Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-11-11

that nppnrltion.
| Cautiously, noiselessly. pdgug inch
| by inch across the verandA, the man
approached the door. 1t was open. A
| fun, long minute elapsed. Even Sum
Fat held his breath throughout that
! intcrminable reconnaissance.
At length, treasured, the man slipped
into the room. Another minute: no
sound detachable more untOward than
that Of steady respiration in the bed
room; with movement as swift and
sinister as the sWoop of n vulturr, the
man sprang toward the bedroom door.
Lenping from sitting position, with
"A bound that was little less than "A
| flight through the air, the Chinaman
caught him halfway. There followed
shrek, heavy fall that shook the
bungalow, the report of a revolver,
/ sounds of SCutIling
Whitaker. half da2ed found himself
! standing in the doorway, regardless OF
his injury.
He saw, as one who dreams and yet
! Is conscious that he does but dream,
I Ember lighting cand es--calnIy apply
Ing the tame Of a taper to one after
another ~ he made II round of the
! Sconres. sum Fat was knc"Iing on all
| fours, above something that hrcathed
heavily and struggled without avail.
Whraker's sleep-numbed faculties
cleared
'Embcr." he cried, "Wh0t in the
name of alt things strange
Ember threw him Il pickering smile.
"bh, there You are?' he said cheer
fully rive got something interesting
to show YOU. sum Fat"-hc stopped
and picked up revover-"yOu may
LET him up now, if You think he's safe
safe enough" Sum Fat rose, grin
ming. Had plenty"
lie mounted guard beside the door.
For an instant his captive seemed
reluctant TO rise. Embcr moved 10 his
side and stood over him, balancing the
revolver in his palm.
Come" he said impaticntly. Cup
With you -
The man sat up as if galvanized by
fear, got more slowly to his knees,
then grasping the edge of the table,
dragged himself laboriously to stand
ing position.
Whitaker's jaw dropped and his eyes
widcned with wonder and pity, He
couldn't deny the man, Yet he found it
hard to believe that this quiverinc,
shaken creature, with his lean and
pasty face and desperate, glaring eyes,
this man in rough stained. soiled and
ShapclcSs garments, could be Identical
with the wel-set-up, prosperous aud
confident man of affairs he rcmcm-
bercd rs Drummond And Yet they
We're one. Appalling to contemplate
the swift, devastating course OF moral
degeneration, that had spread like gan
CREME through all the mans physical
and mental fiber
Take Il good look Emher advised
grimly. How about that pet myth
thing now? What price the astute
take few more funny cracks at my
simple faith in Authorizations.
Il had Il notion he'd be hanging
around Ember went on Il thought |
saw somebody hiding in the woods this
afternoon; and then | was sure | saw
him skulking round the edges Of the
clearing after dinner. SO set Sum
Fat to watch, drove back to the village
to miSlead him, left my car there and
walked back. And sure enough"
Without comment, Whitaker, unable |
TO stand any longer without diScom-
fort. hohbIcd to n chair and sat down. |
"Wcll;' Drummond demanded harsh /
ly in II Guavering snarl. "NoW that !
you've got me- what're you going TO
do with me-"
There WAS high, hysterical accent .
in his voice that struck unplcasantly /.
ON Embprs ear. He cooked his head .
to one side studying the man ntcnIy /
Drummond flung himself step |
away from the table, paused, and again |
faced his captors with hravado,
"W"lIE' he cried again, "WrlI?' .
Emhcr nodded toward Whitaker.
ASH, him" he said briefly,
Whitaker shook his head, II was
difficult to think how to deal with this
trapped animal 50 wildly different
from the cultivated gentleman he al
ways had in mind when he thought Of
Drummond. The futlity of attempting
to deal with him according 10 amy code
recognized by men of honor was
Wrrl clicdlN apparent.
"DrummOnd," he said slowly, II wish
10 God You hadn't done this thing"
lrummond laughed djscordautly.
keep your mcalymouthcd compassion
for YOURSELF he retortcd, sncering,
Whitaker gave Il gesture of despair.
'lf you'd only been content to keep out
If the way If only you'd let
ne alone"
"Thcn You let Sara Law alone, d'you
lrarI'
The interruption was little short Of
/ shrek. Emhrr molionrl to SUN Fat
d.