Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-07
The Fortunate Wayfarer
BYE. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM
copyrisht by E. Phillips oppcnheim

I'D to them. She laid her hand on
| Freddy's shoulder.
GO away. Freddy" she enjoined
You have not the time to show these
| gentlemen the place. 1t is who shall
explain everything"
:None of your tricks, then" Freddy
| warned her. These guys are my
| friends"
The woman laughed, but not unmusi.
cally
Il have no tricks" she declared.
She led the way to her table. Victor
Porle ordered champagne and a bottle
of brandy, and they studied their sur
roundings with interest. Save for
themselves there was scarcely man In
evening clothes, scarcely one whose
scrutiny. There were good many
Fasteners a sprinkling of Americans
and an English element which appeared
to consist, according to their compan-
ion. chiefly of racing men or prize fight
ers. There were few gOod-lOoklng
women, but the almost flamboyant sor-
didnesS of the place seemed to have set
its mark upon their faces. Even the
laughter, and there was plenty OF 1t,
was Shrill and unnatural. A woman
Who had slipped off her skirt and was
doing a solo dance came and kicked a
glass from their table. A waiter picked
up the fragments and apparently. every
one considered 1t as matter OF course.
Freddy, however. leaned over and as
she came near again smacked her on
the cheek. She shrieked. but the peo-
pie playing cards scarcely troubled to
look around. For a moment she seemed
as though about to iIy at her aggressor.
Then she Shrllnk back He threw her
skirt at her.
put that on and sit down." he
snarled, unless you want the chuck
THEY'RE frightened to death of Fred
DIV. every one of them" the Russian
woman confided to her companion.
You can really do just what you like
here. but Freddy hates that woman.
There will be trouble between them
some day."
It was curious how. Notwithstanding
the difference in their clothes and eX-
ternal department, Victor Porle and Solo
mon Graunt seemed rapidly to sink into
accord with their surroundings. In less
than half an hour they appeared to
belong TO the place. The habitueS no
longer regarded them with suspicion;
they had become part of the sullen at
mosphere. There were shouts OF laugh
ter sometimes, but there was no real
attempt at Observation-Disclosures. The place
seemed devoted to the earnest and con-
centrated pursuit of vice without any
of its redeeming features. Victor Porle
took q bank at baccarat with moderate
success and afterward strolled into the
bar. Solomon Graunt abandoned a
game of poker precipitately, being him.
self too great an expert to be deceived
by what might seem the good fortune
of others, and returned to the company
of his Russian lady. Victor Porle Joined
them and presently Freddy, in response
to signal, drew up chair.
"I've been looking round your joint,
Freddy" Porle observed. leaning to-
ward him and dropping his voice a lit
tie. you've got some bad men here,
all right"
Freddy showed his yellow teeth as
he glanced carelessly around the room.
you're saying some" he admitted.
THAT little. dark, unshaven chap over
in the corner, for instance, who can't
sit still-thats the man who put Jimmy
Andrews, the bookmaker's, light out