South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-12-01
THE FOOL KILLER-By O. HENRY

The waiter brought it and poured
the water slowly over the ice IN
the dripper.
1T looks exactly like the Afissis-
sippi river water in the big bend
below Natchez," said /, fascinated,
gazing at the be-muddled drip.
There are such fats for eight
dollars a week" said Kerner
You are a fool. said l, and be-
gan 20 sip the filtration. What you
need" ! continued. lis the official
attention OF one Jesse Holmes"
Kerner, not being a southerneI.
did not comprehend. so he sat. SEN
tlmental, figuring on his flat ia his
sCrdid, artistic way, while 1 gazej
into the green eyes of the Sophisti-
Gated Spirit Of WormwOod.
Presently l noticed casually that
a procession of bacchanteS limned
on the wall Immediately below the
ceiling had begun to move, traver-
sing the room from right TO left
in a gay and spectacular pilgrim
age. ] did not cOnfide my discovery
10 Kerner. The artistic tempera-
ment is too high-strung to view
deviatiOns from the natural laws Of
the art Of kalsOmining. / slipped my
sinthe drip and sawed NORWOOD.
One absinthe drip is not much
but I said again to Kerner. kindly:
You are fool" And then, In
the vernacular: Jesse Holmes for
yours"
And then I looked around and
saw the Fool Killer. as he had al
ways appeared 70 my Imagination,
sitting at a nearby table, and re-
garding US with his reddish, fatal,
relentless eyes. He was Jesse
Holmes from top 10 toe; he had the
org, gray. ragged beard, the gray
clothes Of ancient cut the execu-
toners look, and the dusty shoes CT
one who had been called from afar.
His eyes were turned fxedly upon
Kerner. l shuddered TO think that
had invoked him from his assidu-
Gus southern duties. 1 Thought OF
flying, and then | kept my seat, re-
fiecting that many men had escaped
his ministratiOnS when IL seemed
that nothing short of an appoint
ment as AMBASSADOR to spain could
save them from him l had called
my brother Kerner a fool and was
in danger of hell fire. That was
nothing; but L would try to save him
from Jesse Holmes.
The Fool Killer got up from his
rested his hands upon it, and turned
his burning vindictive eyes upon
kerner, ignoring me.
You are q hopeless fool" he
said to the artist Haven't you
had enough of starvation yet? 1
offer you one more opportunity.
Give up this girl and come back to
your home. Refuse, and you must
take the consequences"
The Fool-Killer's threatening face
was within a foot of his victim S; but
TO my horror, Kerner made not the
slightest sign of being aware Of his
presence.
I'VE vii be married next week."
he mp tered absent-mindedly. With
my st do furniture and SOME sec
ond-hand stuff we can make out"
You have decided your own
fate" said the Fool-Killer, in q low
but terrible voice. You may con-
slider yourself as one dead. You
have had your last chance"
I'm the moonlight" went on Ker-
ner, softly, we viii sit under the
skyHght with our guitar and sing
away the false delights of pride and
money"
con your own head be it." Kissed
the EOOl- A1lleIs anu my scalp pTlCk-
led when l perceived that neither
Kerner's eyes nor his ears took the
slightest Cognizance of Jesse
Holmes. And then l knew that for
some reason the veil had been lifted
for me alone, and that I had been
elected to save my friend from de-
Struction at the Fool-Killer's hands.
Something of the fear and wonder
of it must have showed itself in my
face.
Excuse me-" said Kerner, with
his wan, amiable smile; was I talk
ing to MYSELF l think it is getting
to be a habit with me-"
The FOol-Killer turned and walk
ed out of Farronis.
wait here for me-" said ], ris-
ing; 4 must speak TO that man.
Had you no answer for him? Be
cause you are a fool must you die
like a mouse under his foot? Could