Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1901-07-10
wards room.

wards room. =. =,....s ~
"Hello, old man! What you doingY'
I'm doing what said I would. I'm
going to leave you. can't room with
drinker any more" -
Edward had his trunk out and was
packing his things into it. The sight
completely sobered Willis.
do you mean it?' he asked quietly
as Edward looked up at him.
II certainly do" exclaimed Edward.
'Then," said Willis, you are willing
that I should go to the devil alone
You're a nice friend, you are"
Edward looked up at him, still kneel-
ing by his trunk.
CHAPTER <.
''1t's not a matter of friendship" be-
gan Edward, with even more than his
usual doggedness. "It's simply a mat
ter of necessity. I've stood the racket
as long as I can stand it. If you're
bound to make a fool Of yourself, 1
don't know that I am bound to room
with you and suffer from it,
mo, you'll look after Edward Blake
all right enoughv' retorted Willis,
either purposely or unconsciously prob
ing down into the real selashness Of
Edwards moral rectitude.
Edward turned and went on with his
packing, and Willis went back into the
other room.
There was g. silence of several min
utes. Then Edward came out of his
bedroom and gathered up his books
and few other things that belonged to
him and went back into his bedroom
with them. He packed them in and
flung down the lid, locked it, strapped
the trunk and came out into the room
and took down his coat and put on his
hat
want any help about getting your
trunk down stairs? You had to have
some about getting it up" said Willis
as he wheeled about from the window
where he was standing and faced Ed
ward, his hand in his pocket and a
smile on his face that hurt Edward
more than If he had struck him. The
words and the tone reminded him ir-
resistibly Of that first meeting, when
he had befriended him during that first
blow Of great trouble. And here he
was leaving him when perhaps he
ought to stay by hlm. And the promise
to Willis mother was he true to
that?
If Willis had uttered plea then, it
Is possible Edward might have recon
sidered his action. But Willis turned
around to the window again and began
to whistle a tune. 1t was. unfortunate
ly, the same tune he had whistled the
night before, and the sound irritated
Edward again.
Heres my key" he said shortly,
going over to Willis table and flinging
it down.
"All right" said Willis quietly. Then
he suddenly turned around and faced
Edward, and there was actually q tear
in his eye.
Wont you shake hands, Ned, before
you go? l don't blame you a bit. BY
George, I wonder you've stood it as
long as you have. But l don't want
you to bear me Ill will. I'll 60 to hell
fast enough without your helping to
push"
The unexpected attitude of Willis
almost upset Edward. He put out his
hand silently and shook Willis, and
as he did so his eye travelled down the
empty coat sleeve. And, again, If
Willis had waited just second Ed
ward might even then have changed
his mind. But he turned around to
the window and resumed his whis-
ting, and Edward slowly went over
into his bedroom and dragged out his
trunk, put it. out in the hall, shut the
door and went down stairs, leaving the
trunk against the wall at the end of
the upper passage.