Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-08-31

u YHEN Joe left Ariel at Judge
Va Pixies gate she fingered there.
wv her elbows upon the upper
w most crossbar, like a village
girl at twilight, watching his thin fig
ure vanish into the heavy shadow Of
the naples, then emerge momentarily
ghost gray and rapid at the lighted
crossing down the street, to disappear
again under the trees beyond, followed
second later by brownlsh streak as
the mongrel heeled after him. When
they had passed the second corner she
could no longer be certain OF them, al
though the street was straight, with
fat draftsmanlke western directness,
both figures and Joe's quick footsteps
merging with the night. Still she did
not turn to go, did not alter her posi-
ton nor cease to gaze down the dim
street. Few lights shone almost all
the windows of the houses were dark
ened. and save for the summer muir
murs, the faint creak OF upper branch.
es and the infinltesimal voices OF In
sects in the grass there was silence
the pleasant and somnolent hush.
swathed In which that part OF Canaan
crosses TO the far side OF the eleventh
hour.
But Ariel. not soothed by this balm.
sought beyond II TO see that unquiet
Canaan whittier her old friend bent his
steps and found his labor and his
dwelling-that other Canaan where
peace did not fall comfortably with
the coming OF night; place as alien
In habit, In thought and almost In
speech as II II had been upon another
continent. And yet-so strange is the
duality OF towns-lt lay but a few
blocks distant.
Here about Ariel as she stood at the
gate OF the Pike mansion the houses
OF the good (secure OF salvation and
daily bread were closed and quiet. as
safely shut and sound asleep as the
churches. But deeper in the town
there was light and life and merry,
evil Industry. screened. but strong 70
last until morning. There were haunts
OF haggard merrlment In plenty; sur
spurious hhNlt
wheels swan beneath dlzzled eyes; III
favored bars. reached by devious ways.
where quaverng voices offered song
and We're harshly checked. And through
the burdened air OF this Canaan wan.
dered heavy smells of musk like that
upon Happy Fears wife who must
now be so pale beneath her rouge And
above all this and for all this and be-
cause Of all this was that one resort TO
which Joe now made his way-that
haven whose lights burn all night long.
whose doors are never closed, but are
open from dawn until dawn-the Jail
There In that desolate refuge lay
Happy Fear. surrendered sturdily by |
himself at Joe's word. The picture OF |
the little man was clear and fresh In |
Ariefs eyes, and. though she had seen
him when he was newly come from a
thing so terrible that she could not re- |
alize IL as fact she felt only an over |
whelming pity for him. She was not |
even horror stricken, though she had |
shuddered. The pathos of the shabby |
little figure crossing the street toward
The lighted doors had touched her.
about him had appealed to
her for he had not seemed wicked. His
lace was not cruel, though IL was des-
,erate. Perhaps II was partly his very
desperation which had moved her. She
lad understood Joe when he told her
hat this man was his friend ana COM
pretended his great fear when he said:
I've got TO clear him. promised
ilmw
over and over Joe had reiterated:
I've got TO save him! I've got to-
She had answered gently, "Yes. joe"
lurrying 10 keep up with him. He's
good mar" he said. "Pve known
ew better, given his chances. And
lone OF this would have happened ex-
'ept for his old time friendship for
ne. II was his loyalty-oh, the rarest
ND absurdest loyalty!-that made the
Inst trouble between him and the
nan he shot I've got to clear him."
"Will IL be hardY'
They may make II so. I can only
ee part OF II surely. When his wife
eit the ONCE she met Cory on the
treet You saw what a pitiful kind
Z 1901 she was, irresponsible and help
eSs and feather Drained. There ars
thousands or women like that every
'here-some OF them are court beau.
les l dare say-and they always mix
aiass -un but thsL.-are most danger I