The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1874-08-21

Iof everything in life, and yet the
burden of the empty, intolerable life
to still be borne. Nowhere to turn
l-everything futiIe-no help or
understanding. 1t was so terrible,
land it might so easily not have been;
yet it was irremediable. He wanted
nothing but what be had lost, and
that was gone; and neither haste.
revenge nor death could bring it
back. That was the intolerrble part
OF 1.-THE futility of everything. The
only possible solace was the thing
lost, and that was-lost! He did
not love Ridley, but the sting of it
was that that made no difference.
and that nothing made any difference
His overwhelming feeling was the
pity of it, the pity of himself
He lifted the disOrdered head and
laid it on the pillow; sat down on
the edge of the bed, and looked At
him with introverted eyes and a face
full of Whiskers. And Ridley open
ed his eyes and stared at him.
''What are you at nowY' be asked
roughly. "What do you want?"
A sudden flush shot into ColyeTs
face, and he cursed him and took
him by the throat. "Don't speak to
me ike that" he said; ''rl kill you
! if you do. 1 want what you've sto-
len from me. Give it back to me,
will you"
Then his look changed as sudden
ly back to the old one, and he lay
down beside Ridley.
Ridley sat up and looked down at
him, scowling and wondering a lit
tie while, stepped over him and step
ped over him softly and pulled on
some clothing, watching the mo-
tionless form that lay dark in the
shadow. Then he stood over him a
minute, turned away, and wheeled
about two or three times, put his
head out the window, and looked up
and down the street; finally he came
back abruptly aud bent down and
lifted Colyer and set him heavily in
large chair by the window. He
took two pipes from the shelf; and
filed and lighted one, and pushed
it into Colyer's hand; filed the 9TH
er and lighted it, and drew q chair
and sat down right in front of his
partner, so that their knees touch
ed.
Ridley pufed hard a minute or
two staring squarely into COlyer's
face, who, tor his part held his pipe
between his teeth, and let it go out.
Ridley leaned forward and looked
into Colyer's pipe, and knocked it
roughly with his own.
"Why don't you smoker he said,
harshly; and he tipped the fire into
it out of his own, and by so doing
lput them both out. Then he got up
and laughed, and went about the
room shaken and doubled, and star
ltling the night with deep-toned, tu-
Imultuous laughter. And he stood
still and cursed himself and Colyer
for a couple of babies and fools.
sTm condemned he continued
lfiercely, elf / know myself or you.
Here are two great hulking fellows
who have faced wild beasts and wild
men, who have tasted famine and
Loneliness, and cold and heat, and
conquered them; who have shared
Igood and evil fortune, and risked
life together, and We come and sit
down here as if the whole world
were one little sehool-teacher and
there was only room enough for one
of us to walk in, and the only path
for either of US was over the other.
Look here its fate that's tied us up
let fate settle it,
He took up a backgammon board
threw himself kown in his ehail
again, and set the board on theiI
knees between them. He took the
dice box then, sld pushed it at Col
yer.
"Throw," he said.
And Colyer said, "you first"
81 don't want any Odds" Ridley
answered. "TlI toss up first. 1 say
heads"
He threw up a cent and it fell or
the board head up. He took up the
dice and threw. Colver bent for
ward and looked.
"What's it." he said. 81 nigh
as well not throw"
The case was q double-six.
Ridley had picked up the dice and
: and threw them into the box, and h'
sat holding it for q minute as if fol
Colyer to take it, staring at hin
with a dark doubtful face. Their
he threw the box on the floor and got
up, upsetting the board.
On the dice," he said.
He drew up table before Colyei
and brought out his chess-box anC
/ rapidly spread the board and set th'
men.
"You tauget me the game" b
said. "You can't complain of you
! chance. Will you play?"
/ Colyer sat forward with suddeE
resolute light in his face, and NOV
5 ed his queens bishops pawn TIVE
squares.
: .Hold on a minute" Ridley
{ said.
f He unlocked a drawer and took
4 out a tin box, opened it and tool
e out bundle Of papers and threw
. them on the table. Colyer kneV
f what they were-Government bond
/ the proceeds of a legacy whicl
e had just come into Ridley's hands
a Ridley took his watch and chai
i from under the pillow, and laid ther
a on the bonds.
e 81 play them," he said;" pla.
d my horse, my gun, my books, m
s share and good will in the business
d and if 1 have anything else, 1 stsk
r it on this game.
q So they fell to and plaid paw
against pawn, knight and castle an
It bishop, and queen, keenly an
b grimly, with heads bent over th
IS board, the moonlight falling whit
. on their stern, intent faces, an
d darkening them with blank shaC
d ows. They played long, not rela1
I, ing an instant, now and then r.
r. moving a piece from the board {
is muttering the few low words tbs
D. we're part of the game. By-and-h b
lD;dio1, y,a,,sad lor0ar fha-- ,,enol h