The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1934-05-24

. y ~.
- girl he was to have married,
waved a graceful farewell to
his comfortable sitting room,
grasped his revolver firmly and put
the barrel to his head.
In the brief pause that followed his
funeral song was rended by trolley
in the street line that he had been
sentenced TO write three thousand
times at school, and had never
thought about since. came back into
his mind. Life hath more awe than
DEATH And having looked at It with
q startling clearness of one who was
on the verge of taking It at the age Of
twenty-six he said aloud. "My friend,
. last look round"
He put the gun among his pipes and
stalked across to his desk. Even In
that fantastic dressing gown and rath-
er grOtesque pyjamas he managed to
retain the wiry. muscular appearance
that goes with playing golf In spite
Of his open-wOrk shoes, too. which
were, all the go at Newport. his clean
cut face with an amusing nose bore
the stamp Of his efforts to reduce his
handicap. For the rest his color was
chocolate. which proved that he had
possessed OF leisure and the money to
pay for it. Or friends who put him
up. He was very popular man.
The letters to his lawyers and his
recent fiancee he then proceeded TO
seal. They looked more formal like
that CHANGING at the clock with more
than touch Of impotence. he strained
preaching footsteps, returned to his
favorite chair and put the gun to his
brain. Yes, he had brain.
Ten minutes before he had opened
the door Of his apartment. He didn't
desire to be disturbed by ringing
bell while In the act Of departing on
the only journey for which It Is Inn
possible to obtain a ticket to return.
He held his position until Alan Nc.
Crombie, his wealthy friend, entered
the sitting-room with a sort Of re-
luctant haste. Whereupon Gilbert put
his revolver where It simply had to be
seen. He was annoyed In being
caught In what. after all. Is very
private act. He said, toning down HIS
anger in whatsunder the circumstances
was surprisingly friendly voice,
"What's the great ideay'
McCrombie had seen the revolver.
He refused. however. to believe the
evidence of his eyes. he had danced
all night In jazz haunt and consid-
cred that he had the right to see non
existent things-foating yellow spots,
sudden smudges Of cloud. curious lit
tie dark things which moved about
rapidly looking for holes in the wall.
All previous calls by Gilbert had re-
solved themselves into immediate
touches" for cash. He was fully per.
suaded that he had now been brought
to the presence Of this graceful and
charming sportsman for that purpose
once again. But when he approached
the table he was bound to believe that
what he had seen was gun In very
truth. Horror thickened his voice.
sWere you. !. Is It possible that
You. OF all men, you. =.
II don't suppose you know" said
Gilbert, "you who have so much
money, how difficult 1t Is In these
days of unjustif1ed panic to screw
oneself up to q moment Of such high
courage as this. AS You have broken
IN upon me one minute too soon I'll
confess quite frankly that was about
to remove myself. i hoped that You
would arrive to find not too messy .
sight. Hence this dressing gown
bought--or rather owed for-especlal-
" for the event"
McCrombie had tender heart and
a sympathetic soul. It has been said
that he. had already lent Gilbert vari-
GUS Jumps OF cash. One way or an
other they totted up to about five thou
sand dollars. In return he had re-
ceived, of course, the usual l. o. Us
but, although he was proud Of being
seen In. public with a sportsman 80
well known. he had been through mo-
ments Of severe pain at the too long
withdrawal of this useful sum from
his f0ur-and-a-half per cents. It was
true that Gilbert was heir to real
money but this was still being en-
joyed by his last remaining aunt.
This dear old lady was not only
vegetarian who took regular exercise
but she was also vibrationist who
permitted herself to tune into only
those thoughts which are philosophical
and sweet. In her seventy-seventh
year II, went almost without saying
| that she would reach at least ninety
with the greatest ease.
McCrombie had made up his mind
not to be "touched' again. But, good
heavens, imagine being followed
| through fife with the CHASTITY weight
| on his conscience of having sent this
man into the Unknown Pathway for
| the sake Of i've hundred bucks. he
felt that this was the sum And so he