The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-10-12
70 Dixon.
A Story of Two Newspaper
Men and a Woman.
by CARRIE CLARK NOTTINGHAM,

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Wainwright sharpencd his pencil vi
ciousy. What fend had prompted Hell
muth to assign him DiXon's obituary?
lie continued to sharpen his pencil until
there was nothing left but stub. The
next stroke Of the knife would have TAX
en- a bit of his finger when he caught him
self with a start and gave a harsh metal
lie laugh. Then he gathered up the little
pile of cedar chips and graphite flakes
and put them in the wastobaskct.
Why should he not write DiNou's obit-
uary? He could afford to be generous
and give him a good one, for he was glad
that Dixon was dead: riotously intoEi-
catedly glad of it. Now he could brea he
freely once more. He had grown h0g-
gard and worn during the weeks that
Dixon's life had hung in the balance. lie
had feared that Dixon would get well.
He could not remember having feared
anything SO much before, and he had
been afraid of Dixon himself for almost
a year, afraid of his maulucss, his intel
ligcucc and his big, warm heart
He had been even more afraid of these
than of his handsome person, and Dixon
had been q striking figure. Wainwright
noted with satisfaction that already he
was thinking of Dixon in the past perfect
tense. An hour ago he would have said,
"piyon is q striking figure"
Strange that fair hair, q pair of blue
eyes and attractive ways joined with the
hest intentions can almost make demon
of a man sometimes, Thlt was what the
combination seemed to have done To-
Wainvright-that is, to his soul. His
manner was still convontigually correct.
But The natural savage In him was grow
ing mightipr cvory day ANA was straiuing
more iusstcutly at the chains of cividza-
tiou, an inheritance with which genera
tions of refinement had loaded him. He
had long ago ceased to care whether it
would be right TO kill Dixon.
That was all over now. Providence,
that mysterious and omuipoteut agency
that thwarts SO many plans and sets at
naught 50 much eudcayor, had been ON
his side this time and had mcrciCully re-
moved Dixon. Wainwright was weak
and faint from the swapping of tie strain
and royulsinn of feeling. He felt sorry
for Dixon. He could remember now that
he had been fond of him before this thing
came between them. It was not that he
over bore him personally any i'll WILL but
only that Dixon had been so horribly III
the way.
Yes il did seem too bad for Dixon;
everything to live for and yet to die But
Dixon had been brave about it. When
they had told him that it was the end
be had not seemed to care, and the look
of contcntment was not mere momen-
tary uplifting but-had staid on his face.
Wainwright had not seen him, but those
who had said that even in death he
smiled, as if when entering the valley Of
shadows he had seen a light beyond. 1t
was q consolation to his mother, but
something wonderful and mystifying to
his friends.
Perhaps it puzzled Wainwright more
than any one else because he knew that
Dixon loved Elaine picrpont. Dixon had
told him so himself and thus planted the
seeds of murder in his heart, for with
Dixon loving her she would in time love
him. That was Il foregone conclusion.
No heart could withstand that love COM
pclling personality. Everybody loved
Dixon. Without cXerting himself he was
irresistible Therefore, Wainwright rca-
soned, if Dixon set himself to win the
best love of all his success was inevita-
bic. With Dixon out Of the way, how
ever, he would take his own chances with
the rest, and he would not fail either
Elaine must love him. He would make
her, he thought icrcely
But about the obituary. He would he
just and do his best with it. Dixon had
been generous and brave, and he would
say so. Dixon had been high minded
and pure and upright He would put
that in. Dixon had been as handsome
as a Greek god and as warm hearted as
a child. He would tell that too. Dixon
had been a scholar, but transformations.
He had been accomplished, and he con
sidered that his accomplishments were
for the benefit of his friends. He was
so affectionate that he regarded all the
world as one big family and did his best
to be a universal brother. None of this
should be left out. He had been afraid
that some time he would be impeled to
stab Dixon in the back, and he was so
glad that typhoid pneumonia had spared
him m-this temptation that he laughed for
very JOY rs he got out a fresh pencil and
sharpencd it properly.
He wrote the title "Justice to Dixon"
almost unconsciously and then shuddered
at the grim truth and glaring impropriely
of it. Hastily be tore up the paner and
began on fresh sheet. IL Vi not
bother about title anyway ..elmuth
would attend to that He would concen-
trate his whole effort upon the subject
matter He could recall so many little
anecdotes which showed the lovable ma
ture of the man, so many bright sayings
that were triiles in themselves, but all
told for noble living. They would make
the picture more vivid and lifelke. Dix
on's friends should see the grandeur Of
the man as perhaps they had failed to
see it in his lifetime, for they had had
him at too close range.
1t was no ordinary obituary that Vain.
wright was making. A transformation
had come over him. His face was pale
his eyes blazed; his breath was short
He had become an artist in love with hi
theme, and it was a part Of his soul h
rrsx. g. T.