Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-20

~ AIN had set in steadily as drove
back that night to GreyhouSe-
steel-like splinters pecking at
l. Y the windshield. 1t gave prom
Use of holding on, cold, No
vember sleet. The chauffeur predicted
the black, winding road. Our head
lights gave an effect of striking bluntly
against a wall yards in front and fall
ing dead. What sailors call thick
weather"
IF any one has it in for you," re-
marked the chauffeur, heres his
chance. We can't make speed. Easy to
stretch cable across the road-we
wouldn't see it; or to swing upon the
running board. But he'd get his belly
full and, following jerk of his thumb
I saw a revolver on his knees. Still,
you'd better keep your eyes open," he
added.
I followed his advice. What a strange
fatality, I thought, hung over every
person and thing connected with Grey
house! 1t was as if surrounded by in
visible outworks; once past them, you
entered a zone of fear, passion, mortal
ity. And I remembered having this
sensation from the first. Normal life
underwent sort of obScuration as If
only certain rays of thought penetrated
there. But they were vivid rays.
I recalled q sentence of Andre Gide's
to the effect that life has value only
in so far as it has burned more ardent
ly than other lives; and it was this
ardor of life, as distinct from the COM
mon round, that drew and held me to
GreyhouSe. There I had learned the
joy, bitter or sweet, of intense emotion.
1t had become a craving, as Tor some
forbidden drug.
What mattered the change wrought
in me, surrender of ideals, the attrac-
ton even of crime; what mattered it
that life burned itself out quickly? In
the blast of desire, whether of hate or
love, scruples are dead leaveS-only its
fulfilment matters; and, if. conscience
has not kept the spark from the powder
it goes up in the explosion.
These and similar thoughts, incisive
as the rain, pelted at my mind during
that drive Moreover, there remained
constant the uncertainty, with its vague
implication, which had resulted from
the afternoons discovery. 1t was to
place still haunted by unsolved crime
that I was returning: and over three
persons whom I saw daily. with whom
I associated, there hung alike suspiciont
To the equivocal shadow attending
this group I was now adding my own,
hardly less equivocal. A fine company,
thought, in that wide hall of Grey
house, four of us breathing the same
poisoned air. But what did it matter
any longer? I would not exchange that
world and its fever for the tame come
and-go of other life, even because the
wine there was of fire.
And, of a sudden, our headlights
shone on the granite pillars of the gate
way. We had made the drive without
incident.
SIN beginning to think" said the
chauffeur, in tone of disappointment,
that whoever was after you once has
given up the job, because this was surely
his king chance"
A moment later we drew up before
the lighted entrance, and on foot by
the steaming radiator I gave some
directions for next day. Good night"
called, as the car backed for turn.
little knew what experiences were
destined to occur before morning; but
the scene, as unimportant things will,
stamped vivid impression on my mind