The Washington herald., 1920-01-29
Yellow Men Sleep
By Jeremy Lane.
Copyright. 1910. by the Century Co,

tife Sentury 20. lliI
and bent closer. Her voice was tne
very dusk of woman-heart. II know 1
all about that-yes-somebod else /
can be serious. too"
I'm not worth it," he said hus-
kiiy.
He rose abruptly, brushed aside I
her slender fingers, and strode /
down the aisle to the smoking room. !
/ Soft in his ears was the refrain, I;
Make 1t later. my friend"
! He did not go to the dining carr
again. but munched only the dry
handouts purchasable along the !
route. He did not trust himself. I
The hourS>were very dark for him. I
and nothing seemed worth the ef- /
fort. All aspiration looked foolish. |
although the past vas more than |
ever boredom. He did not sleep |
the last night. 1t was not Norma !
he wanted so intensely. Con did not |
deceive himself in this. The trou- !
Bile was himself. a lower segment
of his nature. a less likable Leving- |
ton, whose desires found a center
in her. Wild horses were easier to
manage.
In Seattle, at the station, a red !
cap ran up to him with a note All
II conveyed was. in feminine hand
writing:
Lincoln Annex. You are worth
it,"
She had underscored ARE" He
looked around quickly. Evidently
the red-cap had been told not to
wait for an answer. Con could not
see Norma.
He pocketed the card thought
fully. entered n cab. and directed
1.-the driver to go to the Lincoln An
mex. At the hotel a porter came
to take his luggage, but Con for
bade him. He had changed his mind
again. He told the driver to wait
for him. then entered the hotel.
scarcely himself. The clerk placed
a pen in his hand as he read down
the register. Norma Vallale was
there. He noted the number of her
room. then walked away from the
desk. He wandered toward the bar.
head cast down. with great effort
passing the telephone booths. IT
would have been something to hear
her voice over the wire. He knew
what she would say. Powers that
he had never guessed were now
Iclamoring for satisfaction. His
not known that man could Lc so
possessed and ridden by desire.
/ 1t was not drink he wanted. but
he asked for brandy. and sent il
scorching down his throat. Long
abstinence gave it point. He would
fight fire with fire. Twice again he
drank. hastily. then a slower one
after which he walked out to the
curb. where his cab waited. Blindly
he got in and was driven to the sta
tion. He seemed to he holding
against the invasion of a host. All
the vivid strength that was himself
was turned inward. A little alcohol
was no dixie against that drive. al
though after time. when the train
pulled out, more of il helped to
blunt the edge of his nerves.
| The passage to Vancouver was a
mere film for him. almost as IL il
had been experienced by some one
Ielse. He lived interiorlv, was worn,
and sick. All that had seemed so
lclear and happy in his mission was
dead. Andrew March, all that he
meant. was as remote and inacces-
sible as Christ.
There was no sailing that day
At four the following afternoon
Lexington went down to his ship.
the Ensurta Queen, not of a regular
line to the orient
He remained in his cabin while
she cleared. lie did not care to sec
tn" passing shore. the land as IL re-
ceded. He wanted the oceah
around him. Brandy had left a
barb in his tongue, but this only
made him impatient.
Little by little. toward morning
Of the next day. Con grew less hag-
gard about tho Lincoln Annex and
tho sweetness he had forfeited
th"re. He had tossed sfeepless in
his berth. was up and dressed at
dawn. pacing the cold decks As
soon 40 possible. he went below to
breakfast The third pot of black
coffee began to gain on the warn
left by the brandics in his throat
! He was almost willing to believe
that life was possibility, and
started to cultivate the steward
with this hypothesis in mind, when
the latter was called hastily to the
stairs. The occasion for his hurry
was tall. graceful young woman
with lavender eyes and gray veil.
Norma Nallale was asking if she
might sit opposite Lexington.
Il did not follow YOU" was the
first thing she said.
Same here" said Con. drawing
sigh. But he had to smile. You
viii never understand how near ]
was to coming up to Room Twelve
Eleven"
Il ought to be ashamed-for you"
she said.
No. not that. Norma. It's a rare
thing to say of a woman that she
was easier to have than to leave"
Did l say anything about hav-
ing?"
(To Be Continued0
Il l.