The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1908-12-31
Chapter Is

lawyer had taken had
- yielded to his touch al
most dazedly as the girl
disappeared.
y THAT was close
squeak" said Fielder to him. do you
realize that? In five minutes more
you'd have been handled sight worse
than you handled your man, let me tell
your
Ihe man of no memories smiled, the
same smile that had Infatuated the bar
room-and yet somehow it was more
difficult to smile now.
us it possible" he asked. "that
through an unlucky error 1 have
trounced the local archbishop"
Fielder looked at him narrowly. Be.
meath the sarcasm he distinguished un-
familiarity, aloofness, a genuine aston
1shment. The appearance in the person
of Hugh Stires Of the qualities of nerve
and courage had surprised him out of
his usual Indifference. The "tinhorn
gambler" had fought like a man. His
present sang froid was as singular.
lad he been an absolute stranger in
the town he might have acted and
spoken no differently. Felder's smooth
shaven, earnest face was puzzled as he
answered CURLY:
you've trounced man who will re.
member it long time"
"Ah" said the man addressed easily.
He has better memory than I.
thenw
He gazed over the heads of the silent
roomful to the simmering street. where
Devlin, with the aid of a supporting
arm, was staggering into the saloon in
which his humiliation had begun.
'"Ihey seem agitated," he said. The
feeling OF embarrassment was passing;
che old daring was lifting. His glance,
scanning the room, set itself on a shah
by. clear figure in the background apol-
ogetic, yet keenly and pridefully inter-
ested. A whimsical light was in his
eye He crossed to him and, reach
ing out his hand, drew the violin from
under his arm.
Music hath charms to soothe the
savage breast" he said, and, opening
the door, he tucked the instrument
under his chin and began to play.
What absolute contempt of danger,
what insane prompting possessed, can
scarcely be imagined. Fielder looked
Tor quick end to the folly, but he
| saw the men in the street even as
they moved forward waver and pause.
With almost the first note it had come
to them that they were hearing music
such as the squeaking fddles Of the
| dance halls never knew. Those on the
opposite pavement crossed over, and
men far down the street stood still to
listen.,
More than the adopts cunning that
had at first tingled in his fingers at
sight Of the instrument was in Harry
Sanderson's playing. The violin had
been the single passion which the old
Satan Sanderson had carried with him
into the new career. The impulse to
"soothe the savage breast' had been a
flare of the old character he had been
relieving, but the music, begun in
bravado, swept him almost instantly
beyond its bounds. He had never been
an Indifferent performer Now he was
playing as he had never played in his
life, with inspiration and abandon.
There was a diabolism in it. He had
forgotten the fight, the crowd, his own
hooking mood. He had forgotten
where he was. He was afloat on
! fuctuant tide of melody that was car
rying him back, back, into the far
away past toward all that he had loved
and lost.
cts Home, Sweet Home" said
Barney McGinn. mo, it's annie
Laurie No, it's-hanged If I know
what it is!''
The player himself could not have
told him. He was in a kind of tranced
dream. The self made music was call
Ing with sweet insistence to buried
things that were stirring from a long
sleep. 1t sent gulp into the throat
OF more than one standing moveless
In the street 1t brought suspicious
moisture to Tom Felder's eyes. It drew
Mrs. Halloran from the kitchen, wip-
Ing her hands on her apron. 1t called
to girl who crouched in the upper
hall with her miserable face buried in
her hands. drew her down the stair
to the Office door, her eyes wide with a
breathless wonder. her face glistening
with feeling.
From the balcony Jessica had wit
messed the fight without understand
ing It's meaning. A fascination she
could not gainsay had glued her eyes
to the struggle. 1t was he-it was the
face she knew, seen but once for a
single moment in the hour Of her mar
Rage, but stamped indelibly upon her
memory. 1t was no longer smooth
shaver. and it was changed, evilly
changed. But 1t was the same. There
was recklesness and mockery In it and