El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-12-16
Every Day Courage.
Written Especially for THE HERALD.

hallway of his friends apartment il
response to a summons bawled out from
some part of the interior. 'What
Breasing up?" the caller asked, peer
ing through lighted doorway. He
had been obi Ped to announce himself
10 some way, for the occupant OF the
room sat Cd the floor with his back tt
til. entrance, and evidenced no inten-
Ga of turning to greet his visitor.
s'Scott, your manners are beastly,
wa, the intruders next remark, as ne
threaded his way through the maze OF
mouse hold wreckaye that made 1hRress
difficult. At this the broad shoulders
tlrned quickly, and in moment Scott
was shaking his friends hand in aman'
ner SO hearty that Willoughby forRave
the boorishness of his first greeting.
.sSit down, old man, If you can find a
place. Yes, we are breaking up, &c
you call IT," and the speaker swept his
arms in hopeless way over the con-
fusion of books, pictures, and bachelor
bric-a- brac Including some fine stetnsl
that we're Uttered over the floor and
piled on the furniture. The owner of
these effe Is had been sitting in the
center of a half circle of boxes and
truuks, into which he was distributing
the co tents of the book shelves in front
of him.
"Wnere is the boy?'" asked the
caller. Cleared OUT was ScOtt's short
reply, as he turned to light his pipe
and rummage about for another for his
friend.
tYou haven't quarrelei, have you?"
Willonghby inquired quickly, for when
he left the city year ago Scott and
1.-The boy'' had just taken the apart
ment to al was now being dismantled,
and The two were apparently settled for
some time. The boy'' was the pet
name applied by close friends to Scott's
fellow-lodger, Harrison, q handsome
young fellow VINO bad come to town a
few years before and was now q mem
Der of a firm of architects whose name
was to be found on the bronze tablets
in a good many of the largest Office
buildings in New York The only COM
plant ever made of him " as that he did
not "shine;'' he was doing some of the
best work ia his profession, but few
people ever heard his name mentioned
In connection with it. In social affairs
it was the same way; among his friends
in his own rooms he was the life OF the
small crowd that frequently assemtled
there, but ION his feet he is rank dull"
had been the opinion expressed by one
of his companions.
"How long have you been in town."
Scott asked instead of answering Will
loughby's question.
"Got here at O'Clock. 1 had to stop
1t Washington yesterday to make
report and came over this morning. L
tell you its good to get back even for
thirty days. The fun of soldering In
Cuba is all over. There is nothing but
manual labor TO do there now" Then
he added, after a moments hesitation:
II wouldn't have left, though, on any
other errand than the one that brought
me here.''
"OHfcial. suppose?'
NO." replied Willoughby, son the
contrary quite the reverse"
Scott numb led something and looked
20 sbsurdly unhappy that the young
soldier laughed outright.
'sWhat ia the trouble, old man? Has
someone bothered you with q retainer"
(Scott made feeble pref -nce of prsc-
ticing law, but a comfortable income
enabled him to confiue his laoors to the
the Office boy: who was the sole occu-
pant of the Office considerably more |
than half the time.)
You say Harrison has cleared out. |
What is 1t all about? Don't sit there |
looking at me in that lugubrious fash
ion. Out with It..
The boy and I haven't quarreled."
Scott answered after few futile pulls
at his pipe. 81 jawed him a bit for
leaving me with these COMPOUNDED |
rooms on my hands, but there was no
row. He has changed his plans-living
over in Jersey somewhere-Cranfo l
believe"
sob, Crawford, I" was the lieuteuant's
observation seemingly to himselD, as
he recalled that the object of his errand
lived q Z the ''oext stop" "And that's
what % lakes you so glum, is it?''
mot exactly" Scott spoke now
With the tone of a man who has formed
resolution TO perform hateful duty.
If you will find seat somewhere and
light that pipe I'll tell you about it
Fact lie, my boy, you are in this story
q way"
W1lloughby's expression was a COM
,osite of mystifcation and uneasiness, | !
nut he only waved his hand as signal
hat mis- friend should proceed. This
as just what he did not seem ready to
10.
s'For heavens sake if you have any
hing to say" Willoughby finally re-
marked, rather previously.
Harrison is going to marry Miss ,
Dead" Scott said suddenly, being care
ul, however, not to look at his listener. e
When he had impaired this informa- :
ion he seemed to be able to go ahead
Without further delay. "I'll tell you
ow 1t happened-the engagement, L
mean. The boy has known her d long
ime: ever since he came to New York.
irst girl he ever met, and he was in .
ove with her from the moment he was
Introduced. Says he was, anyway.
But Harrison, you know, is a queer sort l
f chap. Has no idea of his worth and .
Ii that. He isn't half 'pushful' enough
D get along in this world with men
1t alone women. He thought Miss N
lead would never look at him, aud 1 Q
oppose she took him at his own valua- .
Oh. Women are ap. to do that, you .
cow. At any rate, he made no prog
ess. YOu know what L mean; [ am p
slling you the results of my observa- y