Evening star., 1923-04-01

stolidity, perhaps. and a hfetime
spent in taking orders.
Yet when Maynard spoke he ad-
dressed his remarks to "Mr. Guthrie;
and when Guthrie replied he did not
accord Maynard the dignity of pre-
Ak. Stranger yet. the two were din
ing together. dining in a frowsy
room attached to a fifth-class res
taurant, and Guthrie had ordered for
both while Moody stared in moody
silence.
Fhe waiter pushed his way out
through the battered door and re-
turned an instant later with fleet
Of Clipped china dishes. which he
proceeded 70 deal out impartial1y.
Then he left the oddly assorted pair
alone.
Maynard examined the lukewarm
viandS with dlsapproval.
Il don't thinkN can eat any
thing"
Guthrie smiled. Sixty years Of over
flowing life had taught him patience:
and long experience with men in
Maynard's position had made him in
duigent. Maynard had most excellent
reasons for being dissatisfied.
An hour ago he had been free, with
every prospect of indefinitely con-
tinued liberty. Then. walking around
corner. spinning golden day dreams.
he had marched straight into the
arms of the one man he had seemed
least likely TO meet-and most dread
ed meeting
He should al
Maynard. as he watched Guthrie help
ing himself literally. For five long
months. posing as an invalid. he had
not stirred from the obscure board
Ing house in which he had taken
refuge at the end OF his solitary
flight He might well have endured
Ave months more and have made him
self secure beyond peradventure. The
weather was to blame. The golden
sunlight. the scented spring breezes,
the shouts of romping children-all
these had called to something deep
below the surface. for Maynard was
a young man The chances of his
being recognized here, 500 miles from
home. were remote.
According 10 the laws of probability.
Maynard should never have been
caught. And yet now he was break
ing bread with the man who was
presently to take him back for pun
tshment.
MO wonder he kicks about the
Y food" reflected Guthrie, and
continued aloud between mouthfuls:
Wen get a better dinner than this
when We get on the train"
"Um," commented Maynard ungra-
ciously. do we start tonight?"
This afternoon" corrected Guthrie
I'VE leave on the o'clock"
Maynard cast an appraising glance
At his captor. Over sixty. tall. pow
erfuily built, Guthrie would have pre-
sented no inconsiderable obstacle
twenty years ago-even ten years ago.
But age had weakened him; time had
whitfield down the sturdy muscles.
The man who had captured Maynard
was nothing but a she'll of what he
had once been, an antagonist hardly
to be reCkoned with seriously.
Violence itself Maynard dreaded.
But with his freedom at stake he
would stop at nothing. They would
be alone an afternoon and a night
perhaps longer. Surely within that
time an opportunity would present IT.
self. Maynard would be quick to
seize it,
Impersonally he compared his own
physique with that of his captor. On
the score of weight he was at good
fifty pounds disadvantage; but
Guthrie's once gigantic muscles were
f1abby. He himself was In the pink
OF condition.
He smiled contemptuousiy. It was
characteristic of him that he gave
not the least thought to the weapons
which Guthrie certainly carried. He
would choose time when his captor
would have to rely on his bare hands
alone. He fell upon his meal with a
better appetite.
Guthrie smiled.
That's right; make the best OF 1t.
You can never tell-you may be lucky
when you get into court. The judge
may let you off easy"
Court! Judge! Those two factors
had had no place in his calculations.
Maynard would never be caught;
that he had decided on the night that
he had impulsively planned the crime.
1t. could be done; 1t could be done
safely, If cleverly enough. Cleverly!
That thought had been his damna-
tion. Had it been merely a question
of .lawbreaking, his instints would
meyer. have permitted him to go
wrong. But it had been a question
of matching his wits against the wits
Of, the creditors who would descend
upon him in a swarm were they to
gst an inkltng of the truth. And it
had seemed, In those distant days.
that his lie might pass without de-
lection. Business was sure to get
better. The bank, and the thin-lip-
pad examiner who had checked his
account, would never know how near
he had been to- destruction.
And then, somehow, business had
failed to get better. Collections were
bad; checks were not coming in. Yet
he. was compelled to settle his own
accounts promptly; any other course
would have involved fatal admissions.
Slowly, -relentlessly, inevitably, May
nard saw his downfall approaching.
His principal competitor had given up
the fight, had thrown himself on the
mercy OF his creditors, and was to be
tfded over. Bitterly Maynard reflect
ed that he had" not been so unneces-
sarily: clever, he might have done the
same thing. But his signature on the
false statement had closed that ave-
nue Of relief. He was beyond the pale;