Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1907-08-02
Continued from 4th page)
a '-s-S1i1uB O1'
his awful mise = AID the Bob OF our
college days.

said in a firm voice, Bob. is this
the way to talk to me in your own Of
1ce?" 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 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 if | 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 I will
have Reinhart where he will curse
his luck that he 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? If you are here to beg for
Reinhart and his pack of yellow ours.
you've got YOU answer. I wouldn't
let up on that fendish hyena, not if
his wife and daughter and all the
dead wives and daughters of every
System man came back in their
grave clothes and begged. l wouldn't
let up share" l 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 if let up a hair may 1
yes, and Beulah, too, be damned,
eternally damned"
| could not stand 1t. II / stayed, l,
too, should become mad. l reached
for the doorknob, but before I could
me like a wolf. He grasped me by
the shoulders and with the strength
of a mailman hurled me half across
the room. | sank into a chair
mo, you don't, Jim Randolph, no.
you don't You came here for some
thing and, by heaven. you viii tell
me what it is You know me; you
are the only human being who does.
Yea know what J vas. yea see what
| am Yea know what they did to
me to make me what l ana. You
know, Jim Randolph, you know
whether l 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 wrong. You know whether
had, and now you are going to sneak
off and leave me as though l were a
cur dog of the Pcinhart- STANDARD Dir
breed gone nad!"
He was standing over me, ter
rible yet magnificent figure AS he
hurled these words at me, was sure
he had really lost his mind; that
was in the presence of a man truly
mad. But only for an instant; then
my horror, my anger turned to a
great, crushing, all-cOnsuming agony
of pity for Bob, and l dropped my
head on my hands and wept. 1t is
hard to admit it, but it is true-l
wept uncontrollably. In an instant
the room was quiet except for the
sound of my own awful grief I heard
it, was ashamed of it, but l could not
stop. The telephone rang again and
again. wildly, shrilly, but there was
no answer The stiffness became so
oppressive that even my own sobs
Quoted. 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, SO
still was he. I 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"
l looked at him. l will never forget
his face No heartbroken woman's
could have been sadder. He slowly
raised his head, then staggered and
grasped the ticker-stand for support
Don't, Jim, don't-don't ask ne tc
forgive you. Oh, Jim, jim, my old
friend, forgive me for my madness;
forget what l said to you, forget the
brute you just saw and think of me as
of old, when l would have plucked
out my tongue if l had caught it say
ing harsh word to the best and
truest friend man ever had. Jim, for
get it all. l was mad, | am mad.
have been mad for long time, but II
cannot last much longer. l know il
can't, and. Jim. by all our past love
by the memories of the dear old days
at st. Paurs and at Harvard. the
dear old days of hope and happiness
Il