Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-03-09
XII II! Hi! E Hold on there

came striCSng 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 squalid rumshop
in basement, and some instiact 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 to catch up with
this man; the street ended right there
In 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
a strongly built man in thick pea
5acket-stood there, grasping the head
of an iron rail in either hand, staring
out beyond.
ITS no good, old man." said Norton,
crunching over the fresh snow on the
platform to reach the stranger, no
goos Thought OF doing it myself. If
you'll hold on a minute I'll tell you
why"
1.-The man in the peajacket 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, lie leaned forward and peered into
Norton's face.
Es."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
mot altogether. I only want to keep
you from a mistake l nearly made
myself. a 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 1 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 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 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 man who had all but
resolved on suicide struck Norton so
suddenly and sharply as comical that
Ne 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
MBy instinct and long habit Norton
put up his hands. He was the taller
man OF the two, active and more skill
ful in self-defense than the other; but
a long winter oyercoat is an awkward
garment for boxing in, and the gloves
proper for a gentleman's afternoon
calls are not at all the prize-ring type.
Handicapped like this, he was less diff
ncult 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 muflled as to be soundless, even in
the stiffness Of that deserted nook.
They fell, graphing flercely, and the
street lamp blinked down at them, like
solitary and impartial witness for
both sides, while a river steamer went
putting and groaning past, as If 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. 1t
was bizarre struggle, what with its
comical aspects, and what with the
threat of tragedy that increased every
moment, as Norton realized his op-
ponents terrible earnestness.
AT last 1t seemed that the greater
Buppleness and length of limb had tri.
umphed; Norton was on top, the other
mans arms securely held down in the
snow. But then arose the difficult
question how to dispose of this mar
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 a reckless demon of hate
against the whole world. Norton, OF
the contrary, had no general grievance
In particular he had no quarrel agains