Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-10-25
JUSTICE TO DIXON.


Helmuth to assign him Dixon's obitu-
airy? He continued to sharpen his
pencil until there was nothing left but
stub. The next stroke of the knife
would have taken a bit of his finger
when he caught himself with start
and gave harsh, metallic laugh.
Then he gathered up little pile of
cedar chips and graphite flakes and put
them in the waste basket.
Why should he not write Dixon's
obituary? He could afford to be gen.
erous and give him good one, for he
was glad that Dixon was dead; riotous-
ly, intoxicatedly glad Of it. Now he
could breathe freely once more. He
had grown haggard and worn during
the weeks that Dixon's life had hung
In the balance. He 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 year, afraid
of his manliness, his intelligence, and
his big, warm heart.
He had been even more afraid of
these than of his handsome person,
and Dixon had been a 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, Dixon is a strik-
ing figure"
Strange that fair hair, pair of blue
eyes and attractive ways, joined with
the best intentions, can almost make a
demon Of a man sometimes. That was
what the combination seemed to have
done to Wainwright-that is, to his
soul; his manner was still conventions
ally correct. But the natural savage
in him was growing nightier every
day and straining more insistently at
the chains of civilization, an inherit
lance with which generations of re-
hnament had loaied him. He had
long ago ceased to care whether 1t
woulS ne right 10 kill Dixon.
That wa all over now. Providence,
that mysterious and omnipotent agency
that thwarts so many plans and sets at
naught so much endeavor. had been on
his side this time and had mercifully
removed Dixon. Wainwright was
weak and faint from the swapping of
the strain and revulsion of feeling.
He felt sorry for Dixon. He could re-
member now that he had been fond of
him before this thing came between
them. IL was not that he ever bore
him personally any ill-will, but only
that Dixon hhd been so horribly in the
way.
Yes, II did seem too bad for Dixon I;
everything to live for and yet to die.
But Dixon had been brave about II.
When they had told him that IL was
the end he had not seemed to care,
and the look of contentment was not a
me. momentary unlifting. but had
stayed en- his face. Wainwright had
not seer him; but those who had said
tSat even in death he smiled, as II
when entering the valley of shadows
he had seen light beyond. It was a
consolation to his mother; but some.
thing wonderful and mystifying to his
friends.
Perhaps II puzzled Wainwright more
than any one else: because he knew
that Dixon loved Elaine Pierpont.
Dixon had told him so himself, and
thus planted seeds of murder in his
heart. For with Dixon loving her.
she would in time love him. That was
foregone conclusion. No heart could
withstand that lovecompelling person
ality. Everybody loved Dixon. With
out exerting himself. he was irresis-
tible Therefore. Wainwright reason
ed. II Dixon set himself 70 win the best
love OF all. his success was inevitable.
With Dixon out of the way. however,
he would take his own chances with
the rest, and he would not fail either.
Elaine must love him; ne would make
her. he thought. fiercely.
But about the obituary: he would be
just and do his best with II, 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 child. He would
tell that. too. Dixon had been a
scholar. but transformations. He had
been accomplished. and he considered
that his accomplishments we're for the
benefit OF his friends. He was so
aifectlonate that he regarded all the
world as one big family and did his
best TO be universal brother. None
Of this should be left out. He had
N'eH afraid that some time he would
10 'mDelled to stab Dixon In the back.
81 he was so glad that typhoid.
n~enmonia has spared him this temp.
tatio1 that he laughed for very Joy, as