The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-10
The Othar Man

He stood on the brink Of the precipfce
and looked over. Three hundred feet
below hin the sea broke on the somber
rocks.
The mans muscles tensioned and he
drew deep breath. What an easy way
TO end It all, Just one little step-and
! he would never have TO bear the agony
OF hearing that she was married 10 Ey-
erett
He turned with scornfu laugh at his
/; / own weakness.
Home again, he flung himself into an
J easy chair and lit his pipe. resolved TO
give way no longer TO morbid imagin-
ings.
He picked up a magazine but his
. thoughts flew off at a tangent to the
dance which was TO take place that ve-y
evening to when be mad been invited.
He thought how cool and beautiful she
would look in her white muslin, with her
fluffy golden hair framing her sweet IT.
tie hower-like face. Perhaps he would
go. after all Then second figure rose
up TO spoil the picture-handsome happy
go-lucky Everett with a merry word for
everyone, dancing untiring attendance on
the fascinating hostess and never leav-
ing her side for q moment
His thoughts few back to that dance
one week ago--one week so crowded with
hopes and fears that il Seemed a life
time.
He remembered those two dances, the
music, the scent Of flowers in the con
servatory, and, more distinctly than all.
the laughing face of Dolly
Then those few overheard words rush
cd through his brain He clinched his
fists and his face flushed at the reco.-
lection. He had drifted from the bail
room to the conservatory Would she
cOnsent2 That was the question that
throbbed in his brain Should he say
the words that would decide his future
life and hers? And then he heard peo-
pie talking. lie recognized the voice OF
Everett, and then Dollys They were
seated on the opposite side of the con-
servatory- and had not seen him as he
sat almost concealed behind a tangle OF
palm leaves.
Dolly" Everett was saving. you
must say Yes My whole life depend
upon it. We have been chums SO long
say YOU viii. and make ne the happiest
man i'm England. not to speak OF Scot
/ land Ireland. and Wales. Say Yes"
4 know what you want to say-that we
ought 10 be getting back again. And
there are all those loathsome peop.
/ who want dances. COnfOund EN-. You
/ VIII? Z knew you would"
Eraser had sat there. almost unable to
/ move He did not know how long The
music from the ballroom foated out in
/ to the conservatory mingling with the
! laughter and chatter of the guests All
hope, I'll interest in life was gone
snatched from him by those few over
heard words. People were asking for
1 him What did it matter. nothing mat
/ tered now. A voice reused him He
/ looked up. and saw Everett before him
! Everett, who was his friend: who was
now his rival-his enemy
/ Halo, Fraser, old man. you seem to
/ be ten fathoms deep in the blue dumps.
! What's the matter now? Come and have
[ a smoke with me. I've been looking for
you half the evening"
And that all happened a week ago!
\ A Week-the most miserable in his life
And now he was trying to forget her.
/ What a. fool he wasi
/ The thought of that steep drop down
to the sea kept recurring to his mind
again and again with fatal fascination.
put # away from him as he would
At last he got up. It was no good
staying in. Inaetion was torture to him
l in his present frame of mind He would
try and walk It off
He started off rapidly, without any def
mite aim or intention. but unconscioIs-
ly his steps turned toward the coast.
and presently he found himself once
more ascending the steep little path he
had tr4versed that morning.
AS h neared the summit he perceived
that there was a mans figure before
him, STOPPING perilously over the danger
Gus edge, evidently gathering some plant
from the cliff below
1T was foolhardy thing to do and
evidently bespoke Of a strong brain.
little nearer and he stepped short.
abruptly. The STOPPING figure was Ev-
/ erott
All his love and hate surged up within
him. Everett. the man who had stolen
his love from him-the man who had
made his life blank and barren waste.
A thousand devils seemed let loose with
I In him. How very near that stooDing
figure was to death-so near that one
touch-just one little motion Of the foot
and he would lose his balance and 20
speeding. speeding down those smiling
cliffs and be hurled to pieces on those
cruel rocks beneath
suppose it had happened sccfdentallya
Even as he thought he knew he was a
coward Even taen he was thinking Of
his own skin. Suppose sudden sound
made the man start? Almost uncon-
sciously he opened his lips and a harsh
Halo" broke from him.
EveTetts nerve was steel He turned
his sunny face and smiled over his shout
der
Halo old MANI he responded anna
bly,.
Fraser came and stood dumbly beside
him. holding his hands tightly together
behind him TO hide their shaking He
had forgotten Everett was a sailor
He watched him furtively leaning down
further and further. tin it seemed impos-
sibIe he could retain his balance.
"Youu be over in minute" h. said.
gruffly
Not T." he said confidently But.
say. old chap. you might just h~.E ON
to my legs for a minute, viii you2
want to reach that great bit Just there.
and It's just beyond ne"
The waving pink bloom nodded irnu- /
IDENTIFY un at tham Just ont Of reach
Fraser stood motonless hoisteni1g his .
dry lQs
Everett looked around.
do You mind. old mano" he said
And mechanically the otner stretched /
out his band and obeyed
N0w-nowt one movement n Afs fin
gers-iust the opening Of his band
He fought the Thought back, gasping +
for breath
everett leaned stir farther He hair
glanced back
rhey ne for Dolly Won know" ~
said. 60 wear This evening"
The fingers ouened as If bv some zus-
denis pressed spring. There was sud-
den CITY, ara theU-then something won't .
rolling striking and aor
SICK urelv Gown hat tee7 si3a
For an ms ant the white face was
turned
"Au right old chap-1 Know aect8ert.-
aoatef rn rckauv and hen here was
r t1rf and che
ciatci e-f'- 1ri~
drew ruSer ARA the
sd w1