Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1937-10-16
CHAPTER 70

vened between Adams queer &C.
tons. Tim spent it, as he now
often did, in London, and on Mon
day morning he drove straight
from town to his surgery. He did
not exchange more than a dozen
words with Adams during the day.
Since Esther's death he had
formed the habit of taking his
lunch in the town, and as he had
arranged to dine informally with
Harold Arkwright at an early
hour in the evening, he did not get
back to The Wilderness at all I'M
til a little after half past 10.
AS he crossed the gravel drive
after putting away his car, he no
ticed that the light was burning
In the billiard room. He hung up
his overcoat and went along to in
vestigate. Going through the IT.
tie conservatory connecting the
main building with the billiard
room, he became aware OF the
click of the balls. It gave him a
most curious feeling-as if he were
an intruder in someone else's
house.
He opened the door. AS he had
surmised, it was Adams. The
shaded lights were concentrated
on the green cloth, and Adams
was about to make stroke. He
could not have failed to hear the
noise made by Tins entry, but he
made no sign. He completed a
cannon from hand, which left the
balls punched together against the
top cushion, and only then looked
up.
Good evening, SIR" he said.
'Eope you don't mind me having
q knock up?"
His voice was rather thick.
Tim at once realized he had been
drinking. Yet his manner was
not disrespectful. But it was pc
culiar; it was as though he had
been warmed into a conditional
geniality, which he would main
tain so long as nobody crossed
him. He was smiling, but there
was a watchful look in his eyes,
suggesting that for all his good
fellowship, he was ready to take
offense on the smallest provoca-
ton. Tim had encountered a good
many drunks of this type in the
army, and he thought he knew
how to handle them. It was GER
tainly no time for recriminatiOn,
unless he was prepared for a
scene.
"Glad to see you enjoying your
self, Adams" he said mildly.
That's all right, then" Adams
moved round to the top of the
table, chalking his cue and frown-
ing at the balls. Trouble about
that drop cannon, it's a gamble"
he said. "You may find a dozen
nurseries on, or you may run into
a cover, like this here"
He raised the butt end Of his
cue. Now for some people it is
genuinely possible to play better
game of billiards when slightly
under the influence of liquor than
when sober. The loss in eXacti-
tude is compensated for by the in
crease in confidence, which is
more than half the battle. But the
masse shot, the most difficult in
the game, requiring the most deli
cate precision in execution, is not
subject to this rule. Adams made
a bad mess of it. The end of his
cue skidded off his ball and came
into violent contact with the ia
BILE. The cloth was not cut, but
the cue tip came off.
"Blast!" said Adams. He dabbed
at the cloth with his finger.
That's always liable to happen.
3D.. Look here, it's no fun playing
by oneself. What d'you say to
couple of hundred up, sir? TIL
give you a hundred"
Tim realized he had to play or
have row. Physically tinnid, he
shirked an encounter with the
man in his present condition. He
would defer a consideration Of the
larger aspects of the situation I'M
til tomorrow.
"All right" he said. evil you
break:"
20. K.," replied Adams. He
selected another cue, squinted
down it at arms length, and ran
it half a dozen times through his
fingers. : Pleasure to play on this
table OF yours" he added, with
condescention. tits old, but real
! class. Not that you couldn't do
with a new set of cushions. But
you can play real billiards on it.