Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-02-10
|ET7l COPYRIGHT 1875 WJ bLpNMOTT COMPANY.
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us upOA q OAR ana surge Dack strength
less and ahortive. No, he could not lie
to him. His glance wavered, the cigar
dropped from his trembling fingers, he
moved little nearer Felix Dawson, his
heart in his eyes.
What viii you do? Wait before you
speak. Hear me-" He stopped sudden
ly, pierced to the heart. MY God!
what must you think of me?''
What do think of your" asked Daw-
son, the low, resonant voice suddenly
quivering with contempt. "Iwould not
touch your hand for all the money in
the world if l starved tomorrow. You
seem to me like rich man who searches
through a beggar's rags and steals his
last coin. You are utterly detestable to
me. You coward! You thief!'
Tom started and flung back his head.
mo, I'm not that. I'm not what you
believe. l didn't rob you of your one
possession and add it to my many. |
took it when | was mad with despair.
You must believe me--you must. 1t
was here in this very room, and he held
out his arms looking around the place,
an almost childish pleading in his eyes.
Il came in knowing | had failed. ac-
cepted defeat with what agony perhaps
1 you can guess. 1t was then | read your
| play for the first time More than a year
had passed since you left it, and thought
you dead. 1t would mean nothing 10
you, everything to me. took it, ask
you again, what will you do?"
There was understanding in Felix
Dawson's eyes, but no softening His
heart was like wrung out sponge-it
knew no extremes. The one passion left
him was a morbid love for the play he
had written.
Poor, wronged dead men. They can
not all come back as l have done But
unfortunately for you" he said, with a
slight curl of his lip, Il was not dead. ]
came here three times in the summer
following. The place seemed shut up.
The rest of the time have spent i'll n
hospital. Facing death and eternity, |
forgot life, l forgot you. God has
cursed me for many years, and never
bent to the rod. And now, when 1 had
thought the long. bitter day was 10 end
In storm and darkness, there Is a prom
Use of a new dawn
You medn:"- and the words were a
terrified breath on Toms lips
"What can I iuean but that you are to
give me my play:~ he cried.
Il can't. Don't sou see that il is i'm
possible-now;' The PRAYER had gone
from Toms voice. 1t was logged, des-
perate. IN give you every penny get
for il, but my name must stand as its
Enthor. To acknowledge your right
EOuld be confessing my theft. That /
refuse to do. 1t would mean social dis
grace. Do you understand
/ Dawson's face was terrible in its scorn.
Money won't content mo"
See here. l could have denied your
right to this play-hed to your teeth.
But didn't. Face 10 face in this silent
room | have been honest with you. |
would undo it all if | could, God knows
how readily" He paused, and his voice,
though quiet, was like the strokes of
steel upon steel. But before the world
il will be different. If you have no
mercy on my position. I'll have none on
you. will swear if need be that the
play is mine from the first word to the
last. tell You it will be an unequal
struggle, and / will win. Cranks and
blackmailers abound in New York. You
will be classed among them and be for
gotten. You'd better accept my terms.
Think again. Take the money. I'll be
glad to give it to You. But the play
must remain mine. 1t is too late for
anything else. Don't you see? Can't
/ you see!'
Dawson seemed scarcely to listen to
him. He was looking past him, faint,
dreamy smile upon his pale lips.
That's your view of the situation.
Now hear mine. I've been trying for Is
/ years to touch success. I've always just
missed it. | made my last throw when
Money? Do you think money will make
/ up for the loss of the thing most precious
to me? Deny me as you will; I'll take
my chances. You've robbed me of what
l love. That play was friend and sweet
heart, fire and food, to me for year. 1t
is part of me. All have hoped and
suffered appears in its lines like a refec-
ton in a glass. Oh, yes, I'll have it
/ back"
He walked to the door, the blush dusk
shading his white, earnest, clear cut
face, and clothing him with mystery.
Long after he was gone Tom stood
listening to the splashing of the rain.
His brain was afire with questions.
Dawson would accuse him, but it
would amount to nothing; he would be
thought man driven frantic by misfor-
tune. But the money-that was a diff
ferent matter and an unpleasant one
He would never put another penny of
the plays payments to his own use. They
must be saved for Felix Dawson-saved
secretly-and some day might be in
duced to accept them. This meant sud
den poverty for himself and might excite
curiosity. He could say he was paying
his debts, or some of the speculations
recently INDUCED in might be fortunate.
He was not afraid. He felt secure
Coffee and liquors were on the table
when Delatole rushed in.
Pass over the absinthe, Tom" he
said, with a smile and a comfortable
kind of shiver. Cad, this room looks
coy after the rain. Hear ii, splashing
in bucketfuls had to go to Emerson
and have bite with him-listened to
nothing but praises of you from the soup
until broke away before dessert He
says you're a genius. But that's moth
ing new. Haven't l always said you
stood alone? This last play settles the
point beyond dispute. The Russian color
is admirablel How the deuce you caught
it | can't tell, when you never had your
nose in Russia. But who can explain
the vagaries of genius? When you wrote
that play, Tom, you prepared a delight
for posterity."
All, it was to hear words like these
that Felix Dawson demanded what he
created. Money, after all, was the
smallest part of the triumph Tom
reused himself and found Delatole smil-
ing at him in his most engaging way.
His smiles were usually very expensive
dainties and augured frowns for some
body else.
DO you know, Tom," and his black
eyes sparkled as he looked down at the
opaleseent liquor swaying under the
movement of his fingers, "the time has
come when yoa can do me favor"
Can indeed:'
You don't seem oyerjOyed," he said
in purring tone. Look here. know
we've had "A feo- small differences lint