Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1900-02-14
He was sulkily ilent.

"Come on" Wickens said, putin,
down his paper. "Your llver's out o
order. A walk will do you good. 1t
a co d night and the moons out
lie took his chum by he arm Bald
WIN shook off lne friendly hans @lth
childish irritability. "All right" h,
SAID, I'm coming" ana rose to follow
| AS Wickens had remarked, he moor
was out. "Ihere," said Baldwin, wher
he saw it staring down at him, gov
many busy fools do you suppose that
old skull has leered atl"
"Ob, change the subject" Wicker 8
said. Everybody has the same trou-
bic at your age. It's the measles"
doesn't help me any,"
"Hold up your head" he ordered.
"Put your shoulders back and step
out. | never had an attacl CT the
blues yet that l couldn't walk away
from"
They tramped MISTY down the street
The brisk exertioD pumpe the blood
through Baldwin's veins. By the time
ne had walked Two blocks in silence the
cheerful movement had begun to drive
L
his bad mood from him and be groped
stubbornly about in his mind to hold
it.
When they neared the buster thor.
ougbfar's they crossed a regimen
OF the Salvation Army on it's way to
battle with the legions OF darkness.
Wickens heard the bass drum with q
smile.
'Lucky dogs" Baldwin sid. "They
think they know what they are about"
Wicksns lost his patience. sob,
don't be an ass" he said. Who arc
you, anyway, that all creation has to
give you its reason for existing"
Baldwin sulked again. In a mo-
ment, "Look at that" he broke out,
waving his hand to the row of lighted
shops Shaving and sleeping as if |
they knew what forl Where are the |
people that kept shop in old Rome!"
"Dsld most likely"
Yes, and what did they live forP'
"For the fun there was in it, |
guess."
"Clsver, you are" Baldwin was
With choking speeches. contempt.
Wickens saw the quarrel to ~aaisss-l
hey were drifting. "Wsll," he snuyr
you may 6sish this walk alone" and
terred before book shop window to
box over the array Of volumes.
Baldwin Stalked down the street,
ursing his mood.
He turned down ride street and /;
ttemptsd short cut across the road
ay. He heard feeble shrek behind ,
Inn. Something ntruck him stiff, on
,e arm, An arm clutched abcut his
eek, and before he could put out his l
and the asphalt pavement reached up
1d struck him slsdge hammer blow Z
the forehead. There was an ex-
osion in his brain like the sudden !;
ame OF fashight. Then all the in
inst of animal reused him to self
reservation. Drawing his legs up HI
ldsr him, he arched his back, slipped q
@ eneny's hold over his lead and
ooksd his arm up to ward a possible Il
ow. The foe lay limp on the road b
side him. he had been run down
q young lady on bicycle, 81
"Oh," he said, recovering himself at q,
ce.
81 beg your pardon" He had q,
rung to his feet. "Are you hurt?" is
d was trying 10 disentangle her from b.
, machine. W
She drew her fee: up hslplsssly into y"
skirts. He was p!usking those,
h hurried Guinness from the teeth bi
tue gearing. 81 didn't SEQ you II
nisg" he apolopizsd as he raised a.
:. Il hope you're not hurt" y,
She pressed her nd,pantinp, against pl
side. Moo. she ga,ped, "only &C
sutened. la
But when lie released her she tot {"