Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-26

before this window he would have to
| tarry. before some other, Tor he was
still three-quarters OF an hour ahead
| OF his appointment.
the powerful anastigmat that stran-
ger who had stopped at his elbow sud
| denly began speaking to him.
big lens" said the man.
big is right. 1t has everything
all the corrections. speed. focal length.
everything. Best I ever saw"
! You ought to see a French lens
know of. A little Belgian tailor owns
1t. name of Bergman"
Larger than this? I'd like to see 1t"
You can-easy. Bergman is proud
| of it like he had made 1t. He is proud
| to show the lens"
where is this man Bergman
'Tn the basement of the ellison
way. at that" He added the street
| and number. Bergman. Just walk
| right in and ask to see his lens"
lHARR1NGToN did not think to Won
- der how this stranger knew what
would or would not be out of his way.
1t did not occur to him to connect the
| man with Lissie. He looked at his
watch; the hour was not yet eleven
He saw that he would have time and
to spare for a glance at the other lens.
I'll do that little thing. Thanks"
You'll sure be interested" said the
stranger. Then he repeated the ad-
dress You can't miss it."
Harrington nodded and turned away,
walking now a little more rapidly. BY
the time he reached the address that
had been given him the hour was
eleven seven. The building was old.
the steps dark, and the short corridor
at the foot as little inviting as the
door that bore Bergman's half-effaced
sign. Following instructions. he turn
ed the knob and stepped through into
the room.
was unoccupied. But its shadows had
deceived him. Even as he stood inside
the door he heard a light footstep
behind him..
There is nothing inherent in the
sound Of footstep to cause an honest
footsteps go: If a man were to have
an attack of nerves every time a
footstep crossed his long shadow de
would pass his life tied up in cam
phor bandage and nothing would get
done.
It was not the sound of footsteps
that startled Harrington into whirl-
ing upon his heel; 1t was the sound of
this footstep. The action was instinc-
tive and instantaneous; there was no
time to reason it out; but somehow.
for some reason that lay deeper than
1oC;c. he felt that this sound was
mace. that it threatened his safety.
that 1t was deadly thing, murderous.
black.
He whir1ed to face the menace be-
hind him as instinctivelyr as he would
have thrown out his arm to break
fall. Had his mind instead of his in
stinct controlled his action he would
not have whirled: instead. he would
edge of the heavy door. now almost
closed. and lodged back into the cor
ridor that led to the street.
Yet the swift action served pur-
pose. For he saw. even as he faced
about. that an attack from behind was
Impending. Not four feet away stood
the ominous figure of man with a
knife, his left hand extended upon the
dark wall. The light from the front
door showed his features plainly.
going by the name OF Be1lew.
"He1lo? he cried. $50 it's you"
The other stood motionless for a
fn0ment, as-if studying how best to
attack. ~
what are you doing with the knife.
The man he had spoken to did not
reply; hut he could see the muscles of
his face twitching. which. il not a re-
ply. was response of a sort The
humorous thought occurred to him,
even in. this moment of danger. that
Bellows eyes were out of focus-in-
stead Of looking at him he seemed to
look through him and beyond him.
His body stood ready to leap. but at
the same time his seem
to see Harrington man
Harrington: he waxSfShfng> the
sfealthy approach Of Aseomyanfof out
Of the shadows beyond sxhssdoor
Put Down that knifs,sReiiew: Put
Harrington had entered the room
with his camera carried ia,1h3s right
hand. Although 1t was small and fra
gle. and no weapon with which to
hight down murder. he now frightened
hi. grasp upon II: at the same time
raising 1t and shifting. his feet SO that
his body was better balanced. Then
az quick as light and with all the
strength Of his base ball arm, he threw.
His opponent did not try to dodge the
missile: he did not expect it to be
range. The sharp edge Of the camera
caught him fairlv upon the wrist:
whereupon the knife was sent smash
ing against the brick wall opposite
with such force that the point snapped
on and blade and haft slid whirling
back along the floor.
That was the last Harrington knew.
Something struck him from behind:
he saw Orion ard the Pleiades, Algol
and Aldebaran; then he crumpled into
ehapelessness upon the floor When
they found him he was lying upon his
back in the dust, his right arm dou-
bled sharply under his blood-smeared
shoulder. his left extended toward the
light.
TN ORDER, to understand the dark
basement and Harrington. and
Harrington's recognition of the man
called David Bellew. you must go back
with me to another basement, but
better lighted one. upon an evening
ten months earlier.
The time was in November, the
place an alcove of one of the rooms
behind Joe Quilley's buffet. Three
men and a woman were seated round
a table conversing in low tones.
Quilley's buffet has no present ex-
. istence; 1t closed its doors after the
one half Of one percent law went
into effect. But at the time of this
story Quilley's place was the center
of life and levity. with a reputation
all its own and patronage that had
entrance into the best houses along
| the Lake Shore Drive, especially at
night. If one knew when to visit
the Dip. or Sudden the Blood. or Pa
tella Pete. or this or that member of
the Cracker Pool outfit. or, indeed,
almost any celebrity Of the west side.
The human race Is not the only race
that is gregarious.
almost deserted. 1t never became SO
filled that a table could NOT be found