The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1895-01-24

4uACnSy 4buS ~. {14sG ~ idLc.S.f We SlltIl
both think differently in the morning,
perhaps Let's be off home"
For some time Maiden hurried along
deep in full and Responding refiec-
tions. So long as they both were re-
garded as men of equal mediocrity he
did not care, although all the while he
was conscious of his superior merit
And to think that one single piece of
work had made all the differences! All
that had been done might in moment
be undone, if an enemy of Bob's-sup-
posing him to have an enemy-could
get into the studio and maliciously
shatter the Hero with a few blows
of the mallet.
Next morning, when the faint
wintry sunlight looked in at BSnnis-
ter's little curtained window, it found
him lying awake in bed yawning
drowsily. lie glanced at the clock on
his mantelpiece, and saw that it was
nearly ten, and closed his eyes again
with a comfortable sigh. But just as
he did SO he heard loud knock at the
street door below, followed a~moment
later by the murmur of hurried voices,
then sound of quick footsteps on the
stairs and somebody rapping sharply
on the door.
"Yes?" he shouted.
"Bob! Bob!''
"That you, ALT? Come in"
The door was pushed open, and
Maiden came hurrying in, with a
white, scared face and Mortified look
in his eyes.
''Oh, Bob" he exclaimed, breathless-
ly. 81 have news for you. Bad news.
Terrible news"
'Eh? What is it?" demanded Bob.
sitting up in bed.
"Why-why." stammered Maiden,
"when reached the studio this morn
ing, the very first thing saw as I
went in was your Hero"
"Yes?"
"Smashed-smashed into atoms!''
Bob gave long, low whistle.
"Well," he said. speaking slowly and
thoughtfully, perhaps, after all, it's
the very best thing that could have
happened to it"
"What!" shouted Maiden, ARE you
dreaming? Are you mad?"
"No. | dare say I've been dream
ing" said Bob, quietly. what mean
is this-this accident puts us on our
old footing again. The breaking of
the Hero as it were, restores what
was broken, or beginning to break, of
our old friendship. I'd rather the
Hero broke than orr friendship, ALT"
Maiden looked at him earnestly for
a moment.
Look here, Bob" he said, hoarsely,
II know what is in your thoughts.
You think did it, and you are making
excuses for me-"
mo, no, ALI"
"But you are. You know how jeal-
a brute | was-a selfish, unmanly
brute. And you think did it. 1t is
only natural that you should. But, on
my word OF honor, I did not do i'll
did not do it!' cried Maiden, eagerly,
and with tears in his eyes.
Il know you didn't do it," said Bob,
positively.
''How can you know? Who should
you suspect but me, after all l said last
night? I-who should have been the
very first to have congratulated you,
to be glad with you and proud of you
to meet you with nothing but miser-
able envy and unfriendly, selfish re-
grets. Oh, Bob, lay awake last night
thinking about it; couldn't sleep, l
was so ashamed of myself. Believe
me, old fellow, all my envy was only a
passing feeling, springing out of my
bad luck. didn't really in my heart
feel what l said. 1t was only that
your good luck, by contrast, made me
more fully aware of my own bad
luck"
81 knew it! l felt sure of It'll" cried
Bob
And l got up this morning, 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 | get to
the studio-the first thing see is the
Hero shattered to fragments" said
Maiden: And yet you don't seem to
feel it half so much as do
Well" said Bob, cit is a relief to
me to think that there is no longer
anything to separate us, to make me
too proud to be your friend, or to hui
initiate you"
"Ah! you haven't forgotten my
words!" cried Maiden. ''You think I
broke it; but didn't. And l shall
never rest until have found out the
villain who did it, SO that may re-
move from your mind every shadow of
suspicion against me-
MY dear fellow, know you did not
do it. And think know the villain
who did," said Bob, shrewdlv.
"You do? Who did it? l shall never
feel comfortable till find out!''
Don't say any more about it. I
know perfectly who did it,
GLOW do you know? Who was it?
You won't tell me? No; because you
think am the man. though you won't
own it!'
Nothing of the sort. tell you 1
know who did it," cried Bob. Tho |
fact is, as walked home last night I |
felt the injustice of what you had been
rovinr and what a hr,,ta was tO take |