Evening star., 1921-09-04

author told Morley Smith, adventure
waited for the coming Of the ad-
venturer, and he proved it by giving
instances that became short stories
of such interest that Morley Smith
forgot to sip his drink as he read.
Behind every door! You merely pick
ed out the door and tapped on it. and
the door. opened. and the adventure
was there!
MORLEY SMITH finished the book
A'1 and looked up at the familiar
surroundings of the lounging-room
of the club. A great city teeming
with adventure. and he sitting here
in this deadly. borsesome hole. dying
of slow ennui! I say-what? He
felt in his breast-pocket for his
that there were enough twenties
among the smaller bills to see him
through any reasonable adventure.
replaced the purse and tapped the
bell for a final drink. He drank
with a sense of pleasant excitement,
handkerchiefs in his pocket Che never
went out without taking that precau-
tion) and walked out to the courtroom
Arthur held the comfortable, fur
lined coat as Morley Smith slipped
his arms into it. He caressed the
ten-dollar hat with a soft brush be-
fore he handed it to Morley Smith
with a thank you" that was either
in gratitude for the amount Morley
Smith had entered against his name
on the Christmas gratuity-sheet of
the year before, or in gratitude for
what Morley Smith was expected to
sign this coming Christmas. To the
doorman who opened the door of
the taxicab standing before the club
Morley Smith mentioned q street and
number.
The street and number he had
chosen at random. in the manner of
true adventurers, and before they
ming the house numbers. They drew
up before q church.
II think this Is it. SIR" said the
driver doubtfully.
Morley Smith looked at the church
1t was an entirely respectable and
and evidently locked and barred as
churches are for five nights in the
week.
Il say, you know" said Morley
Smith. is this east or west?'
"East-you said east
"It can't be this" said Morley
Smith. ut must have been west.
Try the same number west, my man"
The driver wheeled the taxicab and
bumped toward the west. When he
had crossed 9Th avenue he looked
back into the cab as If wondering
sober. but the lights from the lamps
showed that Morley Smith was en-
tirely sober. He was sitting erect.
scanning the buildings as they passed
by them. The taxicab stopped before
a plain. old-fashioned fat-building,
one OF a.long row. Morley Smith
opened the door and stepped out.
Charge it to the club, Mr.. SMITH"
asked the driver. and the amateur
adventurer felt a comforting sense of
safety as he heard the driver. If
death lay at the end of this adven-
ture. he would not have disappeared
utterly. The driver would report. A
thought. "Yes." he said. And I
say. chauffeur! Come back for me
in two hours. will you? I'm going
in here"-he pointed to the door Of
the fats-"and when I come out, I'll
walt In the restaurant yonder. If
I'm not there at o'clock, tell the
for you.'
The fat-building was divided in the
middle by hall. Morley Smith could
see this through the panes of beveled
glass in the doors. He pushed the
ooor6 open ana entered. He found
himself, on the street level, in a
small vestibule with walls tiled below
and hideously decorated above, and
set In the tiles were two rows of
letter boxes. each with a push but
ton. In the small slots above the
letter boxes were names. Some were
cut from visiting cards and some
were written. Morley Smith examin-
ed them all-Hirsch. Casey. Wildman
and SO on-and pushed the button
below tho box that proclaimed itself
Casey. There was a mysterious click
ing in the lock Of the door that
separated the vestibule from the hall,
and Morley Smith opened the door
while the clicking continued. He
knew enough about hats to know this
was an invitation to enter.
The-hall WXB not At All- fnytt1nE-AU,