Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-03-10
CHAPTER II.-CoNr1NUED.

CHAPTER II.-CoNTINUED.
The streets were empty of foot-pas-
sengers as I trudged briskly (the night
was chilly to my hotel. A fog, held at
bay by high wind, was impending and
likely to roll in from the ocean before
dawn; but the sky above the city was
clear and starlit. In my pocket was an
address, my destination on the morrow;
IN my heart was hope; in my head were
n score of surmises chasing each other
into blind alleys. I had walked some
rs yards, when an impulse moved me to
halt and look backward. Gerard's man
sion, its mansard roofs sharply out
lined against the purple armament,
crowned the top of the hill; and its
massive proportions, in such striking
contrast to the bodily presence of the
owner, impressed me sadly. The very
stones of his palace proclaimed the
Titanic efforts which had piled one
upon another. The lust of millions.
like monstrous bat, had sucked from
its victim vitality and virility. To
the right and left were other palaces,
and I recalled the histories of the men
who built them, and shuddered. The
loneliness of the spot, a solitude grim
with spectral activities, was awful.
Suddenly l became aware that an
other beside myself was intently re-
garding the house above. In the shad-
aows across the street, leaning against
a lamp-post, stood a man absorbed in
contemplation. Fancy urged me to
approach him.
It was Burlington.
recognized him at once from
Gerards description. His eyes coun-
tered mine savagely; then the heavy
lids fell.
"a fine night said I.
SAY he returned coldly.
<"The temples of Plutus," continued,
snake a brave showing by starlight"
He jerlled his hand in the direction of
Telegraph Hill. 'sThere, sir, lies Dago-
town; there, the Greek quarter. Hard
ly a stones throw from us is China
town, where opium fiends and pesti-
fence run amuck; and here = he
laughed harshly-"is Mob HILL"
The somber significance of his words
could not be misunderstood. Once in
Chicago I had heard a famous an
archist address his associates. At my
urgent request, a Pole whom I had be-
friended stood my sponsor and saved
me a broken head, possibly a broken
neck. The dominant note of the
speech had been truly demoniac sug-
gestion. The actual words of the speak
er were void of offense (from an official
point of view); but beneath the velvety
periods was the snarl of the wild beast.
Burlington's apostrophe. commonplace
enough, brought to mind the Chicago
den, with its flaming gas jets and
brutal odors.
Some" he said, abruptly, "we shall
both catch cold loafing in this bitter
wind. I'm chilled to the marrow al
ready"
We paced a few steps in silence.
Eve might wear each others clothes,"
he said, answering my unspoken
thoughts; ''but l." he sighed, lam past
my prime. BY the by, I've seen you
before. Your name is Livingston-Hugo
livingston"
a'Yes."
-.And you write-fairly we'll for be-
ginner; but there's nothing in it; not
bread and butter. My name is Burling-
ION. You are a stranger here? Just 50.
AS brother craftsman let me welcome
you to Cosmopolis. There is lots of
material here, hard and soft. Do you
propose to work it up?"
His questions, and certain warmth
of manner, put me on my guard
wondered if he had seen me leave the
house of his enemy.
my plans are uncertain.
Course it, I'm frozen. Will you
pledge me in glass of hot brandy-and-
water"
THANK you, no. I'm past due at my
hotel. Good night"
eve shall certainly meet again" he
returned, carelessly; "and so. Mr.. Liv-
Sngston. au revoir."
The next morning, slipping my coffee,
a paragraph in one of the dailies sea-
@soned my reflections. It proclaimed
briefly the immediate departure of Bur
Iington for lands unknown. AT II
o'clock had left this man at the cor
ner of California and Kearny streets,
and the forms of the Enquirer went to
press at three.
Talk. according to DIR. Holmes, is
spading up the ground feg crops Of
thought Assuredly my conversation
with Burlington had brought forth
already an abundant harvest