The Bessemer indicator., 1894-09-22


about each other-ch, old falsifer7''
"Never. old mcndacityr' l reply.
I'd sooner never have done the Hero
ut all. l can't tell you how 1t grieves
Inc. old fellow. After all these years,
10 think that l should do anything
to cstrange us from each other"
There was suspicious moisture II
his eyes and slight tremor in ~
voice as he suddenly seized his friends
hand and left the sentence unfinished.
well. never mind. Can't be helped"
said Maiden. getting up, with an uneasy
laugh. ITS late We shall both think
differently In the morning, perhaps.
Let's be of home"
They went down stairs together In
silence. shook hands In the street, and
parted each on his own way home
For some time Maiden hurried along
deep in dull and desponding refiec-
tions. So long rs they were both re-
garded as men Of equal mediocrity he
did not care, although all tho while he
was conscious of his own superior mer-
1t. And to think that one single piece
of work had made all the difference!
All that had been done might In mo-
ment be undone II an enemy Of Bob's
-supposing him to have an enemy
could get into the studio and malicious.
ly shattcr the Hero" with few blows
of the mallct.
Next morning when the faint wintry
sunlight looked In at Bannister's little
curtained window. 1t found him lying
awake In bed yawnlng drowsily. He
glanced at the clock on his rnantel-
piece and saw that II was nearly ten,
md closed his eyes again with n com.
Portable sigh. But just as he did 80
he heard q loud knock at the street
door below, followed moment later
by the murmur of hurried voices, then
n sound of quick footsteps on the stairs.
and somebody raped sharply on the
door.
"Ycsr he shouted.
Bob! Bob!''
'-rhat you All? Come In"
The door was pushed open. ana Nal
den came hurrylng In. with white.
scared face, and horrined look In Ills
eyes.
"Oh. Bobw he exclaimed, breathless-
ly, II have news for you. Bad news.
Terrible news.'
"Eh? What IL IT." demanded Bob,
sitting up In bed.
"Why-why." stnnmercd Maiden,
when reached the studio this morn
ing. the very first thing saw as went
In was your Hero"
"Yesf'
"Smashed-smnshed into atoms,
Bob gave long, low whistle.
well" lie said. speaking slowly and
thoughfully, perhaps after all, it's the
very best thing that could have hap
pened to It."
what. shouted Maiden, ARE you
dreaming? Are You madT'
mo. ! daresny I've been dreaming
said Bob. quietly. What l mean Is.
this-this accident puts us on our old
footing again. The brenking OF the
Hero ns 1t were, restores what wns
broker, or beginning to break, of our old
friendship. I'd rather the Hero broke
than our old friendship. ALT"
Maiden looked at him earnestly for
moment.
Look here. Bob" he said hoarsely.
IT know what is in your thoughts. You
think did 1t. and you are making ex-
cuses for me-
NO. no. ALI"
But you are You know how jealous
and mean l was last night-what
brute | was-a selfish. unmanly brute.
And you think did 1t. 1t Ii only
natural that you should. But, on my
word OF honor l did not do it, did
not do it.' cried Maiden, eagerly. and
with tears In his eyes.
II know you didn't do It," said Bob,
positively.
How can You know? WHO should
you suspect but me, after all said last
night? I-wlio should have been the
very first 10 have congratulated you, to
be glad with you and proud of you-to
yr,Ia nj
envy and unfriendly, selfish regrets!
Oh, Bob. lay awake last night think
Ing about 1t; couldn't sleep, was 30
ashamed Of myself. Believe me, old
fellow. nll my envy us only n passing
feeling springing out of my bad luck.
! didn't really in my heart feel what
said. 1t was only that your good luck
by contrast made me more fully aware
Of my own bad luck"
II knew 1t! felt sure of it!' cried
Bob.
''And got up this only anxious to
apologize for my miserable conduct,
and assure you how truly glad was
that you had made lucky hit at last;
and here-when 1 get to the studio
the first thing ! see is the Hero shat.
tered TO fragments" said Maiden.
And yet you don't seem to feel 1t half
SO much rs do"
well" said Bob. 'lt is n relief to me
to think that there Is no longer any
thing to separate MS, to make me too
proud TO be your friend, or to humiliate
yoli--"
'q'Ah! you haven't forgotten my
words." cried Maiden. You think
broke 1t; but didn't And I shall new
er rest until / have found out the vii
lain who did 1t. SO that l may remove
from your mind every shadow Of sus
picion ngiinst me-"
MY dear fellow, know you did not
do it And think know the villain
who did,. said Bob slirewdly.
You do? Who did It? 1 shall never
feel comfortable till 1 find outv'
Don't say any more about It
know perfectly who did It,
How do you know? Who was III
You won't tell me? No. Because you
think am the man, though you won't
own it!'
Nothing OF the sort. tell you
know who did It," cried Bob The
fact is, us I walked home last night
felt the injustice of what you had been
saying. and what a brute 1 was to take
pride in what so humiliated you. Al.
ter all these years our old friendship
was breaking up, and all through Inc,
ms You may say. Hadn't you and
been happy together NIL our livesi
Should ever he 10 hnppy in my cir.
ctinlstances without your friendship
With the knowledge, too. that had hu-
INFLATED you md estraDged you from
me! Well, that's how thought II all
over as I came home. and couldn't
stand It. was palning you, and my.
self too. Success wasn't worth such q
price. felt 1t so strongly TINT sud
denly made up my mind TOTO show
you that i wasn't SUCH a selfish, cold
hearted. ambitious wretch AZ ! seemed
1 turned and went straight back to the
| studio and