Evening star., 1926-05-30

Oh Ill places. rOE, VI cVuASS, ssAoA y
would be no children now. There
would not be a son to send to
Harvard. No daughter to name Kath.
crime. No little heart.to-heart talks
between father and children. No any.
thing. Just a man getting older and
| ,onelier Going slowly to death.
He walked straight across Fifth
avenue in the traffic. He thought
dimly that something might run over
him. but nothing did.
He went north on the sidewalk be.
tween the benches. People passed
him, laughing. talking shrilly. A man
and a girl Jostled him. The man
swore. A bus roared by. Two boys
ing. He went on.
He was trying to look forward into
his life Between this moment and
the moment of his death he saw moth
ing but an agony of loneliness--an
agony of loneliness that might last
40 years-or 10 minutes. The pistol
was heavy on his hip. That was the
way to shorten things Then
he would simply be through with
everything. Just as Billy French had
cot through with tuberculosis last
month! Out of it. The way Red
Taylor had been out OF 1t since Febru-
ary. A few years more or less
-ouldn't matter. He stepped forward
then 'twere we'll
COME one was muttering at his
~ shoulder, keeping up with him
and muttering something.
". Just a quarter for a bite
to eat. Just quarter :"
Vincent Hall stopped short and
looked at the man. A tall man. droop.
shouldered. with ragged. dirty clothes.
uncut red hair cascading out from
under a bent straw hat.
"What?" asked Vincent.
'If you could let me have a
quarter" said the man. Il want to
get bite to eat :" The
man waited while Vincent looked at
him. A quarter would make him
happy, Vincent thought. He plunged
hts hand into his trousers pocket and
pulled it out full of crumpled bills
yellow 20 on the outside and more
yellow to be seen.
Here" he said. and pushed the
money into the beggar's hands. You
might as we'll have it If you need it.
The mans mouth was open. He was
standing there, clutching the bank
notes in both hands. Vincent took of
his watch and chain and laid them on
top Of the heap of bills. He produced
gold cigarette case and balanced
that on the rest.
wait q minute" said the beg.
gar.
"You will need them," Vincent said.
II won't"
but the watch" the beggar pro:
tested
Yours, the watch and chain and
the cigarette case. You might as we'll
have them" Vincent turned and con-
tinued on his way north. He had
found 1t pleasant making the beggar
happy for the moment while 1t lasted.
But his mind could not long leave
Observation-Disclosures lying huddled
Phil Oakes The pistol was
heavy on his hip.
The beggar stood and stared after
his northbound benefactor. He
clutched the money and the watch and
the cigarette case in his outstretched
hands. Vincent had gone 80 or 40
steps before the beggar moved. Then
the man crammed the treasures into
his coat pockets and walked north.
VINCENT turned in at the park en-.
trance. The beggar FASTENED
after him. Vincent took a path to the
left. The beggar slowed his pace a
little and followed.
In this fashion they went forward
for full minutes, taking winding
paths through shrubbery, up little
hills and down into little valleys.
Once Vincent hesitated. and the beg
gar froze in his tracks under a tree.
Vincent went on, and the pursuit con-
tinued.
They came to a bridge. Vincent
stopped, looked ahead and then