Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-12-23

-
md he had exactly eight and
y..s sbillings in the world. Perhaps
this fact that was responsible
%s preoccupied look on his face and
%taI oblivion to the fact that the
X the gate was bordered with barbed
~ 10 the exceeding danger Of his al
ADJ well-worn suit.
n was warm evening in early Sep
mher The trees all around were be :
nnlnv 20 be family tinged with autumn
oloring. and faint gray mist was ris-
ny from the bed of the river which
awsd by on the other side Of the field
h his back. ,, ,
GEirbt and twenty shillings. The For
line Hunter took the coins from his
Xocket, looked at them, laughed, and
kngled them back again.
II He had been in many tight corners
Uuring the last ten years of his rowing
M. and had always managed to struggle
~ Of them, but today somehow bis
1Snal optimism seemed TO have failed
I'm. Perhaps IL was the silence all
round that depressed him. for at any
,te he sighed--a most unusual thing
tho Fortune Hunter to do--and
assed hand wearily across his eyes.
For fortnight now he had tramped
ngland, waiting for something to turn
for he was firm believer in his
ck. and this was the first time he had
lowed himself even to consider the
bssibility that IL might be going to fail
Inn after all these years.
II To begin with, he was hungry. and
ngcr makes n man a pessimist more
rickly than anything on earth but
6ere was sort of unwillingness in his
Rart TO break into that last eight and
Xenty Shi.lings until he was abso-
kfely forced to do SO.
When things were at their worst,
mething always turned up--or such.
least. had always been the case with
m, and with the sort of feeling that
must get away from his thoughts
Rd shake off his growing depression,
E Fortune Hunter jumped down from
e gate. and started walking up the
nd again.
IIe was tall man, and he looked like
gentleman in spite of the fact that
clothes we're shabby and his boots
hnted heeling. Yet there was an un-
niable air of breeding about him. and
walked with fine, athletic swing,
spite his weariness.
His hair was short cropped. and
Awed touches of gray here and there.
his face was burned by exposure
sun and weather.
For fortnight he had slept in woods
barns, or out in the hedges; any
uing served him for a bcd he had
kughed il in all four corners of the
Hrld, and never quarreled with the pill
provided by circumstance.
"A little further on the road forked;
way, leading straight along. was
; IDENTIFY the main road, and the other,
rning into a narrower path, ulti-
tely ended in shady wood.
The Fortune Hunter hesitated, then
rned into the wood, where neither heat
r dust had penetrated and everything
!! IS cool and fresh.
He took off his hat and let the soft
beat on his forehead, walking me-
anically along until suddenly he
pped and almost fell over an obsta-
, half hidden in the thick bracken
I erhanging the narrow footpath.
The Fortune Hunter recovered him
and sworc good -naturcdly, gluIir-
down to see what had trippcd him,
!. fn his face changed and he caught his
ath on muttered ejaculation as he
the huddled form Of q man living
!. bwth.
Drunk" was his first thought. and
]. half moved aside to pass on. Then
ne inexplicable instinct restrained
! p and, STOPPING down, he pulled the
bracken aside, peering more closely
the PROSTATE figure.
n Another second and he was on his
z PES beside 1t, his deft brown hands
ling under the coat for d heart beat,
I tanned face pale with horror. For
man was dead.
ine Fortune Hunter had seen death |
many times to be mistaken, but 1t
Ye him an unusual shock to have come |
Css 1t here in the heart of a shady |
elish wood.
turning the dead man gently over on |
4 pack' he looked into his face. Quite
!. oung race 1t was and not unlike his
!, y, ne thought vaguely, with its
6 in'shaven lips and smooth skin, from
Sh even death had not been able 10
teratc the tan.
4 wore a rough tweed suit that
3 heu rather Colonial in cut, and a
bracken. N' 0D 'n
he fortune Hunter rose to his feet
stooa looking around him with a
ihg Oh heiplessness. What ought he
ap' inform the police, he sun
4 ed, He turned his ewes aeoin to
still form at his feet.
nateVer the cause Of death, il had
!; peacefully enough, for the face
quite calm and unlined by pain
inc lips n little parted as il In
only some one would come along
fortune Hunter had no idea how
ne was from the nearest village, but
turning to retrace his steps TO
. main road. when he caught sight
!. bulky package lying almost at his
Y ibes stopped and picked it up. It was
hab6y leather pocketbook. held tos
ter Oy an elastic band and bulpiny
y Y papers or letters. 'e'"e
ne fortune Hunter turned II ove,
a rtainly.; then, with a little sbrna
shoulders, he pulled off the band
bSahced through the contents.
noS were lot OF pencil notes that
" relate to nothing in particu-
unu Jottlngs of various sums OF
Is Few letters, all in the same
s an old photograph of n eirl
tI tumbi!ng about her shoulders
VI .ne ny leaf of the pocketbook a
- evidently the name of the dead
fobn b%ris'en u, In sprawly hand:
3rtune Hunter smiled grimly,
isu known many John Smiths"
Us "anderings, but seldom had il
ms1 1e tlshtful name Of the man who
nS;it u and 1t was with the idea
6at;ng some further means of iden-
asou that he unfolded one of the
ws. ana glanced casually through il.
OBVIOUSLY written by a woman
y M MT nd GATE four months previous:
n anow you will think that I bave
!, a. iong time answering your last
e uut now you will SO soon be
hid again am beginning to be