Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1903-03-12

0S7 tSlt! HOlu Oh tnele' PaltHet'
iii Jack Norton. with hands bur-
o& led in the pockets Of heavy
winter overcoat. came striding over
the hardened snow, down the slope OF
a 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
a suualid rum shop in a basement, and
some instinct 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 to catch up with
this man; the street ended right there
in sort of platform with an iron rail
ing at it's edge, and Immediately below
this railing was the East River, where
cakes Of ice swirled out of the dark
ness into stray beams Of light. and on
into darkness again. The stranger-a
strongly built man in thick pea jacket
stood there grasping the head Of an
iron rail in either hand, staring out
beyond.
It's no good, old man." said Norton,
crunchng over the fresh snow on the
platform to reach the stranger, mo
good. Thought of doing it myself If
you'll hold on a minute I'll tell you
why"
The man In the pea jacket turned and
glared at this intruder with the tall
hat and the air Of another class. "WhO
in thunder are you?" And then. as If
a new thought had suddenly occurred
to him. he leaned forward and peered
into Norton's face.
That's all tight" said Norton, stand
ing up to the scrutiny as if he had
quite expected 1t. I'm not off my
head-not altogether. only want to
KEEP you from mistake nearly made
myself few minutes ago l started
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 be 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 it all long ago"
well, say, If you amt crazy you've
got more gall than anybody's got a
right to and keep their senses. What
you got to do with my afIairs?"
Norton laughed aloud. Your af-
fairs. Don't YOU see we're in the same
boat. you and |? You just listen to
mo"
NO, | won't just listen to you" the
other man growled. And if you know
what's good for you. you'll get away
out of here"
This threat to a man who had all but
resolved on suicide struck Norton so
suddenly and sharply as comical that he
broke into a roar of laughter awaken
ing the echoes of the winter night. His
mirth instantly reused the resestment
of the man in the eajacket. who,
backing away from the railing. struck
violently at him right and left
BY instinct and 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 gentleman's afternoon
calls are not at all the prize-ring type.
Handicapped like this, he was less diff
ticult for the smaller man, whose furi-
Gus drives and swings fell short Of his
face, but reached his chest and ribs.
The two clinched and stamped up
and down in the dry snow, their steps
SO nufiled as to be sOundless, even in
the stiffness of that deserted nook.
They fell. graphing fiercely. and the
street lamp blnked down at Them like
4 solitary and impartial witness for
both sides, while river steamer went
putting and grooming past, as If intent
only upon its own ystruggle with the
tide and the floating Ice. Over and
over they rolled together, the man in