The Washington times., 1937-01-18

face in the square porcelain Iuo,
splashing and spluttering without
single glance, much less a
friendly word. Endicott had
crashed, completely cracked up.
Mentally inspecting him now,
toppled from his pedestal, Paige
realized that Endicott's moral dis
aster had not been entirely un-
practicable. He had seen the big
man slipping. slipping, day after
day. Too much concern about
money. Too much fretting about
investments. Too many business
conferences downtown. Too much
travelling all night and rushing
into operations in the morning
for which he had not prepared.
No-Endicott had not crashed
from some dizzy height. He had
been sliding for long time.
Paige admitted to himself now
that he had been afraid to see the
chief operate on Mrs. Dexter.
Newell's hard.driven pulse
pounded in his ears. Unwilling to
torture himself any further with
thoughts of the execrable Endi-
colt, he went into the library and
wrote a brief letter of resignation
to Watts, splutteringly addressed
an envelope, and rose unsteadily
to take another drink of cognac.
Briefly cleared, he resumed his
stand at the window and thought
of Mrs. Dexter.
Subconsciously he had been
dreading the moment when his
memory would compel review of
her case. To his amazement, the
thought of Mrs. Dexter Gained
him somewhat. He had antici-
pated that the recollection of her
tragedy would haunt him for life.
Strangely enough, the painful
sight of her on the operating
table, rapidly melting away, was
driven into complete eclipse by the
enduring vision of her in her
room. Incomparably steady, she
now seemed to stand apart from
all the blundering composites and
clustering incompetence and
Whimpering anxiety of his madly
careening world-an indestructlole
symbol of self -posseSsio.
Sometimes, seated at ease in her
tranquil presence, he had found
himself smiling indulgently as she
talked of the things that make
for personal adequacy" Under or
dinary circumstances he would. he
knew, have distruSted the phrase.
People who chartered glibly of
"the-thingsthat-make-for" this and
that were tiresome, and more
often than not turned out to be
mentally untidy.
But Mrs. DeXters confident talk
about personal adequacy was re-
freshing. He had enjoyed hearing
it because it was so evident that
she believed it. He had gone back
to her, day after day. just to hear
her say it.
Well-she would be an everlast-
ing inspiration. Tomorrow or next
day they would carry her out to
some shady spot and leave her
there to become one with the soil.
That griSly aspect of human NOR
tality was made strangely unrepel-
lent as he remembered her self
confessed integration with "a
planned universe" which, in her
opinion was every way sound and
worthy.
The door bell rang. He answered
it mechanically. Pete silently
handed him the end of the leash
and departed unthanked. Sylvia
licked his hand as he unfaStened
the snap from her collar.
Go lie down." groWled Paige
saVagely. Then he went to the
bathroom and washed his hands,
thoroughly, this time. Having fin
iShed, ne oisrobed completely and
spent a long time under the
shower. Donning dressing-gown,
he sought the liquor cabinet again,
telling himself he must not take
any more Cognac. 1t should be
something light. He was barely
able to move about. He poure /
copiouS drink of rye whlskey. The
telephone was ringing, but he dlo
not answer it. With whir:ing
head, he staggered into his living
room and SpraWled at full length
on the davenport, and slept.
At length, he was aware of
talk close beside him. A painfully
pungent whiff of ammonia stung
him wide awake.
Hurry that coffee along,
1nagaki,' DR.. Rayburn was saying,
and make it strong"
Seating himself on the daven.
port beside his disheveled friend.
Rayburn studied his glass and re.
marked casually, We'll. tell us
all about it. Newell. What hap
pended? Or don't you want to
talk about it, yet?'
Not yet-or ever" mumbled
Paige bitterly. "Inagaki, make me
one of those"
Mostly soda. Inagaki" added
Bennle, over his shoulder.
IT. n. ~.Ia =,