The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1923-05-22

lie bought ~ In "A secondhand I
store. and. altho is handle was in.
laid with mother Of pearl and Il
had rather an antiquatcd look. Il
was for that reason that no WIS
able 20 buy Il. IL held four cart.
ridges. and whilo the clerk behind
tho counter explained ita mechnn,
ism. slipped in cartridge. slipped
Il out again. ho gave silent attcn.
ton and smiled pleasantly. lilo felt
that even In this last there arc
some prctencos one must live up 10,
but once out on the street. with
tho thing slightly weighing down
his pocket. that other conscious
ness came back. not even dollar
left now, 90 years OF hfo tracked
and beaten. step by step. down 60
this futility. and yet II In the begin.
ming. or az any other time. he had
only had fair start. tho way 40
many others had. that slight lift
out OF the ruek. all might have
been different Hut Il was no use
thinking Of that now,
To keep out of the suniigh, he
walked along close TO tho house
fronts. oyercoat collar half turned
up, hands in his pocket. Was there
anything he had forgotten. over.
looked. any other tag or label on
his clothesf No. nothing. lie was
all ready. Tho II was strange IN
way 10 think that tomorrow all
these street crowds would be here
In much the Same way. while he
he would be dead. Tomorrow In
hair an hour.
lie walked right into tho hotel
briakly and in that calm important
accept that had always been ono Of
his assets. asked for a room.
with a bathG"
Yes" II went with the manner.
Number ia5."
While he signed the name he had
chosen rs paeudoynm. n second
clerk whispered into tho ear OF the
first. Isn't the is5 occupied1'
No. no: he left this morning"
As he stepped out Of tho eleva.
Tor and followed tho bell boy down
the corridors, his heart beat "A
little faster. tho deep within him:
and he was very calm. He had
always expected just such a scene,
Ho had always said 10 himself on
acute occasions, even IN n uor, OF
optimistic way. at the worst
can always buy a revolver and put
huile, into myself" And he was
really very glad that tho whole
damn mess was going 10 end now
II was small. narrow room with
a rather large window at tho end
Tho hoy showed him the bathroom
I and asked him n he wanted any.
/ thing else. He said no and tipped
him 80 cents and afterwards shut
tho door and locked IL. Then he
came back and unlocked u again
why force them 10 break open
1 tho door, II was 90 unnecessary.
no looked up at tho haif.open
transom. True they could have
| climbed IN thru there. Perhaps
that IL why they put transoms In
hotel rooma. Hs had never thought
OF that before.
/ From tho window there was n
vast windy view over the city. He
stood there several minutes looking
out. not troubling to push the lace
curtains aside. Then he turned
and. hat and coat still on. sat down
az the ANAL table in tho middle OF
the room and. elbows upon It's
smooth glass top. loaded tho rcvol.
yer. put In nil four cartridges in
case there should be miss fire.
Thru his thoughts ran a rather
vague pleasant sensation. The glass
top. OF course. II would wash so
easily. II seemed TO be liks an
operating table.
when he was nj las, quite ready
and held tho revolver there In his
right hand before him. n slight dizzi-
ness troubled his eyes: the hand and
revolver seemed 20 grow larger. dc.
tach themselves from him complete
~. be something by itself. the con-
summation OF all these circumstances