Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-04-03

ut seems that played once too Of
ten," he said.
Crailey was thoroughly astonished
He went to his friend and dropped
hand lightly OH his shoulder. "What
made you break the guitar? Tell me-"
"What makes you think I broke itT
asked his partner sharply.
"Tell me wiiy you did It," said Graf
ley.
And Tom, pacing the room, told him
while Crailey stood in silence looking
him eagerly In the eye whenever Tom
turned his way. The listener interrupt
ed seldom. Once it was to exclaim:
But you haven't said why you broke
the guitar?"
"If thine eye offend thee, pluck II
outp ought to have cut of the hands
that played to her."
"And cut your throat for singing to
herW
"She was rightw the other answered
striding up and down the room. Fright
"a thousand times-in everything she
did. That I should even approach her
was an unspeakable insolence. l had
forgotten. and so, possibly, had she,
but had not even been properly intro
duced to her."
mo. you hadn't; that's true" observ,
ed Crailey refiectively. "You don't
seem to have much to reproach her
with, Tom."
"Reproach herw cried the other.
What should dream she would speak
to me or have anything to do with me
was to cast a doubt upon her loyalty as
a daughter. She was right, l say! And
she did tho only thing she could do
rebuked me before them all. No one
ever merited what he got more roundly
than deserved that. Who was |, In
her eyes, that l should besiege her with
my opportunities, who but her fathers
worst enemyY"
Deep anxiety knitted Crailey's brow
II understood she knew Of the quar-
REL" he said thoughtfully. Il saw that
the other evening when helped hel
out Of the crowd. She spoke Of 1t or
the way home, remember. But how
did she know that you were Vanrevel'
No one in town would be apt to men
ton you to her"
mo, but she did know, you see."
"Yes." returned Mr. Gray slowly, "sc
1t seems. Probably her father told hel
to avoid you and described you so that
she recognized You as the man who
caught the kitten"
He pause.l and looked Mt Tom. who
continued to pace up ard down the
floor. After time Crailey, fumbling
In his coat, found long cheroot and
as he lit it inquired casually:
do you remember If she addressed
you by name?
Il think not" Tom answered, halting
"What does it matter?"
Crailey drew deep breath.
1T doesn't" he returned.
"She knew me well enough" said
Tom sadly US he resumed his sentry
SO.
"Yes," repeated Crailey deliberately.
$50 it seems! So 1t seems!" He blew
a 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 sound
Of Toms footsteps, until, presently,
some one informally shouted his name
from the street below. 1t was only Will
Cummings passing the time Of day, but
when Tom turned from the window
after answering him Crailcy and his
poem were gone.
That evening Vanrevel sat in the
dusty office, driving himself to his
work with sharp goad, for there was
a face that came between him and all
else In the world and voice that
sounded always in his ears, but the
work was done before he rose from
his chair, though lie showed haggard
visage us he bent above his candles to
blow them out.
It was II o'clock. Crailey had not
come back, and Tom knew that his
light hearted friend would not return
for many hours, and so, having no
mind to read and no belief that he
could If he tried, he went out to walk
the streets. He went down to the river
first, and stood for q little while gaz-
ing at the ruins Of the two warehouses,
and that was like man with a head
ache 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 gal
lows, and it seemed to him that moth
ing could have been better symbol,
for here he had hanged his self respect.
"Reproach her" He, who had SO dis
played his imbecility before her! Had
he been her fathers best friend he
should have had too great u sense of
shame to dare to speak to her after
that night, when her quiet intelligence
had exhibited him to himself and to all
the world as naught else than fool
and noisy one at that.