The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1902-03-14
TRACK OF THE FIRE.
nv JULIA TRuIr bishop.

"
face as a fire crosses a forest, sweep
ing out the lines and the looks that
had been. The younger was bright,
buoyant, self-satisfied, in love with
himself and the world. The elder
had a newspaper in his hand, and he
ceasclessly rolled and unrolled il, with
an intcntncss that might have been
given to the calculation Of cclipscs or
to the evolving OF new systems Of
philosophy. The younger leaned lazi-
ly back in his chair with his hands
claspcd behind his head.
ut was good Of you, Howard, TO
hunt me up as soon as you came back
TO the city, the elder said for the
third time. IL have missed you--I
have needed the old companionship-
1-somchow. | have seemed TO be
rathcr-rather alone, Of late years"
There wa,a hesitation in HE speech
that the other found very curious.
you've been sticking TO the Office
too close, Morrison he said. kindly.
"Of course ambition. and building
ones self up, and hard work, and all
that are all right. hut you've overdonc
the thing. Its taking good deal out
OF YOU"
wintry smile fickered around the
lips Of the elder man, as he unfolded
the paper and looked at 1t critically,
aud then q cfully rolled il again.
"Ambiti' 2" he said. "Ye--I
used to be ambitious, didn't Ig-and
rather talented, too. people thought"
Il hope you haven't thrown ii all
away cried Howard, with a shocked
face.
"Thrown il away! Oh, no. Some
men would have done that. But | had
great deal Of self-control. Iremem-
bered afterwards that | had been am
bilious, with certain objects in view,
and so | put myself at the old task,
and have gone %plodding, plodding at
them with set teeth ever since. II has
made a difference, Of course. ! am
a ploddcr now, where | used to run.
with my soul on fire. But am proud
TO do thus much. 1t would have hurt
some men unaltcrably."
"What in the world has happened
TO you, old MANI asked the younger,
with trembled eve. on tho face the fire
had swept.
The elder rolled the paper into a
tighter roll, and held II in both hands.
~ though il were his %self-control, and
it nigh, escape from him at any mo-
mcnt.
Il am glad you came to me as soon
as you reached the city, he said again,
always with that curious hesitation
in his manner. IL have thought Of
you many times-and have wished
to warn you-you are so very young,
Howard-fully three years younger
than land | know that | ought to
warn you-against women!'
The younger, who had bent for
ward, leaned back again, and from
this time on he did not take his eyes
from his companions face.
against women" he repeated, me-
ch~anically, still holding tight. to his
s%elf-control. "Foryouare young, with
sensitiveness and delicacy of spirit
which / often noticed when we were
boystogether. lfsuch an-experience
came to you-why--it might wreck
your life. You might never recover.
doubt ifyou would even live through
it. have thought Of that often. As
for me, ! am not sensitive nor deli
cate; and you see | have lived. Not
only that, but / have entirely recov-
cred. You could scarcely believe that
I can even laugh now when / think
oft"
He laughed then to prove ii, and at
the sound Of that laugh the face Of the
other man grew white.
"0h, yes, it is all over long ago,"he
added. II have thanked heaven many
times that / was made of coarse fiber,
and could triumph over such expert
ences. But as for you, my boy, don't
ever try it. Keep away from them
from women. They will not wait To