Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-10-13
CHAPTER XI.


David loitere6 over his after dinner
coffee Though expected at the office, y
Discrimination TO enter the world Of
prose and machinery mastered him. He
was in a relaxed and fanciful mood. He
sat by the club window, conscious Of
the shadows fitting under the lamps,
listening to the street sounds. He talk
ed with those about him on social hap
penings and politics, but always, no
matter what was said, felt fine disre-
gard of it all, because the glamour OF the
afternoon was with him still and his
deeper thought was of that alone.
"I'd love to hear Anne sing ballad
tonight" he thought, as he went down
the steps, cigar between his lips. II
wonder if she's at home. She can't be
off with Donald anywhere, for he WASH t
in town today. I'll see if she's in, at
any rate. The walk down the lower
part of the avenue and across Washing
ton square will be glorious on night
like this.
David was in mood when man is
his own historian and reads the facts Of
life with pleasure or sense of failure
according to the truth in that intimate,
unpublished record. He saw none of the
passersby, was only half conscious OF
the frost and the gaslit streets. He was
regarding his years from boyhood and
measuring the completeness of his pres
ent by his use of opportunities.
1t was a comfortable reverie. He had
nothing to regret. The death of his ia
ther had been his only grief, soon lived
down in the fullness of ambition and
independent wealth. No shadow lurked
in his past. He had experimental with
"the world, the flesh and the devil, y
but had formed no ignoble ties. He had
splendid health, invincible will, limit.
less desire for success in whatever he
touched, clean years behind him, a
shadowless future. Suppose he mar
ried? A picture rose before him as in,
eiting in its way as the others of the
group Why not? A woman, gentle.
beautiful, sympathetic, rejecting him,
sharing his life, children i'll his home,
their future to be laid and finished
when his own life was practically over.
His heart glowed; spirit singing OF
| triumph went with him.
Very soon-for he walked quickly
he had crossed the almost empty square
| to the street where Anne lived. Her
sympathy meant much to him, since he
wished urgently for her tonight, as il
she would divine the power of the new
dream possessing him and all his secret
thoughts. He might lead her on to talf
| to him about Olga.
AS he went toward the house his eye!
/ were fastened on her windows. He wa
| not aware that man had come down
the garden path and, having opened
| the gate, stood watching him. But whei
his eyes became accustomed to thu
shadow he saw Donald's face under thu
low drawn hat. 1t was almost unfa
miliar, haggard, of sick pallor, th'
old curse with new shame upon it.
David looked at him in silence. Thu
leniency of secret brotherhood between
them had lately influenced his inward
attitude toward Donald, and there wa
an elder brothers. scrutiny and impa
thence in the look he fixed upon him.
"When sent for you this morning
Donald, heard you hadn't been HON,
for three days." he said gravely. So
thought you'd gone to the lightship tt
make the pictures for Arnold's story
though next week would have done fol-
that. Did you go?"
Donald drew back into the path, the
light of the street lamp upon him. HI
seemed to age. He lifted his hands ant
let them fall heavily.
"No, I didn't. meant to go. l.
well, you see how it's been with me, y
he said bluntly.
you've been drinking again.
you've hit it. Going at the devil:
pace.
1t was the apathetic admission of one
yanquished
David had always thought of hin
with impatienoe as one deliberately bad,
seeking the congenial though it meant
wreckage, and he had mentally washed
his hands of him long ago. Just because
he was brother and dependent he had
retained him ON The Citizen despite hi:
lapses, paying him for what work he
handed in, never questioning him, let
ting him entirely alone. He had always
viewed two things as hopeless-a WON
an with a hobby, a man with vice
There was no lasting virtue in reforma
ton. He had seen so many failures ever
when men and women hungered for the
good they were not strong enough tc
grasp. And now Donald-the old story
1t was pity. The years behind him
were his future temptation. There is
shock in a fall, but a step to familiar
conditions is easy enough.
He fingered his cigar uneasily, almost
at loss for words.
Sim sorry you were weak, Donald, y