Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-13
illustrated by
Armstrong Sperry

~ ETER NAMES who had pushed open the
Y door of the cafe and made abrupt en-
\ trance. paused within yard two of
the threshold to shake the rain from
his dripping m&ckintoSh and gaze about
him with indifferent curiosity.
The interior of the place like the in
terror OF many of the other Beausoleil bars.
The staging, however, unusual. For some
reason other the electric supply in the i'm
mediate vicinity had failed The lights were
dim and inconstant, and to amplfy them,
some one had lit all oil lamp which stood upon
the edge of the counter.
In the whole place there were only four
people Toby, the popular barman, was seated
the low stool into which he sometimes sub
sided when waiting for clients, completely out
of sight. except for the top of his head. Old
man Delous, the crazy saddler from across the
way, coatleSs and colarless, sat in distant
corner mumbling to himself. A drunken man
sprawled upon a bench on the opposite side.
Perched on a high stool at the end of the bar
was q girl whose too lavish of cosmetics
and Epstick disguised her so cfectualy that
one could only say she young, and had
good features. She hat which was be-
tween q beret and Jockeys cap, and she was
smoking a cigarette from holder of unusual
length
She Scrutinized the newcomer YEARLY and
apparently without interest.
Wake up Toby!' the latter enjoined adj
vancing step or two nearer the bar. My
car is broken down at the bottom of the hill.
and I am wet through tinkering with it. A
glass of the best brandy quickly"
TOBY, who appeared to be sleeping. made
reply, nor did he attempt 10 rise to his
feet. From the old man in the corner came
long mirthless chuckle. Peter Hames who had
recovered his breath, took even closer note of
his surroundings.
The place like some horrible study in
still life. Some one had recently split liquor
the boarded floor chair over
turned; the sickly and indStinct illumination
Of the place became absolutely CHASTITY with
the gimmering of a Steely twilight, which
found its way in through the uncurtained win
dow. precursor of the leaden dawn
Whats wrong with this place tonight?" the
newcomer demanded Wake up, Toby! I
want some brandy tell YOU"
The young man made movement. He
seemed to have fallen asleep leaning forward
his stool. The girl knocked the ash from
her cigarette and gazed down the length Of
the counter in insolent silence.
Peter Hames lifted the lamp above his head
with one hand, and with the other shook the
recumbent figure. Again the old man in the
distant corner chuckled
Whats the matter with you. Toby!" the
would-be customer inquired sharply. Are you
drunk what?"
Almost as he spoke Peter Hames was con-
scious of that queer sensation about his fingers.
He snatched his hand away. and held it under
the lamp. Blood was dripping from his fingers
onto the counter. He stood staring at it, the
horror sealing his lips, paralyzing even his
nerves. The lamp slipped from his grasp and
fell crashing onto the floor.
'Fool!" the girl exclaimed she flung
mat upon the thin flames, Have you never
seen a dead man before?"
A spiral of thick, black smoke mounting
to the low ceiling. With the extinguishing of
no he W. he
streak of gray, forbidding light from that
parting between the lowering clouds. The
drunken man snoring on his bench, old man
Delous chuckling hideously in his corner. and
the GIRL back again her stool with the
cigarette holder once more between her lips,
were all alike, grotesque and vaguely realized
figures, phantasies in some hideous nightmare.
The smoke recoilng from the ceiling filled the
place with an evil-smelling vapor.
Through it Peter Hames stepped swiftly to
the door, recroSSed the threshold, and vanished
into the lamplesS night
A VERY dignifled- looking manservant of
Franco-Italian extraction entered his
masters studio one afternoon a few days later
with an announcement upon his lips. Peter
Hames in blue jean overalls and the flowing
tie of his professional confreres, was painting
rapidly in oils upon a small canvas.
"A young lady desires to monsieur"
Peter Hames went on painting.
"You know very we'll, Vittorio" he said re-
proachfully that do not see strange young
ladies'
Vittorio was apologize, and fluent.
"The young lady is not Of the type Of mon
seurs undeSred visitors" he declared. "She
is chic. and young lady of the world. I will
undertake to promise monsieur she is not q
model"
rs she by chance possessed of a name?"