Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-07
CHAPTER TX.

The lark will make her hymn to God,
The partridge call her brood,
While forget the heath trod,
The fields wherein stood.
TITS dule 10 know not night from morn,
But deeper dEle to know
can but hear the hunters horn
That once used to blow.
The Only Son
It was the third day after Torpenhow's
return, and his heart was heavy.
do you mean to tell me that you can't
see without whisky? It's generally the other
way about"
"Can drunkard swear on his honor7"
SAID Dick.
"Yes, if he has been as good g man as
you
Then give you my word of honor" said
Dick, speaking hurriedly through parched
lips. ''Old man, can hardly see your face
now. You've kept me sober for two days
i ever was drunk-and I've done no work.
Don't keep me back any more. don't
know when my eyes may give out. The
spots and dots and the pains and things
are crowding worse than ever. L swear 1
can see all right when I'm moderately
screwed, as you say. Give me three more
sittings from Bessie and all the-stuff 1
want, and the picture will be done. 1 can't
kin myself in three days. 1t only means
touch Of D. T. at the worst"
"If give you three days more will you
promise me to stop work and-the other
Thing, whether the pictures finished or
not?''
81 can't You don't know what that
picture means to me. But surely you could
get the Nllghai to help you, and knock me
down and tie me up. l shouldn't fight for
the whisky, but l should for the work"
''Go on, then. l give you three days; but
you're nearly breaking my heart
Dick returned TO his work, toiling as one
possessed; and the yellow devil of whisky
stood by him and chased away the spots in
his ewes. The Melancolia was nearly fin
ished. and was all or nearly all that he
Bessie, who reminded him that he was ga
drunken BEAST" but the reproof did not
move MIN.
You can't understand, Bess. We are in
sight OF land now, and soon we shall lie
back and think about what we've done. I'll
give YOU three months psy when the
picture finished, and next time have any
more work in hand-but that doesn' t matter.
Won't three months pay make you hate me
less?''
mo, it won't! hate you, and I'll 20 on
Z
me any more. He's always looking at map
things and red-baehed books.''
Bessie did not say that she had again laid
Biege 10 Torpenhow, or that he had at the
end of her passionate pleading picked her
up, given her kiss, and put her outside
the door with a recommendation net to be
little fool. He spent most of his time in the
company of the Nilghai, and their talk was
of war in the near future, the hiring of
transports, and secret preparations among
the dock yards. He did not care 10 see Dick
till the picture was finished.
He's doing hrst-class work, he said to
the Nilghai, land it's quite out of his regu-
lar line. But, tor the matter OF that, SOS
his Internal drinking
Never miud. Leave him alone. When
he has come to his senses again we'll carry
him OF from this place and let him breathe
clean air. Poor Dick! don't envy you,
Torn, when his ewes fall
''Yes, it will be i case of God help the
man Who's chained to our Davie.' The
worst is that we don't know when it will
happen; and believe the uncertainty and
the waiting here sent Dick to the whisky
more than anything else"
.'Hcw the Arab who cut his head open
would grin Il he knew!'
He's at perfect liberty to grin if he can.
He's dead. That's poor consolation now."
In the afternoon OF the third day Torpen-
how heard Dick calling for him. "All fin
Ished!' he shouted. "I've done it. Come
in! Isn't she beauty? Isn't she dar-
ling? I've been down to hades to get her;
but isn't she worth it?''
Torpenhow looked at the head of a woman
who laughed,-a full-lipped, hollow-eyed
woman who laughed from out of the canvas
as Dick had intended she should.
Who taught you how to 90 it?" said
Torpeahow. The touch and notion have
nothing TO do with your regular work.
What face it isl What eyes, and what in
solence!' Unconsciously be threw back
his head and laughed with her. "She's
seen the game played out don't think
she had good time of lt-and now she
doesn't care. Isn't that the idea?"
Exactly"
"W here did you get the mouth and chin
from? They don't belong TO Bess."
They y're-someone else's. But isn't it
good? Isn't it Numbering good? Wasn't
1t worth the whisky? did it. Alone did
1t, and it S the best can do" Ee drew his
breath sharply, and whispered, Just Godl
what could not do ten years hence, if l can
do this nowl By the way, what do you
think of it, Bess?'
The girl was biting her lips She loathed
Torpenhow because ne had taken no notice
of her. s.--
81 think it's just the horridest, beastliest
thing ever saw, she answered, and turned
away.
More than you will be of that way of
thinking, young woman. Dick, there's a
sort Of murderous, viperine suggestion in
the poise of the head that l don't under
stand, I" said Iorpenhow.
That's trick work." said Dick, chuck
ling with delight of being completely under
stood. 81 couldn't resist one little bit of
sheer swagger. It's French trick, and
you wouldn't understand; but it's got at by
Slowing round the head tride, and tiny,
Tiny ioreshortening of one side of the face
from the angle of the chin to the top of the
left ear. That, and deepening the shadow
under the lobe of the ear. 1t was fsgrsnt
irlck-work; but, having the notion fixed, 1