The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-17
cuAprEn x1.-tcontlnuedl.


He paused. picked UP the flask, and
again applied himself to its contents MS
ewes peering over the up-tilted vessel at
Tom, who continued to pace zip ana Gown
the length of the Office. After tiine
Crailey. f,imbling in his coat, found a long
cheroot, and as he lit 1t, inquired cas-
ually:
"Do you remember IL she addressed
you by name? ~
II think not Tom answered, hal.lliS.
'What does 1t matter?"
Crailey drew a deep breath.
ut doesn't" he returned.
"She knew me well enough" said Tom,
sadly, as he resumed his sentry-go
Yes" repeated Crailey deliberately.
$50 it seems; SO 1t seems" He bic"
long stream of smoke out into the
air before him, and softly murmured
again: 80 1t seems; so 1t seems
Silence fell broken only by the souhd
Of Toms footsteps, until presently some
one informally shouted his name IRON
the street below. 1t was only WIN cum
mngs, passing the time of day, but when
Tom turned from the window after an
swering him, Crailey, his poem and his
flask were gone.
That evening vanrevel sat in the dusty
office, driving himself to his work with
a sharp goad, for there was q face that
came between him and all else In the
in his ears. But the work was done
before he rose from his chair thougn
he showed llaggard visage as he oeh'
above his candles to blow them out,
It was IL O'Clock; Crailey had not come
ha elk, and Tom knew that his lgnt-heal.
ed friend would not return LOT ilianGy
hours: and so, having no mind to rea9'
and no belief that he could II ne trieu.
he went out TO walk the streets. lie Went
down to the river first, and STOOD lol !"
little while gazing It the RUINS Oh the w
warehouses, and that was like man WIZ
a headache beating his skull against
wall. AS he stood on the blackened wharf
he saw how the charred beams rose above
him against the sky like gallows' anu
1t seemed to him nothing could have peer,
a. better symbol for there he had hanseu
his self-respect. "Reproach her ~
who had so displayed his imbecllity DC.
fore her. Had he been her father nes,
friend. he should have had too great
sense OF shame to dare to speak TO her
after that night, when her QUIET inteil.,
rence had exhibited him to himself anu
to all the world as naught else than
fcol-and a noisy one at that! -,
Suddenly a shndder convulsed MN. ne
struck his open palms across aero, ms to
head and spoke aloud. while from hori-
ION to horizon the night air grew thlcK
with the whispered laughter OF ooserV-
Ing hobgoblins: 80.
land even If there had been no starr
way. we could have slid down the nose
llne!" , a.
He retraced his steps, a tall, gray fig
,re moving slowly through the plue
darkness. and his lips formed the heart
sick shadow of smile when he found
that he had unconsciously turned into
Carewe Street. Presently he came 70
gan in a hedge, through which ne hau
sometImes stolen to hear the sound or
irl
did not enter there tonight, though ne
naused n moment, his head bowed on MS
breast
There came a sound of voices: they
seemed to be moving toward the heuse,
toward the gap where he stood-one !.
mans. eager, quick. but very nusisa,'
the other. a girls rich and clear con-
tralto that passed into Toms soul IKE
a psalm Of rejoicing and like a seminar
Of dame. He sh!vered and moved away
quickly, but not before the man woes,
somewhat louder for the moment, came
distinctly from tho other sue Oh ute
hedge: ,,o
after ALL" said the voice. wiuAa ripple
of laughter, latter all, wern't you a little
hard on that poor Mr.. Gray?'
Tom did not understand, but he kne"
the voice. 1t was that Of Crailey Gray.
He heard the same voice again that
night, and again stood unseen. Long
after midnight he was still tramp'ns
the streets on his lonely rounds, when
he CHANGED to pass the Rouen House,
which hostelry bore, to the unnltlated
eye. the appearance Of having closed us
doors upon all Inequalities tUr me night,
In strict compliance with the law or the
city fathers, yet slender wand OF bright
light might be discovered underneath the
street door to the bar-roon.
wit no retreat
an uproar of shouting, raucous laughter
and the pounding of glasses on tables,
heralu!ng All too plainly the hypocrisy
of the landlord and possibly that of the
city fathers also. Tom knew what COM
pany was gathered there; gamblers.
truckmcn, drunken farmers men from
the river steamers, making riot while
their boats lay at the wharf, with
motley gathering Of good-for.nothings
Of the back-aleys, and tipping clerks
from the Main Street stores. There came
loud cries for n song, and, in answer,
the voce.of Crailey rose over the genial
din, somewhat hoarse, and never SO mu-
steal, when he sang MS when he spoke.
yet so touching in its dramatic tenderness
that soon the noise fell away, and the
roisterers sat quietly to listen. 1t was
not the first time Ben Jonson's song had
stilled a disreputable company.
~ sent thee late rosy wreath,
Not so much honoring thee.
AS giving it tho hope that there
1t might not withercd be-"
Perhaps Just then, vanreveI would
have wished to hear him sing anything
In the world rather than that, for on
Craiey's lips it carried too much mean
ing tonight, after the voice In the gar
den. And Tom fingered no more near
the bctraying silver of light beneath the
door that he had by tho gap in the hedge
but went steadily on his way.
Not far from the hotel lie passed n
small building brightly lighted, and
echoing with unusual clamors Of Indus
try; the office of the Rouen Journal. The
| press was going, and Mr., Cummings
| thin figure crossed and rccrossed the win
dows, while his voice could be heard en-
| ergetically bidding his assistants 10 Look
| alive!" so that Tom imagined that some.
| thing might have happened between the
| Nueces River and the Rio Grande; but
| he did not stop to ask the Journalist,
| for he desired to behold thc face ne