The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-02-06
+ II hi! Hold on there,

pockets of n heavy winter overcoat, Il
eame striding over the hardened snow, S
Down the slope Of a dark and deserted q
blde street that led to the East River S
lie had Just caught sight of another 1
man passing through the yellow patch
BE light that marked a sQualid rumshop \
In q basement and some instinct had !
prompted him to hail as partner" this ;
man whom he then saw for the first
lime.
The strange-man checked an impulse
Ito look back, but only went on all the
more doggedly. Norton also Quickened |
This pace. After a few more strides he
lcould 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 to catch up with
this man; the street ended right there /
in sort Of platform with an iron
railing at it's edge, and Immediately |
below this railing was the East River
where cakes of ice swirled out Of the
4 darkness into stray beams Of light, and
On into darkness again. The stranger
strongly built man in a thick pea
jaeket-stood there, grasping the head
of an iron rail in either hand, staring
out beyond.
1 IT'S no good, old man. said Norton,
crunching over the fresh snow on the
platform to reach the stranger, no
good. Thought of doing it myself If
Z von'U hold on a minute I'll tell YOU
why"
The man in the peajacket turned and
glared at this intruder with the tall hat
and the air Of another class "Who in
Z thunder are you?" And then, as if a
iC16W thought had suddenly occurred to
him. he leaned forward and pecrcd into
Norton's face.
"That's all right" said Norton, stand
ing up to the scrutiny as if he had
Mute expected it. I'm not off my head
{ not altogether I only want TO keeI
you from a mistake | nearly MADE
myself. A few minutes ago l started
to come down here and-well disap
l-1pear in that darkness out there. Se
\ those chunks Of ice racing each other
If YOU and I jumped this railing now
we'd be racing like that next moment
and with no more idea Of where w
were racing to. It's all like that, tn
other world is. Chap named Hamlc
settled it all long ago"
"Well, say. if you amt crazy you
got more gall than anybody's got
right to and keep their senses. Whi
you got to do with my affairs"
Norton laughed aloud. Your q
fairs! Don't you see we're in the san
boat. you and 1? You just listen
ne"
mo. l won't just listen to you t
other man growled. "And il you knc
what's good for you, you'll get aW
put of here"
This threat to a man who had all
resolved on suicide struck Norton
suddenly and sharply as comical Il
he broke into q roar OF Taught
awakening the echoes Of the win
night. His mirth instantly reused
resentment Of the man in the p
Jacket, who, backing away from
railing, struck violently at him ri
and left.
Ely instinct and long habit Nor
nut up his hands. He was the ia
man OF the two, active and more 81
full in self-defeEse than the other;
q long winter overcoat is an awkw
garment for boxing in, and the gle
proper for a gentleman's aftern
calls are not at all the prize-ring t
Handicapped like this, he was less
ficult for the smaller man, whose
Gus drives and swings fell short OF
face. but reached his chest and rib
The two clinched and stamped
and down in the dry snow, their
so mufled as to be soundless, eve
tho stiffness OF that deserted I
They fell, graphing Eercely, and
street lamp blinked down at them
solitary and impartial witness
both sides. while q river steamer
Duffnc and grooming past, as If /
only upon its own struggle will
tde and the floating ice. Over
owe thcy rolled together. the nj
tlo naaiacket ferccly strugglir
,vraaz his evaporation on No
raca whenever a chance Offered
,.-e % tszarro struggle. what wi
co-l..al aspects, and what wit
.5rraf or tragedy that increased
moment, as Norton realized III