The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1920-08-05
DIES BY OWN HAND.
CHAPTER XII.

Fitzhugh awakened next morning to
Hunt. He cut short the flood of ques-
tions, and, still in his pajamas, got a
small valise from a closet and began
filing it with shirts, collars, and such
other articles as a man needs for a
short journey.
When he reached his Office, for TWEEN
ty galyanic minutes, without wasted
word, he outlined concisely what he
wanted done during his absence, con-
sidering and settling various problems
that in the interim might arise. Per
ceiving the flight of time, he snatched
his hat from the floor, and, with Hunt
trotting along beside, hurried to the
elevator, still giving directions and adj
vice. Down the elevator shaft, through
the rotunda Of the first floor, to the
automobile in Adams street, and
thence to the railway station, he con-
tinued the terse counseling.
AS he dashed into the Grand Central
station, ran down the midway toward
his gate, the conductor called
Board .'' and his train pulled out.
He caught the last Pullman as 1t
moved from the shed.
Fitzhugh returned from Washin gton
In four days. changed man. There
had been little he could do; so little,
indeed, that he felt his trip had been
wasted He had located some MEM
bers of Esther's family and had given
them, quite anonymously, a sum of
money larger than any they had ever
known. Then he took train for Chi
cago. There was nothing else to do.
But he could not forget vividly
against the background of his mind
were marshaled all Esther had done
for him, all her little acts of kindness,
her unselfishness, but doglike devotion.
And then he would think of the re-
quitai he had made. His memory
logged him pitilessly. He thought of
how he had left her alone with Niko-
lay that morning, of his incompassion-
ateness the last time he saw her alive,
of the death-dealing message he had
sent, the needless cruelty !.
Brute IL was always brute to
her.
1t was nearly eleven when he
reached his office. He had come d.
rectly from his apartment in his auto
mobile, and wore motoring cap and
coat, unessentials both, the last of
which effectually concealed all ap-
1, - %I,r n
Hunt, coatless and with his shirt
eleeves rolled 70 his elbows, sat at the
great fiat-topped desk in the inner
sanctum. head over heels in the days
work
With a brief excuse for his tardi-
ness, Fitzhugh took the chair at the
opposite side of the desk and scanned
some important papers requiring his
signature. conversing busily with Hunt
as be read. He had signed but one OF
them. when, with an ejaculation upon
the warmth Of the weather, he flung
Off his cap. and loosening the clasps
of his coat collar, walked ITO the ada
cent room.
In a few minutes he reappeared;
and, having discarded the motoring
buster, he was outwardly transformed.
Snow-white ducks. white outing Slip
pers, with silken hosiery shimmering
where 1t showed, soft white shirt,
through the attached collar of which
was looped a yoluminous tie Of blood
red hue. crush hat. white as an
Easter lily, turned up in front and
down behind and encircled by GRIM
son ribbon-these made up his attire.
'You look like the epitome of
comic OPERA" Hunt laughed, aside
from the phone "vSSither away?
YachtingT"
mo" replied Fitzhugh, appending
his signature to the rest of the papers.
mo. I'm not going yachting He put
down his pen, picked UP his cane, stood
Mp I'm going into the pit"