rose and followed the beast, whicl
showed its eager delight by running
ahead of me, turning round at time
to bark, and then continuing on it
way with precision which showet
me that It was certain of its destina
ton.
The dog turned down n street in tn
'TwentieS. ran on a few yards, bound
ed up flight Of stone steps and be
gan scratching at the door of a hOus
that was apparently empty.
This place l knew by reputation.
was Jim Days notorious but decent
conducted gambling establishment
which was running fun blast ut tim
when every other institution Of TIL
character had found If convenient [
shut down.
So the creatures master was insid
Days. and IT wished me to get hi
out. looked in some disappointmer
at the closed doors and turned ava,
I meant 10 60 home, and had pr,
ceeded about three PAGES when II
lock clicked. l stopped. The froI
door opened cautiously and the era
head Of Jim's negro hstler appeare
Then emerged one of the most bear
tiful women that ! have ever seen.
She could not have been more tha
twenty years of age. Her hair W,
of fair brown, the features model'
splendidly, The head poised upon
HAWKES. throat that cleaned white h
meath a neckpiece Of magnitice
sable.
She carried sable muf, too, al
under these furs was a dress of u
stylish fashion and cut that contrast,
curiuusly with them. l thought tn
those loose sleeves had passed aw;
before the nineteenth century died.
one hand she carried q bag, into viii
she was stuhiug n large roll of bill
She passed so close TO me that h
dress brushed my overCoat, and for
instant her eyes met mine. There W
look in them that startled met,
ror and helplesSness. as though 5
had suffered some benumbing sho
which made her actions more au'
.v,ot;a than