Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-14
Dr. Nv right hand, if it would

with a vengeance. But it's shouting truth,
I fancy," SAID Torpenhow.
The babble continued. 1t all bore upon
Maisie Sometimes Dick lectured at length
on his craft, then he cursed himself for his
folly in being enslaved. He pleaded to
Maisie for a kiss-only one kiss-before she
went away. He called to her to come back
from Vitry-sur- r-Marne, if she would; but
through all his rawlings he bade heaven and
earth witness that the queen could do no
wrong.
Torpenhow listened attentively and
learned every detail of Dicks life that had
been hidden from him. For three days DICK
raved through his past, and then slept
natural sleep. "What a strain he has been
running under, poor chap! sald !orpen-
how. ''Dick, of all men, handing hlmselt
over like dogl And was lecturing him
on arrogance! ought to have known that
II was no use TO Judge man. But l did it.
What demon that girl must be! Dicks
given her his lile-confoand him and
she's given him one kiss, apparently.
sTorp," said Dick from the bed, Ego out
for walk. You've been here too long. I'll
get M. Hi! This is annoying. 1 can't
dress myself. Oh, it's too absurd.
Torpenhow helped him into his clothes
and led him TO the big chair in the studio.
He satqCietly waiting under strained nerves
for the darkness to lift. 1t did not lift that
dav, or the next. Dick adventured on a
voyage around the walls. He hit his shins
against the stove, and this suggested to him
that it would be better to crawl on all-iours,
one hand in front of him. Torpenhow found
him on the floor.
''Im irving to get the geography of my
new possessions" said he- "D'you remem-
Der that nigger you gouged in the square?
PITY YOU didn't keep the odd eve. 1t would
have been useful Any letters for me?
Give me all the ones in tat gray envelopes
with sort OF crown thing outside. They are
of no importance.
Torpenhow gave him letter with black
NJ on the envelope-fap. Dick put it into
his pocket There was nothing in it that
Torpeuhow might not have read, but it be-
lonced to himself ana to Maisle, who would
never belong TO MIN.
"When she finds that don't write, she'll
stop writing. It's better so. 1 couldn't
be anv use to her now," Dick argued, and
the tempter suggested that he should make
known his condition. Every nerve in him
revolted. 81 have fallen low enough al
ready. I'm not going to beg for pity. Be-
side, it would be cruel to her" He strove
TO put Malsie out of his thoughts: but the
blind have many opportunities for thinking,
and as the tides OF his strength came back
to him in the long employees days of dead
darkness, Dicks soul was troubled to the
core. Another letter, and another,
came from Maisie. Then there was silence,
ard Dick sat by the window with
the pulse of summer in the air, and
pictured her being won by another man,
stronger than himself His imagination,
the keener for the dark background it
worked against, spared him no single de-
tail that might send him raging up and
down the studio, TO stumble over the stove,
that seemed to be in four places at once.
Worst OF all, tobacco would not taste in
the dark. The arrogance of the lnan had
disappeared, and in its place was settled
despair that Torpenhow knew, and blind pas
sion that Dick contded to his pillow at
mig ht. The intervals between the par
oxysms were filled with intolerable wall
Ing and the weight of intolerable darkness.
"Come out into the park. said Torpen-
how. "You haven't stirred out since the
beginning of things"
Whats the use? There's no movement
in the dark; and, besides, he paused ir-
resolutely at the head of the stairs-'some-
thing will run over me-
"Not il I'm with you. Proceed GIN
gerly."
The roar of the streets filled Dick with
nervous terror, and he clung to Torpen-
how's arm. Fancy having to feel for a
gutter with your loot, he said petulantly,
as he turned into the park. Lets curse
God and die"
"Sentries are forbidden to pay unauthor.
lied compliments. By JoYe, there are the
guards!'
Dicks figure Strengthened. "Let's get
near 'em. Let's go in and look. Let's get
on the grass and run. L can smell the
trees"
Mind the low railing. That's all right!'
Torpenhow kicked out a tuft of grass with
lis heel "Smell that" he said. 'Isn't
good?'' Dick snufed luxuriously. "Now
TX up your feet and run" They ap-
preached as near to the regiment as was
possible The clank of bayonets being un,
fixed made Dicks nostrils quiver.
Lets get nearer. They're in column
aren't they?"
"Yes. How did you know?''
"felt it. Oh, my men!-my beautiful
menr' He edged forward as though HI
could see. 81 could draw those chaps once
Who'll draw 'em now?"
THEY'LL move off in minutn. Don
jump when the band begins"
Huh! I'm not new charger. It's thu
silences that hurt. Nearer Torp!-nearer
Oh, my God, what wouldn't give to see
'em for a minute!-one-half minutei''
He could hear the armed life almost with
in reach of him, could hear the sling
tighten across the bandsman's chest as ht
heaved the big drum from the ground.
Sticks crossed above his head" whis
pered Torpenhow.
AZ know. 1 know! Who should know i
don't? H'sh!''
The drumsticks fell with boom, and tn
men swung forward to the crash of the band
Dick ielt the wind of the massed movemen
in his face, heard the maddeniug tramp o
feet and the friction of the pouches on tn
belts The big drum pounded out the tune
It was 4 music hall refrain that made a per
feet quickstep:
He must be a man of decent height.
he must be man of weight,
He must come home on a Saturday night
In a thoroughly sober state;
He must know how to love me.
And lie must know how to kiss:
And ii he's enough to keep us both
can't refuse him bliss.
whats the matter?" said Torpeuhow, a
he saw Dicks head fall when the last of tn
regiment had departed.
Nothing. L feel little bit out of tn
running-that's all. Torp, take me back
Why did you bring me out?''
The Nilghai was angry with Torpenhov
that night. Dick had been sent to bed
blind men are ever under the orders of thos
who can see-and since he had returne,
from the park had fuently cursed Torpen
how because he was alive, and all the worl
because it was alive and could see, while h
(Dick) was dead in the death of the blind
who, at the best, are only burdens upo
their associates. Torpenhow haa said some
thing about a Mrs. Gummidge, and Die
1,I NJ l.