The Washington herald., 1920-10-22

HARSON CHALMERS, in hi:
~ apartment near the square
Phillips brought the evening
mail. Besides the routine CORE,
spondence there were two itemi
bearing the same foreign postmark
One Of the incoming parcels con,
talned a photograph of a woman
The other contained an interminsblt
letter, over which Chalmers hung
absorbed, for a long time. The let
ter was from another woman; snc
1t contained poisoned barbs, sweet,
ly dipped in honey. and featheret
with innuendoes concerning tn,
photographed woman.
Chalmers tore this letter into {
Thousand bits and began to weal
out his expensive rug by stridins
back and forth upon IT. Thus al
animal from the Jungle acts wher
1t is Gagged, and thus a Gagged mar
acts when he is housed in a jungle
Of doubt.
BY and by the restless mood wa:
overcome. The rug was not an en-
chanted one. For sixteen feet he
could travel along it; three thou.
sand miles was beyond its power
to aid.
Phillips appeared. He never en-.
tered; he invariably appeared, like
a well-oiled genie.
will you dine here sir, or out"
he asked.
Here" said Chalmers. and in
half an hour" He listened glumly
to the January blasts making al
Aeolian trombone of the empty
street.
Walt" he said to the disappear
ing genie. AS / came home across
the end of the square ! saw many
men standing there in rows. There
was one mounted upon something
talking. Why do those men stand
in rows, and why are they there"
They are homeless men, sir" said
Phillips. The man standing on the
box tries TO get lodging for them
for the night. People come around
to listen and give him money. Their
he sends as many as the money will
pay for to some lodging house. Tha'
is why they stand in rows; they
get sent to bed in order as they
come"
by the time dinner is served,
said Chalmers, have one of those
men here He will dine with me.
Wv which" began Phillips
stammering for the first time dur
ing his service.
Choose one at random" sale
Chalmers You might see that h
is reasonably sober-and a certain
al Trn1 h
held against him. That is all"
1t was an unusual thing for Car
son Chalmers to play the Caliph. But
on that night he felt the Ineffioacy o'
conventional antidotes to melan
choly. Something wanton and egreg
ious, something high-favored anC
Arabian. he must have to tighten hi!
mood.
On the half hour Phillips had fin'
ished his duties as slave OF the lamp
The walters from the restaurant be
low had whisked aloft the delectsbl'
dinner. The dining table, laid foI
two, gloved cheerily in the glow Of
the pink shaded candles.
And now Phillips. as though HI
ushered cardinal-or held ii
charge a burglar-wafted in the
SHlNSTlHs WIN haI bttt nav
from the line of mendicant dodgers.
It is a common thing to call such
men wrecks; II the comparison b.
used here it is the specific one of Z
derelict come to grief through FIRE
Even yet some ffickering combustion
illuminated the drifting hulk. His
face and hands had been recent!
washed-a rite insisted upon BY
ia1 l. oil
tered conventions. In the candle
light he stood. flaw in the decorouS
fittings of the apartment. His face
was a sickly white, covered almost
to the eyes with stubble the shade
of a red Irish settlers coat. Phillips
comb had failed to control the pale
brown hair, long matted and con.
formed to the contour of con-
stantly worn hat. His eyes were
full of a hopeless. tricky defanC,
like that seen in ours that is cor.
nered by his tormentors His shah
by coat was buttoned high. but I
quarter inch of redeeming collar
showed above it. His manner was
singularly free from embarrass
ment when Chalmers rose from hi
chair across the round dining table
IF you will oblige me-" said the
host. Il will be glad to have your
company at dinner"
MY name is Plumer." said the
highway guest, in harsh and ag.
gressive tones. IF you're like me
you like to, know the name of the
party you're dining with"
II was going on to say" contin.
ued Chalmers somewhat hastily