The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1922-08-10
p /.
Carnival.

joachim Fell pushed aside the glass
curtains between the voluminous over
draperles in the windows of the Chess
and Checkers club, and gaZed out pom
the riOtous streets Of New Orleans.
Half an hour he had been waiting here
In the lounge room for DIR. Cyril Ans
ley, a middle-aged bachelor who had
practlced in OpelOusas for twenty
years, and who had come to the city
for the Mardi Gras festivities. An
other man might have seemed irritated
by the wait, but joachim Fell was quite
unrufled.
He had much the air Of a clerk. His
features were thin and unremarkable;
his pale eyes constantly wore an ex-
preston of wondering a%loOfness, as
though he saw around him much that
he vainly tried to understand. In his
entire manner was a shy reticence. He
was no clerk, however; this was evil
dent from his attire. He was CARRIED
from head to foot in soberly blending
shades Of gray whose richness vas
notable only at close view. One fan
cied him a very precise sort OF man, an
old maid of the wrong sex.
Doctor Ansley, an Inverness flung
over his evening clothes, entered the
lounge room, and Fell turned to him
with a dry, toneless chuckle.
you're the limit! Did you forget
we were going to the Maillards' to-
night? However, we need not leave for
fifteen minutes yet, at least"
Doctor Ansley laid aside his cape,
stick and hat and dropped into mi of
the comfortable big chairs.
"You intend to mask for the Mail
lards'y" Ansley cast his eye owe the
gray business attire of the little
II never mask" Jachin Fell shook
his head. "Tll get a domino and go as
/ am. Excuse me-I1l order a domino
now Back in a moment"
Doctor Ansley followed the slight
Henrep Of the other nan with specula-
live eyes. Well as he knew Jachln
Fell, he invariably found the man a
source Of puzzled speculation.
During many years Jachin Fell had
been a member Of the most exclusive
New Orleans clubs. He was even re-
.eived in the inner circles of Creole
ociety. which In itself was evidence SUI
creme as to his position. At this par
ocular club he was famed as q wizard
master of chess. He never entered a
,urnament, yet he consistently defeat
d the champions In private matches
aefeated them with a bewildering ease,
shy and apologize ease, an ease
Fhich left the beholders incredulous
nd aghast.
With all this, joachim Fell vas very
UGH Of a mystery, ever among his
osest friends. Very little was known
him he was a lawyer, and certainly
aintained Offices In the Maison
anche building. but he never APP
AIRED in the courts and no case Of his
eading was known.
Ansley knew him as well as did most
IN, and Ansley knew Of a few who
aid boast of having been a guest In
chin Fell's home. There was q moth
an invalid. of whom Fell sometimes
ike and to whom he appeared to de-
e himself. The family, an old one
the city, promised to die out with
hin Fell.
Ansley pulled at his cigar and con-
cred these things. Outside, in the
" Orleans streets, was ~rocketing
mad mirth of carnival. The week
ceding Mardi Gras was at Its close.
low, as ever, was Mardi Gras SYM
zed by Mosques. In New Orleans
masquerade was not the pale and
full frolic Of colder climes, where
occasion is but n for display Of
els and costumes, and where actual
.ealment OF identity Is q farce.
e In New Orleans were jewels and
umes In a profusion Of splendor;
here was preserved the underlying
ofsthe masque itself-that in CON
ment Of identity lay the life Of the
81
hen Jachin Fell returned and light
lis cigar he sank into one of the
kious chairs beside Ansley and in
ted q newspaper lying across the
RS knee. Its flaring headlines
hing out blackly.
that's that about the Midnight
Euerf He's not appeared againf'
Nrhatf" Ansley glanced at him In
Else. you've not heardf Good
Hens. man! He showed up last
at the Lapeyrouse dance. two
~ before midnight, as usual A