The Gates of Chance

he Middle

who waits," quoted Indim

rtable theory

lusive to those who seek her over-persistently.

el

y to be amused, and that same afternoon the Evening Post aims a blow at the Tammany 'Tiger' over the shoulder of Mr. Edward M. Shepard; I am in the mood adventurous, and

p at Twenty-seventh Street

ugh that mattered! Put on your rain-coat, my dear Thorp, and let us begin a little journey into the unkn

a penny into the air. "Broadway, heads

ng for a car. The first that came along

ninth?" inquired the conductor of Indiman a few minutes la

and passively awaited further directions from our esoteric guide. Quite an amusing

mall boy with a very large bundle. "Up one block and turn east

inspiration. "Cop

walked down one block to Twenty-eig

treet is one of these departures from the normal, a block or two of respectable, even handsome houses set as an oasis in a dull and sordid neighborh

down the block, Indiman stopped me.

cupied two of the ordinary city lots; nothing part

g. Twice, while we stood watching him, he rang without result, and the delay annoyed him. He shook the door-kn

ntrance porch. "You might try mine," he said, politely, and held out the

it into the slot of the lock. The door swung open. Amazing, but what followed was even

n, I suppose," h

or closed behind us. Our introducer turned up the gas in the old-fashioned hall chandelier, and favored us with a perfunctory stare.

was afraid for the moment that we had got into the wr

Club," suppl

urning to me. Now I had not the smallest notion of what the Utinam Club might be, consequent

box you have

ir-Colma

th Pole fame. Y

often. That is MY title to fame. And also my qualificat

e. A unique and delightful idea i

hat the devil do you suppose I am doing in this gall

moment, even heard of the Utinam Club. But for all that I am convinced that I am about to become a membe

rd of eligibility doesn't conform to that of your impudence. Still, I won't say that

Mag

the Utinam Club.

he lenses of the latter were nearly an eighth of an inch thick and evidently of the highest power. Even with their aid his powers of vision seemed imperfect. On hearing the few words of explanation vouchsafed by the unamiable Mr. Hoyt, he drew from his pocket

gentlemen, and we will

cience; charts and globes and plaster-of-Paris casts were everywhere, while the far end of the apartment was occupied by a huge, flat-topped table covered with papers

llery. At the back were a row of five windows taking light from the interior court-yard; in brief, the house, imposing in its dimensions from the street side, was little more than a mask of masonry extremely ill-adapted for human habitation, or, indeed, for any purpose. Stepping to one of the rear windows, I looked out, and then the reason for this extraordinary construction-or, rather, reconstruction-became apparent. The lot was of the usual depth of one hundred feet, and, being a double one, it had a width of fifty. A large building of gray

d passageway of brick running along one side of the court-yard and communicating with the hallway that led to the street door. Apparently, the rear building was three stories in height-I say apparently, for, being entirely destitute of windows, it was impossible to accurately deduce the number of its floors. Aesthetically, it made no pretensions

agnus had advanced to my side and stood staring at m

o entirely absorbed. I am honored by your interest-the Utinam Club, it is my hobby

agination in the picture before us. And what a picture!-this eyeless, gray-faced, architectural monstrosity, crowned

r acquaintance-"

ement of the circumstances attendant upon the finding of the Yale la

b appears to possess claims of unusual merit in that direction. I own fra

Latin ejaculation equivalent to our 'Would to Heaven!' or 'Would that I could be!' To be eligible for membershi

eed, for a social organization-the lame ducks, the noble army of the incapa

siness bankrupt, the artist whose pictures have never reached the line. The touch-stone

to enroll Mr. Thorp and myself at once. Believe me that we

ook up his pen. "This gentleman?" he

exquisite piece of audacity at which I frowned, and then p

tal reverses, it being invariably impossible to determine whether the transaction is finally to show a

ing, but I have never been able to cross the 'Ass's Bridge,' the Forty-seventh problem of

es have undeniably favored you, you may continue to do so. But not at my expense," and thereupon he mentioned a figure for initiation and dues that mad

