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confide my discovery to Kerner。 The artistic temperament is too high…
strung to view such devia… tions from the natural laws of the art of
kalsomining。 I sipped my absinthe drip and sawed wormwood。
One absinthe drip is not much but I said again to Kerner； kindly：
〃You are a fool。〃 And then； in the vernacular： 〃Jesse Holmes for
yours。〃
And then I looked around and saw the Fool…Killer； as he had always
appeared to my imagination； sitting at a nearby table； and regarding us
with his reddish； fatal； relentless eyes。 He was Jesse Holmes from top to
toe； he had the long； gray； ragged beard； the gray clothes of ancient cut；
the executioner's look； and the dusty shoes of one who bad been called
from afar。 His eyes were turned fixedly upon Kerner。 I shuddered to think
that I bad invoked him from his assiduous southern duties。 I thought of
flying； and then I kept my seat； reflecting that many men bad es… caped his
ministrations when it seemed that nothing short of an appointment as
Ambassador to Spain could save them from him。 I had called my brother
Kerner a fool and was in danger of hell fire。 That was nothing； but I would
try to save him from Jesse Holmes。
The Fool…Killer got up from his table and came over to ours。 He rested
his hands upon it； and turned his burning； vindictive eyes upon Kerner； ig…
noring me。
〃You are a hopeless fool；〃 be said to the artist。 〃Haven't you had
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enough of starvation yet？ I of… fer you one more opportunity。 Give up this
girl and come back to your home。 Refuse； and you must take the
consequences。〃
The Fool…Killer's threatening face was within a foot of his victim's； but
to my horror； Kerner made not the slightest sign of being aware of his
presence。
〃We will be married next week；〃 be muttered ab… sent…mindedly。 〃With
my studio furniture and some second…hand stuff we can make out。〃
〃You have decided your own fate；〃 said the Fool… Killer； in a low but
terrible voice。 〃You may con… sider yourself as one dead。 You have had
your last chance。〃
〃In the moonlight；〃 went on Kerner； softly； 〃we will sit under the
skylight with our guitar and sing away the false delights of pride and
money。〃
〃On your own head be it；〃 hissed the Fool…Killer； and my scalp
prickled when I perceived that neither Kerner's eyes nor his ears took the
slightest cog… nizance of Jesse Holmes。 And then I knew that for some
reason the veil had been lifted for me alone； and that I bad been elected to
save my friend from de… struction at the Fool…Killer's bands。 Something of
the fear and wonder of it must have showed itself in my face。
〃Excuse me；〃 said Kerner； with his wan； amiable smile； 〃was I talking
to myself？ I think it is getting to be a habit with me。〃
The Fool…Killer turned and walked out of Far… ronils。
〃Wait here for me；〃 said I； rising； 〃I must speak to that man。 Had you
no answer for him？ Because you are a fool must you die like a mouse
under his foot？ Could you not utter one squeak in your own defence？
〃You are drunk；〃 said Kerner； heartlessly。 〃No one addressed me。〃
〃The destroyer of your mind；〃 said I； 〃stood above you just now and
marked you for his victim。 You are not blind or deaf。〃
〃I recognized no such person；〃 said Kerner。 〃I have seen no one but
you at this table。 Sit down。 Hereafter you shall have no more absinthe
drips。〃
〃Wait here；〃 said I； furious； 〃if you don't care for your own life； I will
save it for you。〃
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I hurried out and overtook the man in gray half… way down the block。
He looked as I bad seen him in my fancy a thousand times … truculent； gray
and awful。 He walked with the white oak staff； and but for the street…
sprinkler the dust would have been fly… ing under his tread。 I caught him
by the sleeve and steered him to a dark angle of a building。 I knew he was
a myth； and I did not want a cop to see me conversing with va… cancy； for I
might land in Bellevue minus my silver matchbox and diamond ring。
〃Jesse Holmes；〃 said I； facing him with apparent bravery； 〃I know you。
I have heard of you all my life。 I know now what a scourge you have been
to your country。 Instead of killing fools you have been murdering the
youth and genius that are necessary to make a people live and grow great。
You are a fool yourself； Holmes； you began killing off the brightest and
best of our countrymen three generations ago； when the old and obsolete
standards of society and honor and orthodoxy were narrow and bigoted。
You proved that when you put your murderous mark upon my friend
Kerner the wisest chap I ever knew in my life。〃
The Fool…Killer looked at me grimly and closely。
〃You've a queer jag；〃 said he； curiously。 〃Oh； yes； I see who you are
now。 You were sitting with him at the table。 Well； if I'm not mistaken； I
heard you call him a fool； too。〃
〃I did；〃 said I。 〃I delight in doing so。 It is from envy。 By all the
standards that you know he is the most egregious and grandiloquent and
gorgeous fool in all the world。 That's why you want to kill him。〃
〃Would you mind telling me who or what you think I am？〃 asked the
old man。
I laughed boisterously and then stopped suddenly； for I remembered
that it would not do to be seen so hilarious in the company of nothing but a
brick wall。
〃You are Jesse Holmes； the Fool…Killer；〃 I said； solemnly； 〃and you are
going to kill my friend Ker… ner。 I don't know who rang you up； but if you
do kill him I'll see that you get pinched for it。 That is；〃 I added；
despairingly； 〃if I can get a cop to see you。 They have a poor eye for
mortals； and I think it would take the whole force to round up a myth mur…
derer。〃
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〃Well；〃 said the Fool…Killer； briskly； 〃I must be going。 You had better
go home and sleep it off。 Good…night。〃
At this I was moved by a sudden fear for Kerner to a softer and more
pleading mood。 I leaned against the gray man's sleeve and besought him：
〃Good Mr。 Fool…Killer； please don't kill little Ker… ner。 Why can't you
go back South and kill Con… gressmen and clay…caters and let us alone？
Why don't you go up on Fifth Avenue and kill millionaires that keep their
money locked up and won't let young fools marry because one of 'em lives
on the wrong street？ Come and have a drink； Jesse。 Will you never get on
to your job？〃
〃Do you know this girl that your friend has made himself a fool
about？〃 asked the Fool…Killer。
〃I have the honor；〃 said I； 〃and that's why I called Kerner a fool。 He is
a fool because he has waited so long before marrying her。 He is a fool
because be has been waiting in the hopes of getting the consent of some
absurd two…million…dollar…fool parent or something of the sort。〃
〃Maybe；〃 said the Fool…Killer 〃 maybe I I might have looked at it
differentl