The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-12-26

pockets Of a heavy winter Overcoat,
came strldjng over the hardened snow,
down the slope OF n dark and deserted
side street that led to the East River.
He had just caught sight Of another
man passing through the yellow patch
Of light that marked squalid rumshop
In basement, and some instinct had
prompted him TO hail as partner" this
man whom he then saw for the first
time.
The strange man checked an impulse
to look back, but only went on all the
more dOggedly Norton also quickened
his pace. After few more strides he
could see, In the faint light which the
snow reflected from the last lonesome
gas lamp on the block. that there was
no need Of swiftness 10 catch up with
this man; the street ended right there
In a sort Of platform with an iron
railing at its edge. and Immediately
below this railing was the East River
where cakes of ice swirled out of the
darkness into stray beams Of light, and
On into darkness again. The stranger
strongly built man In a thick pea
jacket-stood there, grasplng the head
of an iron rail in either hand, staring
out beyond.
tits no good, old man." said Norton,
crunchlng over the fresh snow on the
platform to reach the stranger. mo
good Thought of doing II myself. If
you'll hold on n minute I'll tell you
why"
The man in the pcaIackct turned and
glared at this intruder with the tail hat
and the air Of another class. "Who In
thunder are your And then. as IL a
new thought had suddenly occurred TO
him, he leaned forward and peercd into
Norton's face.
That's all right" said Norton, stand
Ing up TO the scrutiny as If he had
quite expected IT, I'm not off my head
not altogether. I only want to keep
you from a mistake | nearly made
myself. A few minutes ago | starred
to come down here and-well disap-
pear In that darkness out there See
those chunks of ice racing each other?
If you and / jumped this railing now,
we'd he racing like that next moment
and with no more idea of where we
were racing to- It's all like that the
other world is. Chap named Hamlet
settled IL all long ago"
'Well. say, If you amt crazy you've
got more gall than anybody's got
right to and keep their senses What
you got to do with my affairs?"
Norton laughed aloud. "Your af.
fairs! Don't you see we're In the same
boat, you and i? You just listen TO
me"
mo, / won't just listen 90 you" the
pther man growled "And If you know
what's good for you, you'll get away
out of here"
This threat to man who had all but
resolved on suicide struck Norton so
suddenly and sharply as comical that
he broke into a roar of laughter,
awakening the echoes of the winter
night. His mirth instantly reused the
resentment of the man In the pea
jacket, who, backing away from the
railing, struck violently at him right
and left
BY instinct ana long habit Norton
put up his hands. He was the taller
man Of the two. active and more skill
full in self-defense than the other; but
long winter overcoat Is an awkward
garment for boxing In. and the gloves
proper for gentlemans afternoon
calls are not at all the prize-ring type.
Handicapped like this. he was less diff
fcult for the smaller man. whose furi-
f,I1 hn, a AZ.
face, but reached his chest and ribs.
The two clnched and stamped up
and down in the dry snow. their steps
so muflled as To be soundless, even in
the stiffness of that deserted nook
They fell, graphing fiercely, and the
street lamp blinked down at them. like
solitary and impartial witness for
both sides, while river steamer went
putting and groaning past, as IL intent
only upon its own struggle with the
tide and the floating ice. Over and
over they rolled together. the man in
the peaJacket fiercely struggling to
wreak his evaporation on Norton's
face whenever a chance offered IL
was a bizarre struggle. what with its
comical aspects, and what with the
threat of tragedy that increased every
moment. as Norton realized his OPP
ponent's terrible carnestness.
At last it seemed that the greater
suppleness and length of limb had tri.
umphed; Norton was on top. the other
mans arms securely held down I'm the
snow. But then arose the difficult
question how TO dispose of this man
safely and yet humanely. If positions
had been reversed, Norton would have
been in perilous case; an evil light
was glaring out of the two eyes thai
met his. reckless demon of hate
against the whole world Norton, oI
the contrary. had no general grievance
in particular he had no quarrel agalns
the stranger whom he held pinione,
In the snow Only one person hat
been in his thoughts as he came dow
that lonely side street. and her h
would not have harmed for all that liz
could afford II had seemed. though
that death would be for him n happ.
escape from the agony OF his meetin
with her that afternoon. finding he
so affectionately intimate with tina
supercilious middle-aged Professo
whafs-bls and his just resent
ment met with what sounded 10 hir
like a heartless sneer. and all this afte
years of absence in constant love an
bops. BY all logic Norton ought