Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-25
By Stephen MOrehOuse Avery


ash blonde and pretty
May I sit 0own here? You're American,
aren't you? How Strange!"
do sit down." said the girl. I'm just wait
ing here for friend-my fiance, in fact. We're
driving en- to Avignon"
That's funny" said Shannon I'm waiting
for my hance too. At least I hope he is after
-. He Is If he's gentleman We're driving
to Avignon, too"
While her coffee was being served she had a
chance to examine her companion and her next
question carried an edge OF suspicion.
Where is your fiance now?"
LAS a matter Of fact" said the blonde girl
eagerly, "he left me here and took the car back
to- little lane We passed Somebody is follow
ing us. I'm supposed to watch until they have
gone by It's thrilling"
Shannon laughed. ITS not only thrilling,
it's miraculous. Is your frances Holder
ness by any wild chance?'
1T most certainly is not. After the way
he treated me? came all the way from Nice
to Avignon to meet him and when he tele-
graphed for me to come to Montpelier.
went. He wasn't even there. Some one much
nicer was there, however. My fiances name
"Chadd!" completed Shannon. And he is
not nicer and he h a lunatic and q thief
Any consequence Of this outburst was held in
allegiance by a crashing sound which brought
both the girls and several of the men in the
room to their feet; sort of dull, omiIous
crash which reverberated through the still night
air.
Il knew it," Shannon's voice was thin and
high with terror. They've killed themselves
Oh, Bill, Bill"
What do you mean?"
Arlene Seabury joined the rush through the
door Shannon was already outside running
with the men along a shortcut path which led
behind the clump of trees in the direction of
the lane
great flare of white flame, like q beacon.
guided them over fence across plowed field
until after perhaps 10 minutes or more, they
arrived on the lane road The faSt-disappear-
ing remains of two cars lay in flaming mass in
the ditch.
Bill had driven the old car into the lane
road at fair speed, as good speed he gould
make running without lights. Mr.. Chadd was
coming out of the lane road. at an even better
speed considering the handicap of driving in
the dark. Neither Of them wanted to be seen,
and they weren't. The two cars almost leaped
at each other and met head on with o crash
like the explosion of Q bomb
Its very violence WB salvation Everything
new out. Bin new out After minute q SO
he found that he was lying in the middle Of
road. He didn't know what road nor how he
got there, nor very much about anything, but
ne felt very well content with himself.
Somebody was trying to help him to his feet
and he resented it.
uodl necO any neAp, he Sdlu WHO are
you?"
The man looked at him vaguely "I don't
know who am. feel as II I'd just dived ON
another rock"
Bill stood UP shakily. "I know YOU You're
Chadd, and there was something was sup
posed to do to you. You ran OF with :.
Oh, I've got it now"
With almost SLOW motion elaboration he
drew back and hit Mr.. Chadd on the chin.
Mr.. Chadd sat down in the road, his expression
more vague than ever. Then Mr.. Chadd got
up. and as he got up he brought his fist mp.
/HILE Bill was sitting In the road, he
w thought the thing over He gradually
gained his feet again.
THAT didn't seem to get us anywhere did it?
But know place where We can get dripk."
They started down toward the main road,
arm in arm, weaving and unsteady as If they
already had had many drinks. Bill tripped
over something and stopped to swear at it
properly.
you might bring that" said Mr.. Chadd.
ITS your bag, anyway and think 10 fun
Of contracts. There may be few dollars Of
mine In it, too seem to have forgotten some
thing important, don't yoW9s
Everybody stared at them whan they entered
the little cafe, but they didnT care. They didn't
even notice. They found an empty table for
two near the window and ordered . couple Of
cognacs.
'T must have known you an awful long time,
Bill" said Mr.. Chadd. "Bfn Is your name, 1unt
it? Mines Irving
Eyes, I know" said Bill
His eyes were fastened on the doorway where
the pallid, tear-Streaked faces Of two girls who
had just entered met his gaze. There was some
thing about those faces which startled him.
In the first place, they were pretty faces, which
always had a certain effect upon Bill But
there was something else.
do you know something, Irvng?" he said.
I've just remembered what it was that We
forgot"