Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-13
had known that John had the ticket

be displaying his riches to the world.
had known that John had the ticket
But he was a practical man. 1t was
not his way to waste time tcrtur1ng
himself with thoughts of past failures.
The future claimed his attention.
What to do?
All, he perceived, was not yet lost.
It would be absurd to pretend that
things were shaping themselves ideally,
but disaster might still be retrieved. 1t
would be embarrassing, no doubt, to
meet Chimp Twist after what had oc-
CURED, but man who would win TO
wealth must learn to put up with en-
barrassments. The only possible next
move was to 60 over to Healthward Ho,
reveal TO Chimp what had occurred,
and with his cooperation recover the
ticket from John.
Soapy brishtened. Another possibility
had occurred to him. If he were TO
reach Healthward Ho with the mini
mum of delay, it might be that he would
ind both Chimp and John still under
the influence of those admirable drops.
In which case man OF resource would
surely be able to inSinuate himself INTO
Johns presence long enough to be aoie
to remove a luggage ticket from ms
person.
But, if 'twere done, then 'twere well
'twere done quickly. What he needed
was the Dex-Mayo. And the Dex-Mayo
was standing outside the stable yard
waiting for him. He became thing
Of dash and activity. And as he came
painting around the back OF the house
the first thing he saw was the car dis
appearing into the stable yard.
"Hil" shouted Soapy, using Tor the
purpose the last remains OF his breath.
The Dex-Mayo vanished. And Soapy,
yery nearly q spent forge raw, arrived
at the opening of the stable yard In
time to see Bolt. the chauffeur, putting
the key of the garage in his pocket
after locking the door.
THE carl" croaked Soapy.
i've just put it away. sir. Mr.. Car
nody has given me the day on to at
tend the wedding OF the Wifes niece
over at Upton Snodsbury."
With a violent effort, Soapy contrtved
to take In q stock of breath.
"I want the car to go to Healthward
Ho. can drive it."
The chauffeur gazed at Soapy with
Mortified incredulity.
I'm afraid that wouldn't quite do,
SIR" he said, with faint, reproving
smile.
Carnody don't like nobody handling his
car but me-"
But I must go over to Healthward
Ho. It's important. Business"
The chauffeur reflected. Funda-
mentally he was a kindly man, who
liked to do his good deed daily.
well, sir, there's an old push-bike
of mine in the stables. IRIS little
rusty, not having been used for some
fir1a hf4f n vxyoit1d aaFrxy Ny0yY a far
Healthward Ho."
Soapy hesitated for moment. The
thought Of q 20-Inile journey on ma
chine that he had always supposed TO
have become obsolete during his knick-
erbocker days made him quail a little.
Then the thought Of his mission lent
him strength.
Fetch it out!" he said.
Bolt fetched 1t out, and Soapy, look
ing up it, quailed again.
rs that it?" he said duly.
That's 1t, sir" said the chauffeur.
There was only one adjective to de-
scribe this push bike-the adjective
"blackguardly." It had that leering air.
shared by some parrots and the baser
variety of cat. of having seen and been
jauntily familiar with all the sin of the
world. 1t looked low and furtive. It's
handlebars curved up. instead Of down:
1t had gaps in its spokes, and its pedals
were naked and unashamed. A sans
culotte Of bicycle. The sort of bicycle
that snaps at strangers.
"H'm!" said Soapy, Illuminating.
Eyes" said Soapy still Illuminating.
Then he remembered again how I'M
perative was the need Of reaching
Healthward Ho somehow.
"All right" he said. with shrudder.
He climbed onto the machine, and,
after one majestic wobble. passed
through the gates into the park, pedal
ing bravely. AS he disappeared from
view, there fioated back to Bolt, stand
ing outside the stable yard, a single.
agonized OUGHT"
Chauffeurs do not laugh. but they oc-
casionally smile. Bolt smiled. He had
been bitten by that bicycle himself
1t was at 20 minutes past that Stur-
gis, doing In his pantry, was jerked
from slumber by the sound of the tele-
phone bell. He went to the telephone,
and silver voice came to him over the
wire.
us this the Hall? want to speak to
Mr. Carroll"
Sturgis recognized the voice.
Miss Wyvern?"
Yes. Is that Sturgis2 I say Stur s,
what has become of Mr.. Carroll? WIS
expecting him here half an hour go.
IT have not seen him since shortly
after breakfast, miss. I understand
that he went of in his little car with
Miss Molloy."
There was silence at the other eni Of
the wire.
with Miss Molloy?" said the silver
voice fatly.
"Yess. miss. ANY message I can give
llim?"
No, thank you No :. q. No, it
doesn't matter"
Very good, miss
Sturgis returned to his pantry. Pat,
hanging up the receiver, went out into
her garden.
A snail crossed her path. She did
not tread on 1t, for she had a kind
heart, but she gave it look. 1t was a
look that, had it reached John, at whom
1t was really directed, would have
him.
She walked to the gate and stood
leaning on it, staring straight before
her.