Tales of Men and Ghosts

d. Every few minutes he had to draw out his handke

obert Denver. In the interval between he had hurried home, got out of his evening clothes, and gone forth again at once into the dreary dawn. His fear of Ascham and the alienist made it impossible for him to remain in his rooms. And it seemed to hi

e gesture was significant, and Granice lifted an appealing hand. “I don’t expect you t

a ruddy face, full and jovial, in which his keen professional e

k you up just yet. But of course I’m

of relief. Surely Allonby wouldn’t ha

ain you. I can be found at any time a

two this evening? I’m giving a little supper at Rector’s — quiet, little affair, you understand

the office without knowi

, it was replaced by the exasperating sense that his avowal had made no impression on the District Attorney. Evidently, if he had been going to look into the

se of his fixed identity, of his irreducible, inexpugnable selfness, keener, more insidious, more unescapable, than any sensation he had ever known. He had not guessed that the mind was capable of such intricacies of self-realization, of penetrating so deep into its own dark windings. Often h

take his chance in any of their skins! They were the toilers — the men whose lot was pitied — the victims wept over and ranted about by altruists and economists; and how gladly he would have taken up the load of any one of them, if only he might have shaken off his own! But, no — the ir

ing for an answer. He hardly stirred from his rooms, in his fear of missing the letter by a moment; but would the Distri

it! his master were ill — entered the library where Granice

encil, “From the District Attorney’s office.” He started up

man of whom one is sure to see a specimen in any crowd. “Just the type of th

had been sent by the District Attorney to have “a quiet talk” with Mr. Grani

e man — a man who knew his business — it would be easy enough to make him see through that ridiculous alibi! Gran

rtial attitude helped still more. He could see that Hewson, at least, had not decided in advance to disbelieve him, and the sense of b