The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-06-03
LOST MAN

York restaurant and sat down op-
pOsite another man.
"DaltonP the newcomer said.
"Well, Holloway said the other.
Il thought you were dead"
$50 am, 80 far as you're concern.
ed. Who'd have thought you'd turn
up hereT
Eyes, what Iucki / thought New
York was big enough 10 turn around
in without stumbling over some con
founded old acquaintance"
''old acquaintance-well.t that's pref.
ty cool. However, / shan't bother you.
You needn't be afraid Of me. I'm not
going back out there, and If you ever
do I'll trouble you to keep a still
tongue. You needn't say you saw me.
UnderstandT'
''Oh. yes" said the other man. But
I don't bank much on going back my
self I'm about sick Of this country.
don't blame you for wanting to keep
out. But, say. that was a funny
thing, your dropping out the way you
did. Everybody thinks you're dead or
loco and shut up somewhere. They
had no end Of time looking for you
dragged the river.
Il was down in Mexico. How long
ago did you leave Calf Beg your
pardonl / withdraw the question I'M
less 1t happens to be-
ooh. 1t doesn't matter. left eight
months ago. I'm only here foF-for a
few days-Just passing through"
"Yesf Let's see: It's two, three
| years since / came away. Do you
know what this reminds me Of? Two
hurrying shapes, don't you know, in
No Mans Land met each other face to
face-very awkward sometimes-and
babe each other stand"
Sounds like footpads," suggested
the nervous man.
mo; it's poetry. Well, they asked
each others name
| Here the two men looked at one an
other. and the nervous man broke into
a giggle.
Exactly. We won't do that" He
emptied his glass and set It down.
'SThey call this stun California claret."
he said. Look here. don't you want
some newsT'
"NewsT The quiet man blinked I'M
certainly for q moment and then said:
Eyes, ! suppose so. What is itY
well, l meant You know Sharp
less is mayor now. We got him in
last year. and 1t was the biggest fight
the town ever saw. Jim Luke got the
city attorneyship. He's in the new
city hall, with velvet carpets and hand
painted spittoons. Oh, the boys are all
right And you wouldn't know the
place-brick blocks going up every
where and cable cars ON Main street"
The quiet man began to eat his
sparrow and stringy salad. 'T sup
pose So" he said.
and, say Well, Of course it's none
Of my business. 1 suppose you hear
from out there anyway"
mot a word" said the quiet man.
''But 60 ahead IL you've got anything
to tell"
well, It's only about confound It'll
your wife. Say. Dalton, why in thun-
der-lt's none Of my business, but it's
pretty hard on her"
'She must think I'm dead. I am
dead"
''Well, she doesn't. She's still look
ing for you. When they didn't find
you In the river, you know, she had
detectives. They combed San Fran
cisco for you"
The quiet man moved uneasily. "De-
tectives cost money" he said.
They do. She's teaching now In the
public schools. The boys put that
through, she gets 500 a month, and
that about feeds the Ave young ones"
Il left her enough. left her half
the money l had. II / could have
fixed It SO, she could have got my life
insurance"
well, why didn't your There was
: the river Excuse me, old man, but is
this any betterr'
I "0h, yes" said Dalton dreamily. 81
have quiet life-all day In the library
II like. You've NO idea what q rack
ct five children can make In a small
house. And then out there / never
could get the books l wanted-the Lat
lnists OF the fourth century, for in
stance, And then, you know, a woman
"a woman who's fond OF you. 1t ex-
plains why the philosophers were
monks. But I'm getting pretty close
to bedrock" he added. frowning. Il
don't like to eat In these places. And
to see you hereP'
Eyes. know" said Holloway hastily,
: "but I've got just enough to take me
: where I'm going. l pulled out with
about 5000, though the boys wouldn't
believe you IL you told 'em. suppose
they think I'm living in cotton-Monte
Carlo orr
"Slx hundredl Why, you used to
have your Iist In deep, What's the
matter-lost your pulp
"Nellie's got Tiny wife. you know
that is, an could pull out. Say, Dal-
} ton, l don't mind telling you'll don't
, nnnnnaa you'd give me- awnr and ~