Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-05
CHAPTER XXIv.
A Mysterious Trip.

(NullUhf. 0GCSNlbSt %
Shortly after dinner Vance babe m
good night and, donning his slipper
and house robe, went into the library
| l had considerable work to do tina
night, and it was long past naidnigh
| when finished. On the way to my
room / passed the library door. which
had been left slightly ajar, and I saw
Vance sitting at his desk-his head II
his hands. the summary lying before
HMM an attitude of oblivious con
centration. He was smoking, as wa;
habitual with him during any sort Of
mental activity; and the ash receiver
at his elbow was filled with cigarette
stubs. moved on quietly, msrveling al
the way this new problem had takef
hold Of him.
1t was half past three III the morning
when l suddenly awoke. conscious o,
footsteps somewhere in the house
Rising quietly, I went into the hall
drawn by vague curiosity mingled
with uneaSineSs. At the end of The
corridor panel of light fell on The
wall, and as / moved forward in the
semi-o,arkneSS I saw that the light is
sued from the partly open library door
At the same time became aware that
the footsteps, too, came from that room
I could not resist looking inside; and
there / saw Vance walking up and
down. his chin sunk on his breast. his
hands crammed into the deep pockets
Of his dressing gown. The room was
dense with cigarette smoke, and his
figure appeared misty in the blue haze
went back to bed and lay awake for
an hour. When finally / dozed off it
was to the accompaniment of those
rhythmic footballs in the library.
I rose at o'clock. It was a dark,
dismal Sunday, and had my coffee
in the living room by electric light
When glanced into the library at
nine Vance vas still there, sitting at his
oesk. The reading lamp was burning
but the fire on the hearth had 6fed
cut. Returning to the living room. !
tried TO interest myself in the Sun
day newspapers; but after scanning the
accounts of the Greene case I lit my
pipe and drew up my chair before the
CRATE
It was 10 o'clock when Vance appear
ed at the door. All night he had been
up. wrestling with his self-imposed
problem; and the devitalizing effects OF
this long, sleepless concentration show
ed on him only too plainly. There were
oAAGAOHC0 NAStCo 4OuA1d 1IAo eyes. Ills
mouth was drawn: and even his shoul-
ders sagged YEARLY. But, despite the
shock his appearance gave me, my
dominant emotion was one of avid
curiosity. wanted to know the out
come of his all-nigft vigil; and as he
came into the room I gave him q look
of questioning expectancy
When his eyes met mine he nodded
slowly.
i've traced the design" he said.
holding out his hands to the warmth
OF the fire. And it's more horrible
than even imagined" He was silent
for some minutes. Telephone Mark
ham for me, win you, Van? Tell him
must see him at once. Ask him to
come to breakfast. Explain that I'm a
bit tagged"
He went out, and / heard him calling
TO Currie to prepare his bath.
had no difficulty in inducing Mark
ham to breakfast with us after I had
explained the situation; and in less
than an hour he arrived. Vance was
dressed and shaved, and looked con-
fresher than when I had first
seen him that morning; but he was
still pale, and his eyes were fatigued.
No mention was made of the Greene
case during breakfast, but when we
had sought easy chairs In the library,
Markham could withhold his impa-
thence no longer.
ivan intimated over the phone that