Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-19
The Fortunate Wayfarer
BYE. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM
Orpenhs

ccpyr.shs By e Phillips oppenhsir,

! through, word by word. Then he fold
/ cd 1t up and returned 1t.
Tomorrow" he murmured--"it must
be done tomorrow,
Martins heart sank.
'Youn tell me little more about
it first"
almost trcmulous reply. There are
/ inst A few things which you must take
/ for granted One is the supreme, the
damnable villainy Of the man Porle."
Have either of these men made
any effort TO see you while l har>
been away?"
/ so far as can gather. they haven't
+ been near the place. They seem to
spend the whole Of their time drinking
and playing cards They do nothing.
I ! begin 10 understand
Tell me what i is that YOU UNI
derStando" Martin begged. IF they
have taken the trouble to come here,
why don't they do something about it?"
In their way, as torturers. they are
artists" Lord Ardrington explained
bitterly. They know very we'll what
their hanging about means to me
They know that day by day / grow
weaker. from fear--fear, do you hear
that. Martin?--and apprehension. They
have given UP the IDEA of forcing their
way In. They are keeping me in sus-
pense as to their next move out OF sheer
devilment,"
Martin fell wave of overwhelming
sympathy However incomprehensible
the whole thing might be. there was
no doubt sboput this mans suffering.
Look here. do YOU mind IL I make
a suggestion. sir?" ne asked eagerly.
all t,st@o fc
IF you've got to see these men
some time or other. why not get II
over? They can't do any harm If
they come when we're prepared for
Lord Ardrington reflected for a mo-
ment.
"A week ago" he confessed, "the
suggestion would have thrown me into
a fit. The thought Of admitting these
vermin voluntarily into my house would
have seemed like luuacy. Today I feel
differently I can bear anything except
this suspense. II am to be drawn and
CHARTERED I would rather have it over"
They couldn't do a thing 70 you"
Martin protested. They are not fools.
They must know that We are too many
for them I haven't seen much Of
them, but I'm pretty certain of one
tning-they're both far too clever to
risk the gallows for anything in this
world. If they've got anything against
you and it's bad 1t just means black
mail"
Lord Ardrington for g moment NUT
tered to himself His eyes were fixed
upon the flames of a small wood fire
which vas burning in the CRATE. 1t
seemed as though he were reconstruct
mo Sn111a ccene frnn7 the mast
You did we'll to stumble down Ash
Hill that night, Martin Barnes" he said
presently as he looked back into the
room You have Just that sort Of
robust common sense which clings tc
the obvious After all It's the obvious
that counts: imagination leads Us
wrong all the time Of course. they
would like to murder me and. from
their point Of view, I deserve It. They
won't do it. though. unless they can
think Of some way Of escaping pun
ishment. but thew are clever, Martin
they are hellishly clever! I was a
pretty bad lot myself, many years ago.
but, compared to them. / was babe.
I once saw Graunt torture ard kill
man II wasn't pleasant sight. If
I'd had my gun I'd have put a bullet
through his head 10 have ended his
sufferings."
We'll, you're not suggesting that
anything Of that sort is possible in this
country" Martin observed.
The other nodded There was lit
tie more life in his face.
True" he agreed. Here. only souls
may be tortured You'd better
90 and change now quickly. Martin.
Not word mind, to either OF them.
NV EXPLANATION must come first
II shan't say word" was the ready
enough, Response "As matter of fact.
shouldn't hare the least idea what
to say"
The two girls welcomed Martin in
amazingly friendly fashion when he de-
scended into the hall half an hour
later, a huge box of chocolates under
either arm Laurita was wearing
dress Of soft scarlet. wonderfully eff
fective against the background of dark
and shadowy places.
We never really thought YOU'D come
back" Blanche told him we decided
that this mysterious business of yours
was an excuse"
But told you that was return
ing" Martin reminded her.
Men are such deceivers." she re-
piled selecting a chocolate and biting
into it "Laurita, for young man of
inexperience. our friend Martin is in