The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1900-09-13

| ing?" he asked.
NO." said John, thrilling, he knew
not why, with communicated terror.
| NE, heard nothing; why" And tAen'
as there was no answer, he revertcl 70
| his pleading:
"But say, Alan, you've got 10 take
me in. I'll go right away to bed II you
have. anything to do. | seem 10 nave
been drinking; | was that knocked
over. / wouldn't turn you away, Alan'
If you were down on your luck.
MOP" returned Alan. Neither VIII
you, then. Come and let's get your
portmanteau."
The cabman was paid, and drove oil
down the long, lamp-lghted hill, and
the two friends stood on the sidewalk
beside the portmanteau till the last
rumble of the wheels had died In ST.
lence. 1t seemed to John as though
Alan attached importance to this de-
parture of the cab; and John, who was
in no state TO criticise, shared pro-
foundry in the feeling.
When the stiffness was once more
perfect, Alan shouldered the portman-
teau, carried it in, and shut and locked
the garden door; and then, once more,
abstraction seemed to fall upon him,
and he stood with his hand on the key
until the cold began TO nibble at Johns
fingers.
why are we standing here?" asked
John.
"Eh?" said Alan, blankly.
Why. man, you don't seem your
SELF" said the other
No, I'm not myself" said Alan; and
he sat down on the portmanteau and
put his face in his hands.
John stood beside him swaying lit
tie, and looking about him at the sway
ing shadows, the fitting sparkles, and
the steady stars overhead, until the
MINDLESS cold began to touch him
through his clothes on the bare skin.
Even in his bemused intelligence, won
der began to awake.
Il say. let's come on to the house.
he said at last.
Yes, let's come on to the house." re-
peated Alan.
And he rose at once. reshouldered
the portmanteau, and taking the candle
in his other hand, moved forward to
the Lodge. This was long, low build
ing, smothered in creepers; and now,
except for some chinks of light between
the dining-room shutters, it was plung-
ed in darkness and silence.
In the hall Alan lighted another can
die, gave it to John, and opened the
door of bedroom
Here" said he; ego to bed. Don't
mind me. John. You'll be sorry for me
when you know"
wait Bit" returned John; 'I've
got so cold with all that standing about.
Let's go into the dining-room minute.
Just one glass to warm me, Alan"
On the table in the hall stood a glass.
and a bottle with a whisky label on a
tray. 1t was plain the bottle had been
just opened, for tie cork and corkscrew
lay beside it.
Take that" said Alan, passing John
the whisky, and then with a certain
roughness pushed his friend into the
bedroom and closed the door behind
him.
John stood amazed; then he shook
the bottle, and, to his further wonder,
found 1t partly empty. Three or four
glasses were gone. Alan must have un-
corked a bottle of whisky and drank
three or four glasses one after the 9TH
or without sitting down, for there was
no chair. and that In his own cold lobby
on this freezing night! 1t fully explain
ed his eccentricities, John reflected saw
agely, as he mixed himself a grog.
Poor Alan! He was drunk; and what
dreadful thing was drink, and what a
slave to it poor Alan was, to drink in
this unsociable, uncomfortable fashion,
The man who would drink alone. ex-
cept for health's sake-as John was
now doing-was man utterly lost. He
took the grog out, and felt hazier, but
warmer. 1t was hard work opening the
portmanteau and finding his night
things, and before he was undressed,
the cold had struck home to him once
more. Well" said he; "just a drop
more. There's no sense in getting Ill
with all this other trouble" And pres
emily dreamless slumber buried him.
ITO BE coNriSUEo.J