Evening star., 1921-11-13


glass on glass, sounded from some
where underfoot. Unable to endure
the uncertainty. Helen tiptoed over
to the basement door and peered
down the dimly lighted stairs; the
nlckering candle made wild shadows
through the cluttered vault A great
shadow moved like a hunchback COB
lin against the farther wall.
Fred" she called softly.
ihere came at first no answer.
.Inen she heard the freezing sound /;
q series Of low, idiotic chuckles.
She bounded down the stairs to
nnd him seated On the floor. The
candle stood sentinel on the shelf
ana Illuminated a company-front of
oott!es IN shapes and sizes as Ill
hsSos..a sssos.ed Is an awkward squad of
Dolshevist infantrymen One of
those bottles Fred had removed from
the ranks and was fourishinE III
Wildly. As she approached he tilted
II 70 his lips and permitted a rill of
tnin pinkfsh liquid to trickle down
tns Walstcoat OF his borrowed suit
Currant wine!" he explained va
cantly as soon as the lingering swig
was completed and he had broken
the bottle on the floor. Good place
this. Nell. or lady brews her own.
Sour and snappy. makes you hap
What in the world are you doing?"
she asked in a half whisper.
What do you think I'm doing
Keeping books in a Turkish bath?
why didn't you tell me the old maid
nag a stock of hootch? Wouldn't
SAID word against the place-not a
woro. NO crouch for me, no crouch
day" " i
No Crouch for me-" echoed the
resident gnomes of the basement as
reached out and snatched the
taMest bottle from it's regiment.
lred, you can't do that" she cried,
haemDe5ing h.a all the things the doctor
had said about the effects of al
cchoi on an unbalanced mind.
but I'm doing it. my dear
ne arose to his feet and jabbed
ciumsily at the cork with a fragment
OF ice-pick he had found somewhere.
NY word. but that's a tight cork!
Too bad ! threw away my knife yes
terday when 1 went into a disguise
mat rnat knife had a corkscrew blade
Must have a corkscrew-"
But you can't She had plucked
MIN by the sleeve. to be thrown
roughly aside.
| There's too much can't in your vo-
| caoulary. old girl" he said thickly-
was strange how instantly the sour
| wine had affected him. There's a
thlng or two you can't do, too, if
you'll think EN- over
| she stood irresolute, terribly afraid
OF him, yet more afraid of leaving
him alone with Miss, Turnbulrs col
| lection of bottles.
| understand me?" he growled,
Trusting his pallid face close to hers.
IN referring to Bob Spurling."
| You don't know what you're say
| ing. she managed to reply.
You sold your bonds. didn't you?"
he 1eered. you know damned well
You sold 'em before l left the hos
pital Now look here, if you're going
to-, to keep on taking money from Spur
You can't talk like that to me" she
cried, cold tears rushing to her eyes
Put down that bottle and come up
stairs"
'Tll put 1t down. all right. Don't
you worry bout that. old girl"
The bottles long neck protruded
fpom his misft coat as he went
stumblingiy up the steps. She fol-
lowed him to the kitchen. where he
| fumbled in a drawer and found a
| corkscrew. The cork came out with
a silly pop.
"Give that to me. please" she plead
ed. laying hands on the bottle: In the
struggle currant wine spurted across
! the floor.
"Leggo. I tell youw He had snatch
ed the bottle away from her and
stood at bay. Touch it again and
Iii CaSh you Win II.
1T will make you deathly i'll. Fred"
she said. and she was giddy with the
fear of him.
torted. like a Japanese mask. You
needn't go on playing the school
| teacher with me. Nell. I wasn't born
Yesterday. l know a bit too much
about you and your little affair"
| There was something snakelike in
the speed with which his hand plung-
ed into an inner pocket of the col
ored walters wrinkled coat and
brought out a yellow slip of paper.
So he had been carrying the telegram
all the time! He handed it to her with
a bow of mock chivalry and stood
smiling as she read:
| Ordered to Cuba; would like to see
how Fred is doing; will arrive in
iCharleville today. BOB"
well" said Helen, deathly pale, as
she held out the scrap of paper.
What do I want Of it," he asked
I'm not collecting your love letters"
| Without another word Helen opened
the kitchen range and tossed Bob's
telegram into the Goals.
You might go into the dining
room." she suggested. having sur
rendered him to his bottle.
''Oh, no." he announced. pleasantly.
''We'll eat at separate tables. If you
don't mind. I'll take the drawing
|
ment. Hello! Piece of cheese. Love
cheese. Too good for me, but love 1t
| just the same. And see the pretty
mouse" Fred and spied the thief be-
hind the cake box. Come on, mice.
Misery loves company"
the oilcloth, placed it on thick blue
plate beside the slab of cheese and
bore his Spartan supper with royal
dignity into the parlor. Helen. too
| discouraged for either words or tears.
watched him from a distance as he
grandfather's clock: between long
pulls from the bottle of sour wine he
bolted savage mouthfuls of bread and
cheese. Up to this moment she had
pitied him.
Without tasting the supper she had
| began scraping pan and skillet into
the fire. The sight Of food sickened
her.
Not SO the mouse. Even though
another feast of Tantalus had been
snatched away from under his yearn-
I joy the distant smell of cheese.
Charmed as II by a call, from the
piper's whistle, he scampered into the
parlor.
"My God, what's that?'
The madman on the sofa raised his
| cheese QlSn as X 10 Throw IL. thoi
| lowered his head cunningly until his
eyes were almost on level with the
| carpet.
! "Parbleu, q mouse!" he gurgled and
sat bolt upright welcome. little
| mice. I called and you came. Righto!
Isn't every friend would keep a date
like that. Have something with me?'
He spilled drop of currant wine
on the carpet, with the result that the
mouse, who had been crouchtng In
plain view, took q safer station in
the shadow of a chair leg.
| ''On the wagon, sonny? Never do
| you a bit of good. OIL mouse. Aw,