Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-05-08
ssT tt! Hi! Hold on there,

came StfltfnS over the hardened snow,
down the slope of 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
SHOW 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 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
a strongly built man in thick pea
jacket-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, mo
goods Thought of doing it myself. If
you'll hold Oh a minute I'll tell you
why"
f. 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 n
new thought had suddenly occurred to
him, he leaned forward and peered into
Norton's face.
THAT'S all right" said Norton, stand
Ing up to the, scrutiny as il he had
quite expected it. I'm not off my head
mot altogether. only want to keep
sou 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 | jumped this railing now,
we'd be racing like that next moment,
and with no more idea of where we
We're 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 anybodys got Il
right to and keep their senses. What
you got to do with my affairs?"
Norton laughed aloud. Your az
fairs! Don't you see We're in the same
boat, you and L? You just listen to
me"
mo, I 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,
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 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
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
heult 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 ur
and down in the dry snow, their steps
so mufiled as to be soundless, even il
the stiffness of that deserted nook
They fell graphing fiercely, and Tho
street lamp blinked down at them, like
a solitary and impartial witness fol
both sides, while n river steamer wen
putting and groaning past, as if inten
only upon its own struggle with tht
tide and the floating ice. Over ant
over they rolled together. the man il
the peajacket flercely struggling t.
wreak his evaporation on Norton:
face whenever chance offered.
was a bizarre struggle, what with it
comical aspects. and what with tn,
threat OF tragedy that increased ever!
moment, as Norton realized his op
ponent's terrible earnestness.
At last 1t seemed that the create
suppleness and length of limb had tri
umphed; Norton was on top, the othe
mans arms securely held down in tn,
snow. But then arose the Difficult
question how to dispose of this maj
safely and yet humanely. If position
had been reversed, Norton would hav
been in perilous case; an evil ligh
was glaring out of the two eyes tina
met his. reckless demon of hat
against the whole world. Norton, ol
the contrary, had no general grievance
In particular he had no quarrel agains