The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-04-23

ed, her eyes closed. her tense 1fttle mus.
eles relaxed. aud she dropped toward
the floor, The old man shifted bis grip
10 support her, and IN an instant she
twisted out OF his hands and Sprang
out OF reach, her eyes shining with trl.
umph and venom.
"Yahay. Mr., Raxorhackg she shrill.
cd. "How's that fer hlghl Pap II
kill We Sunday, Yen be screechln' In
hell in week, an we 'ull set up an
drink our applejack an latfr'
Martin pursued her lumberingly, but
she was agile as monkey and ran
do,lging up aud down the counters and
mocked him. singing. "Gran'mammy.
Tlpsy Toe" AZ last she tired Of the
game and darted out OF the door, ding.
Ing back hoarse laugh at him as shs
went He followed. but when he reach.
ed the street she was mere shadow
fiitting under the courthouse trees. He
looked after her forebodingly, then
turned his eyes toward the Palace ho-
tel on the corner, The editor OF the
Herald was seated under the wooden
awning. with his chair tilted back
against a post, gazing drcamily at the
murky red afterglow In the west.
whats the use of tryin' to bother
him with itY' old Tom asked hlmselt,
He'd only laugh" He noted that
young William Todd, the drug. book
and wall paper clerk, sat near the ed.
itor. whiting absently. Martin chuc.
kled. "Willlam's turn tonight" he
murmured. "well, the boys II take
care OF him. He locked the doors Of
the Emporium, tried them and dropped
the keys in his pocket.
As he crossed the square to the drug
store, where his cronles awaited him.
be turned again to lock az the figure Of
the muslng journalist "He ought to 20
our there" he said and shook his head
sadly. Il don't reckon Plattville's any
too spry for that young man. Five
years he's ben here, Well, it's a good
thing for US. but guess IL aln't exact.
" high life for him." He kicked stick
out OF his way impatiently. Now.
where'd that imp run tor he grum-
bled.
The imp was lying under the court
hnxYca afnKaA Nhap thn Nf hf.u
tins footsteps had passed away she
erept cautiously from her hiding place
and stole through the ungroomed grass
to the fence opposite the hotel. Here
she stretched herself tiat In the weeds
and took from the tangled masses Of
her hair, where II was tied with
string, a rolled up. crumpled slip Of
greasy paper. With this In her fingers
she lay peering under the fence, her
fierce eyes fixed unwinklngly ON the |
editor OF the Herald.
The street ran fiat and gray In the |
slowly gathering dusk straight TO the I
western horizon, where the sunset EN-. /
bers were strewn In long, glowing, dark .
red streaks. The maple trees were I
clean cut silhouettes against the pale /
rose and pearl tlnts Of the sky above,
and tenderness seemed to simmer In
the air The editor often vowed TO him.
self he would watch no more sunsets
in Plattville. He thought they were
making him morbid. Could be have
shared them II would have been DIFF.
ferent.
His long. melancholy face grew lon
ger and more melancholy In the twi.
light. while William Todd patiently
Whitfield near by Pattyille had often
discussed the editors habit OF silence,
md possibly the reason Mr.. Harkless
was such quiet man was that there
was nobody for him TO talk to: but his
hearers did not agree, for the popula.
ion Of Carlow county was a thing Of
pride, being greater than that Of sew
.ral bordering counties.
A bent figure came slowly down the
street. and William Todd hailed Il
,heerfully. Evening, Mr. Fisbee."
"A good evening, Mr. Todd an.
rwered the oil man, pausing. "Ah,. Mr..
Iarkless. | was looking for you" He
lad not seemed 10 be looking for any.
hing beyond the boundaries Of his own
lreams, but be approached Harkless,
Juggling nervously at some papers In
lis pocket. Il have completed my notes
or our Saturday edition. II was quite |
asy, sir There Is much doing"
THANK you, Mr. Flsbee," said Hark.
pss as he took the manuscript Have
ou finished your paper on the earlier
symbolsmi / hope the Her.
Id may have the honor OF printing IT,"
his was form they used.
Il shall be the recipient Of honor,
ir," returned Flsbee. Your kind offer
yill speed my work; but | fear, Mr..
iarkless, very much fear, that your
indness alone prompts 1t, for, deeply
$ desire It, cannot truthfully say
bat my essays appear to increase our
He made an odd, trou-
led gesture as be went on: They do
ot seem to read them here, although
ir. Martin assures me that he care
ully reperuses my article on Chaldean
ecoration whenever he rearranges his
windows" He plodded on q
ew PAGES. then turned irresolutely.
what is 1t, E'lsbeeY asked Harkless.
Fisbee stood for a moment as though
bout to spdak; then he smiled family.
hook hls head and went his way.