Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-26

A r last Nicholas Goade was hap
n pilv situated. He had escaped
Ia altogether from the atmos-
\ phere If tragedy and gloom
and sat upnn his camp stool
painting contentedly upon the com
mon adjoining, picturesque village
in mid -Devonshire. whose white
washed cottages with their fragra mt,
colnr splashe gardens. snug home
steads and ample population OF
pleasa MT voiced. apple checked maid
ems. poatrons and kindly hammered
seniors all hetokened an ease of living
and happy day hy-day life soothing
to the senses and restful to the
nerves. II WAS land ot green
meadows. trout streams and peace
where nobody seemed to have any
thing to do and plenty of time to do
4, in. Flip. his little white dog, was
seated uron her launches by his side.
enapping AT flies. and an elderly
gentleman leaning upon a STICK,
watched his work with puckered lips
and a frown upon his forehead.
Fond of this sort of thing. sir
Goade presently asked his uninVted
companion. ;,
Not the way you're doing it,
was the frank reply.
Goade swung around upon his camp
stool at this unexpected criticism.
He saw rather understood elderly
gentleman neatly dressed in country
clothes. with sensitive features ana
not unkindly mouth-a man apl'af-
emily Of about 60 years Of age. Ar-
customed to classifying people on
sight Goade would have put nm
down as retired professional me- n:
"You don't like my. little en"rt'
he auered
- bnt,.iilp the
rronnt response Il have been stand
ing here Wondering why grown
man like vou-a man with not un-
Intelligent face should waste his
time in such a fashion.
Gosde looked obviously Al the awful
daub which he had perpetrated, and
back again at his critic.
But | like doing it. he connded.
cit amuSeS me. $500.
.1f II amuses YOU that's different
matter" the elderly gentleman adj
rnitted. leaning a little more heavily
upon his stick.
Halfpast IL sounded from me
church clock. on the other side "l the
common. Goade covered up the can
vas and prepared for departure
You depress me exceedingly ne
s,shed Nevertheless" he went on,
casting another more searching
eure that your frankness is not mean
r. he offensive am now on my
rav hack.to the inn. DO me the favor
~ drinking a glass of sherry with
me
THEY strolled across the common
side nv side convprsirg indiffer-
emily upon general topics. the lh'te
did gentleman was interested In MS
oop,nanion. and to a. less extent
Coade reciprocated the sentiment.
Living in a small neighhorho"d,
Aha former said. lone develops vein
IF curiosity as to strangers with
whom one is brought into contact. !
have lived here for - wears, ana !
have become as local al the geese
the postmistress and the vicar. l am
curious about you. sir. " nat I"isht
YOUR profession be-
"r,st at present" Goade confded.
81 am resting. | have come into quite
q considera BILE sum OF money from
certain enterprise with which was
connected, and J am endeaVor'hg 10
take a holiday"
II see" the old gentleman muir
INJURED. And your name?
Nicholas Goade."
Mine is Stanley Witt-Mr. Stanley
L ~
secord. ha nd hooks, worries, hfonHes
and ievelrv. Was this enterprise OF
which You speak a commercial one!
Coade reflected far a moment. Inc
tracking down through II weary
months If Ned Bullivant. the greatest
criminal New York had ever turned
loose uron the world. could scarcely
come under such heading.
Not exactly" he admitted;
n The sort Of thing that comes 10
a man once in lifetime.
They entered the inn pailor, fairly
eull AZ that hour of the morning.
Csoade was greeted with the reserved
rordislitv accorded to strangers. Whlie
Mr.. Witt. on the other hand, was
welcomed enthusia sticaliy.
Obviously he had esta btshed nm
nalf as the humorist OF the pace an"
an original. More than once ms
sslries produced little peals of laugh
TAR. When, after having returend the
compliment Of the glass of sherry, ne
tcolx his leave. most of the others
followed him.
ar you've 10 minutes 10 spare he
fare Won 60 away" were his parting
words To Nicholas Goade. and II YOU
really want to know something about
the great art Of painting, ca arouh"
NJ nv little house and III SHOW YOU
landscane which should make YOU
want to destroy every atr"citN You
have ever perpetrated. Any evening"
amy time after
"IT look in with pleasure. G"ade
promised.
Mr.. Witt had scarcely reached the
s+r~et before he became the subject
~ conversation among the diminished
company left behind in the bar par'"r
"Tt do seem wonderful thing and
b. great plea sure. the landiadv de.
clared. ito see him almost himseil
.rsin. It's the frst time for week
RS creased the threshold. and him
tha most regular of al my cuSt"-
nrers."
TT was ordained always that he
sheuld take his glass NJ sherry AT
eusrter-past H." farmer remarked.
HAS Mr.. Witt been ill?" Goade
inquired.
The farmer shook his head; the
Iandladv sighed; the sadder and har,
resemaker in the corner looked
hasdtated
"He do seem IL have met with
trouble. has Mr.. Witt" the landladN
rcnfided. turning away with the air
of one who has finished the subject.
There was a mystery about MI.
Witt. That Goade gathered easily
enough during the next few days from
the iandlady and the little crowd "f
bar loungers. VIII" were only too ready
TO discuss him. hut what that n1Ns'-
terv might he NO one seemed Ia know.
A little more than fortnight previ-
ously he had apparently met with
trouble of some underlined sort. ana
now. without warning or explanation.
he was subject To fits IF isolation. dur
tn~ which no one saw nor heard any