The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-10-04

II ..Aass2'Sz
know. she thought she recognized
your voice outside. She was quite
excited when I went IN. and demand.
ed 10 know who was with me-"
"whor oh. you mean tho little
girig"
Yes. DOM know who she
thought you were. told her your
name. and she seemed quite over.
come with disappointment"
How strange
II was Rorie now who was only
half listening. lie was thinking Of
a letter he had received tho previous
day from Lillian Fame. and rencm.
bered guiltily that he had no, an
swered II. II was the sort OF letter
TO which he would have once an.
swercd whole volumes. but now II
was a. q some unseen obstacle had
damned the flow OF his e,oquenee.
Lillian had written IN the old
strain: apparently she had found no
difficulty At all In taking up the
thread OF their attachment where abe
herself had broken Il off. Rorte
wondered miserabiy why he could
not respond. and what II was that
had changed him 20 much In %
short . tina.
He would have given . great deal
10 have been able 70 answer her let
ter In his old. inpetuous. ardent
styie: II would have made things %
much more easy and pleasant hut.
~ II was--weil. the lettsr stu lay
unanswered In his pocket
The rain had begun 10 fan softly
again now; . gray mist hung over
hedges and fields. the steps Of the
two men sounded holloway thru
tho siieneo.
'B<assiy nightr' said Rorfe: and he
thought gratefully OF the comfort ia
which he was returning.
-Yes-aimost wish I'D brought the
brougham after all. Helioi what
was that7'' Myers swung sharply
round ON his heel.
Rorte stopped. .surpriaed
"whatT" he asked
IL thought l saw something move
In the hedge. darcssy II was only
Imagination. tho. A horse 10 tho
field. perhaps"
They walked on more quickly.
"It's an odd thing. you know"
said Myers. suddenly. how n mans
wild oats crop up again In his life--
chr"
Roris laughed rather mirthlessiy.
II suppose 10. ! haven't had
much experience yet
Things almost forgottan--things
that happened years ago. mean. ="
the doctor won't on. ruminatingly.
They say that the evil man does
lives after him; IT'S very true"
Rorie did not like TO ask the oh.
vious question: he turned up the
collar Of his greatcoat, shlvering n
little.
Myers relapsed into silence; he
was thinking OF the gray-eyed ghost
Of his youth that had haunted him
so persistentIy during the last few
weeks: he knew now what had sum.
moned her spirit out Of the almost
forgotten past.
Rorie broke the silence irrelevant.
~.
do you care for rabbit shootingf
We've had some fine sport lately:
come and Join US some day"
Il should like 20. but my times
not my own. unfortunately. I'm
very busy now, too. You nee
Good GodF lie broke off with a
shout. as n sudden flash OF light
shattered the darkness, followed by
n pistol shot. and something that
whizzed past. Just grazing Rorie's
cheek.
For . moment the two men were
too amazed TO move. then DIR. Myers
made . dash towards tho dark
hedge. as something brushed by
close to them. and started running
down the road.
A man. or a woman--which7 His
straining eyes could not see. but
Rorie knew. lie knew. before he
caught Myers arm TO prevent him
following and giving chase. that the
doubled form racing away into the
darkness was Bunch. the hunchback.
Let him go; you can't catch him.
Don't be a fool: tell you / won't
let you follow him"
Rorie's voice was angrily agitated;
he gfpped the doctors arm with
fingers OF steel. Let him 60; he
won't Interfere with us again"
Myers struggled furiously for a
moment; he was amazed and indig.
nant.
Good Godi the man rhot Mt usi
Let me go. Are you out OF your
mind. Briton?"
But Rorie held on grimiy: held on
TIL those flying steps had died away
into silence-tiIl pursuit would have
been out OF tho question--then he
relaxed his hold and stood back.
Myers was thundcrstruck and fu-
rious. He tried TO sec Rorie's face,
thru the darkness: he asked
string Of stammerIng questions.
what the devil are you thinking
about? The brute shot at usl DO
you know who he is? Tho police
must be told. I'm going back 20 the
village at once"
rsx.f.s- 49,