Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1907-09-19


/ had known him than the bowling
northeast gale of December is the
gentle, welcome zephyr OF August;
and l felt a resentment at his brutal
speech that l could hardly suppress.
With a mighty effort 1 crushed it
back, trying to think Of nothing but
his awful misery and the Bob of our
college days.
said in a firm voice, Bob, is this
the way to talk to me in your own Of
fice?" At any time before, my words
and tone would have touched his all
generous southern chivalry, but now
he said harshly-"To hell with senti-
ment What" He did not take his
eyes from mine, but they told me that
he was listening to voice in the re-
ceiver. Only for a second; then he
let loose a wild laugh, which must
have penetrated to the outer Office.
Eighty and coming like a spring
freshet," he said into the mouthpiece,
land the boys want to know IL won't
let up now that Reinhart is down? Go
back and smother them with all they
will take down to 60. That's my an
swer Tell them If Reinhart had ten
more wives and daughters and they
were all killed, I'd rend his damned
trust to help him dull his sorrow. Give
the word at every pole that l will
have Reinhart where he will curse
his luck that ne was not in the auto
mobile with the rest of his tribe
ITO hell with sentiment" He was
| speaking to me again. What do you
want? II you are here to beg for
Reinhart and his pack Of yellow ours,
you've got your answer. wouldn't
let up on that fendish hyena, not IL
his wife and daughter and all the
dead wives and daughters OF every
System man came back in their
grave clothes and begged. wouldn't
let up a share" 7 gasped in horror.
when did these robbers of men
and despoilers Of women and children
ever let up because Of death? When
were they ever known to wait even
| till the corpse stiffened to pluck out
the hearts of the victims? 1t is my
turn now, and II let up hair may l,
yes, and Beulah. too, be damned,
eternally d2Anned."
I could not stand it. II I stayed, /,
too, should become mad. reached
for the doorknob. but before could
swing the door open Bob was upon
me like a RSolf He grasped me by
the shoulders and with the strength
| OF a madman hurled me half across
the room. l sank into a chair.
mo, you don't, Jim Randolph, no,
| you don't. You came here for some
thing and, by heaven, you will tell
me what it is! You know me: you
are the only human being who does.
You know what l was, you see what
l am. You know what they did to
me to make me what / am. You
know, Jim Randolph, you RuUw
whether I deserved it. You know
whether in all my life up to the day
those dollar-frenzied hounds tore my
soul, had done any man, woman, or
child a wrong. You know whether
had, and now you are going to sneak
off and leave me as though l were
cur dog of the Reinhart-' Standard Or
breed gone mad!"
He was standing over me, Q ter
rible yet q magnificent figure. AS he
hurled these words at me, was sure
he had really lost his mind; that I
was in the presence OF a man truly
mad. But only for an instant; then
my horror, my anger turned to
great, crushing, all-consuming agony
OF pity for Bob, and I dropped my
head on my hands and wept. 1t Ia
hard to admit 1t, but 1t is true-I
wept uncontrolIably. In an instant
the room was quiet except for the
sound of my own awful grief. heard
1t, was ashamed Of II, but / could not
stop. The telephone rang again and
again, wildly, shTilly, but there was
no answer. The stiffness became so
oppressive that even my own sobs
quieted. l gasped as the lump in my
throat choked me, then slowly raised
my eyes.
Bob's towering figure was in front
OF me. His head had fallen forward,
and his arms were folded across his
breast. But that he stood erect
should have thought him dead, 50
still was he. jumped TO my feet and
looked into his face, down which great
tears were dropping silently.
touched him on the shoulder.
Bob, my dear old chum, Bob. for
give me. For Gods sake, forgive me
for intruding on your misery"
looked at him. will never forget