The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-07-10

Your things smell of tobacco and
blood" she said once. Cant you do
anything except soldiersr"
II could do head of you that would
startle you," thought Dick-this was
before the red haired girl had brought
him under the guillotine-but he only
said, Il am very sorry" and narrowed
Torpenhow's soul that evening with
blasphemies against art. Later, inSen-
Ebly and to large extent against his
own will, he ceased to interest himself
In his own work. For Maisie's sake
and to soothe the self respect that, it
seemed to him, he lost each Sunday, he
would not consciously turn out bad
stuff, but since Maisie did not care
even for his best it were better not to
do anything at all save wait and mark
time between Sunday and Sunday.
Torpenhow was Disguised as the
weeks went by fruitless, and then at
tackled him one Sunday evening when
Dick felt utterly exhausted after three
hours biting self restraint in Maisie's
presence. There was language, and
Torpenhow withdrew to consult the
Eilghai who had come in to talk cont
mental politics.
Bone idle. is he? Careless, and
touched in the temper?" said the Nil
ghai. 1T isn't worth worrying over.
Dick is probably playing the fool with
q woman"
isn't that bad enough"
''No. She may throw him out of gear
and kno& his work to pieces for
awhile. She may even turn up here
some day and make a scene on the
staircase. One never knows. But until
Dick speaks of his own accord you had
better not touch him. He is no easy
tempered man to handle"
mo. | wish he were. He is such an
aggressive, cocksure fellow"
"Ee'll get that knocked out of him in
time He must learn that he can't
storm up and down the world with a
box of moist tubes and a slick brush
You're fond of him?''
I'D take any punishment that's in
store for him if l could, but the worst
Of it is no man can save his brother"
mo, and the worser of it is, there is
10 discharge in this war. Dick must
learn his lesson like the rest of us.
Talking of war, there ii be trouble in
the Balkans in the spring"
''That trouble is long coming. won
when it comes"
Dick entered the room shortly after
ward and the question was put to him.
Not good enough" he said shortly.
''I'm too comfy where l am"
Surely you aren't taking all the
stuff in the papers seriously" said the
Nilghai. Your vogue will be ended in
less than six months-the public will
know your touch and so on to some
thing new-and where will you be
hen?
"Here, in England"
when you might be doing decent
work among US out there. Nonsense!
I shall go; the Keneu will be there,
Torp will be there, Cassavetti will be
there, and the whole lot of us will be
there, and we shall have as much as
ever we can do, with unlimited fight
ing and the chance for you of seeing
things that would make the reputation
Of three Verestchagins."
''Umr' said Dick, pulling at his pipe.
"You prefer to stay here and imagine
that all the world is gaping at your
pictures? Just think how full an aver
age mans life is of his own pursuits
and pleasures. When 10000 of him find
time to look up between mouthfuls and
grunt something about something that
they aren't the least interested in, the
net result is called fame, reputation or
notoriety, according to the taste and
fancy of the speller, my lord"
81 know that as well as you do. Give
me credit for little gumption.'
''Be hanged if dor
"Be hanged, then. You probably will
be--for spy, by excited Turks Heigh-
no! I'm weary, deaG weary, and virtue
has gone out of me-" Dick dropped into
a chair and was fast asleep in min
ute.
That's a bad sign said the Nilghai
in an undertone.
Torpenhow picked the pipe from the
waistcoat where it was beginning to
burn and put pillow behind the head.
1--WE can't help; we can't help he said.
Its a good. ugly sort of old cocoanut,
and I'm fond of it. There's the scar Of
fhe wipe he got when he was cut over