Guy Hammersley; or, Clearing his Name — page 169: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

160 GUY HAMMERSLEY. ibly reminded of similar episodes in his own life, and for one instant he changed his course and took two steps behind the two, trying to imagine for the moment that his happy past was back again, and that he too had come in a brougham to the play- house with a fair young companion at his side. But it was only two steps he took. His hard, practical sense quickly usurped the place of sentiment, and in another second he had turned on his heel and was taking great strides toward Madison Square, as if eager to put his weakness as far behind him as possible. He took a longer walk than usual, and when he passed that same theater on his way home again it was half-past ten. The play was not over yet, but just as he reached the entrance to the lobby a young man with his hat pulled down over his eyes and his coat collar turned up came out. As soon as he reached the sidewalk, out of the glare of the lights, he stopped, and leaning his head against the side of the building, groaned aloud. Thinking the man must have been taken ill and might be in need of assistance, Guy went up to him, and touching him on the shoulder, said kindly : ‘‘ Excuse me, but you seem to be in trouble. Can I do anything for you ?” ‘“ Yes, if you would be so good as to put me out of existence, and thus do away with the necessity of my committing a crime to accomplish the same thing myself.” The man had turned on him suddenly, almost fiercely, and Guy saw that he was quite young, and Gomiecboo “S) (€@) at