out the club," said Dr. Magnus, affably

re sedilia flanked by bay-trees in tubs and two or three fine specimens of the Japanese dwarf oak. A bas-relief in plaster of the Elgin marbles ran friezelike the full length of the party wall, and fixed immediately above the fountain niche the terrible mask of the Medusa face looked down upon us. The time of the year being late in March, there was no sn

s and filled with miscellaneous objects of art. All, without exception, were execrable-miserable daubs of painting, criminal essays in plastic and decorativ

the most melancholy of exhibiti

he exclaimed. "What miracles of ineptitu

the room, the final depository of countless "unavailable" MSS. In an adjoining room were glass-cases crowded with mechanical models of unsuccessful inventions. Naturally, I

ned Dr. Magnus, dryly. "Our failures must

eering drawings of structures never to be reared, charts, models, unfinished musical scores, finally a huge papier-mache globe on which were traced the routes of Mr. Colman Hoyt's four unsuccessful dashes for the North Pole. It depressed me, the sight of this va

er," he said, an

ious apartment immediately under the dome. At one end a

n, deciphering the motto chis

the Utinam Club is the child of your own brain. Permit me, sir, to c

oubtedly fills a want. And now, gentlemen, if you will excuse me; I have some affairs of moment. The club is yours; make use of it as you

lit a cigar. "Les miserables," he sai

room was laden with newspapers and periodicals, but no one had taken the trouble to displace the neat files in which they had been arranged. The card-room adjoining was untenanted; the green-baize tables, with their complement of shi

by even the courtesy of a friendly glance; at least a score of men had made their first appearance within the last quarter of an hour, and not a single word of greeting or recognition had I heard exchanged. Among them was Mr. Colman Hoyt,

tments. The light thus obtained was diffused rather than direct, and, being colorless, it closely approximated natural conditions, the delusion being heightened by the construction of the wall panels so as to simulate windows. To add again to the effect, these lights had been gradually lowered as the day wore on. Now it must be almost dark

e same instant the last ray from the false windows disappeared. Strain my eyes as I would, the sensitive retina remained absolutely unaffected; th

bout them, the flush of returning animation in their cheeks, and their eyes bright with questioning interest. A youngish chap leaned over and spoke earnestly to his neighbor, then some one laughed aloud. Instantly the flood-gates were

plendor of gilding and intricate plastic work. I remarked particularly the preponderance of the red tints; indeed, no other shade of color could

nscious of an unusual lightness and exhilaration of spirit; Indiman's eyes were sparkling with unwonted brilliancy. I raised my champagne-glass: "To the Utinam

all the tables had been taken. It was Mr. Colman Hoyt. He saw us and sm

ew friends, old wine; and our chef's sauce tartare is inco

North Pole?"

tell you that I start to-morrow on my fifth expedition? Success is

green scarf," I interrupted, somewh

" he r

insisted. "No

thereupon Mr. Colman Hoyt bu

are excluded from this kindly light invented by our friend Magnus; co

fancy," s

pendent upon the red end of the spectrum. Incapacity, failure, disease, death-they are generated by the violet rays alone; eliminate

pered, and the warning came in time, I pushed away my wineglass, and thereafter ate only enough of the exquisitely seasoned viands to satisfy my hunger. And all the while Mr. Colman Ho

he unmistakable click of a roulette-wheel. Men talked loudly of their projects and ambitions shortly to be accomplished. An epic poet was about to publish

ird said no word, but looked at the miniature of a woman's f

e glow grew dimmer; little by little the laughter died away and the voices were hushed. A few of the bolder spirits set themselves to stem

he bluish-green bands surrounding and outlining it. A man brushed carelessly past me; it was Colman Hoyt, and his face was of a man already dead; his lips moved, but no sound issued from them. He passed into the model-room connecting on the west with the central hall; there was the sound of a fall, and Indiman and I followed quickly. Yet not quickly enough,

ndiman to me, and w

ly into it. The front was of glass, and I could see readily that the box was empty. The young man had his pass-key in his hand, but it was clearly useless to insert it, and he finally turned away, his c