Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1900-04-19


even a pocket knife. rhe other man
had entered and closed the door behind
him, standing with his back to it. He
was short and rather stout and his
head sat almost upon his shoulders
/ His heavy nose and mouth bespoke an
obstinate but not particularly ill-na-
tured temperament. His eyes were
sunken in his head, but Rhoda could
see that they were black and singularly
sharp in their expression. The feet of
the man protruded FROM his shoes, and
his clothes were in ragged and filthy
state. He took his hat from his head
and dashed the moisture from it.
Il guess yer givin' a house wamin'
amt We he asked, smiling in as reas-
surfing manner as possible. I've
been leggin' it fer eighteen hours, and
I'm fit to drop"
! Rhoda would never have encountered
all of these endorsements which had
made him an outcast if he had not been
of a whimsical temperament. Now.
suddenly, his fear deserted him. He
desired an adventure. 1t certainly had
been devoid of adventure in the place
of his residence for the last two years.
He held out his hand
Come in said he There are two
chairs and fire enough for forty. 1t is
a pity | cannot give you something to
eat and drink"
He was smiling and actually, for
moment, a glow went through him like
that which comes from the exercise of
hospitality The other man advanced
almost jauntily.
well, call this white!" he said in
commentator. You're a gentleman.
ken see that if you are down on your
luck"
Don't speak of that, please" said
Rhoda lightly. Il was just making up
my mind to forget it for time"
"Eh? Well, that's a good idee.
Something to eat and drink, did yeh
say Man I've got it!'
mol"
Here yeh are" He took two slices
of dried bread out of his pocket
That's the eatin"
He produced a flask in which there
was, perhaps, four mouthfuls of amber
liquid.
And that's the drinkin, and there
might be more"
I'VE can toast the bread" suggested
Rhoda. His guest drew a formidable
knife from his pocket and opened its
one terrible blade slowly. Rhoda
smiled with infantile grace and seated
himself cross-legged before the fire.
He was not entirely sure Of the purpose
of that unsheathing of the weapon,
but he determined to make light of it.
However, he had apparently no cause
for apprehension His companion
stuck a slice of bread on the point of
the blade and held it up before the fire.
1T smells good, remarked Rhoda.
II wish to heaven theEe was smell of
hot coffee going with it,
The other man looked pensively into
the fire.
Yes, /" he said reiiectlvely, Il wish
so, too" He got to the second slice OF
bread and toasted it to warm brown.
Then they began to eat 1t was quite
ceremony The men talked OF going
to climate where there was no winter,
and they were truly magnificent, No
one listening would have doubted their
ability to visit such place if they had
pleased. Afterward they made the fire
safe and laid down with their feet to-
ward the glowing ashes and slept.
Maybe I'll be when | wake up and
maybe | won't thought Rhoda humor-
ously, as sleep came over him. But 1t
doesn't matter, really. That knife,
however, is an ugly sleeping compan-
ion. dare say | shall know more
about 1t by morning than do now"
He fell asleep easily for all OF that.
and he dreamt of walking under palms
with the man by his side, and of sailing
with him over summer seas. He
dreamt of fighting by his side, and of
struggling to defend him from danger;
and then, suddenly, he sat up and saw
the dawn peeping about the edges of
the curtain.
so the knife isn't in me, after ALL
he commented, and looked about for
his companion But he was no to be
found The room was unoccupied save
by himself Instinctively he felt for
his money. 1t was safe. And on the
foor By his side lay the knife, Rhoda
lifted 1t and stared at 1t stupidity
Then, by degrees, the significance of
1t came over him. IL was a gift for re-
membrance, and all that it's owner had
to bestow. II was the first evidence of
friendship that the man who held 1t in
his trembling hand had received for
years Something that he had thought
dead stirred in him. He put the gift
in his pocket and arose to his feet.
Obscurely 1t came across him that the
hospitality had been worth while, the
confidence had been worth while-it
had been worth whiie TO dream those
dreams OF comradeship. He went out
of the murky building and down on the
/ street. AS he walked along he held his