The champion. (Arcadia, Fla.) 1895-1911, 1908-11-12
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one in particular and with mn oath OF
fensive and feryid. But weather beat
en-, tanned, indifferently clad and will
small brown dog following him, thu
newcomer passed along. obllvious t
the sidelong scrutiny, lie did not stare
about him after the manner Of stran
ger, though so far as he knew he hat
never been in the place before.
But Harry Sanderson now was moi
the man who had ridden into oblivion
In the motor car. The rector of st
James was In a strange eclipse. Men
tally and externally he had reverted
to the old Satan Sanderson OF the
brilliant flashing originality, Of the
curt risk and daring. The deeply hu.
man and sensitive side that had devel-
oped during his divinity years was In
allegiance. 1t showed itself only In
the affection he bestowed on the little
nameless dog that followed him like
a brown, shaggy shadow
He was like that old self of his, and
yet IL he had but known It he was
wonderfully like some one else. too
some one who had belonged to the
long ago and garbled past that still
eluded him; some one who had been a
part also of the life of this very town
till little over a month before, when
he had left II with dread logging his
footstepsl
Curious condolences had wrought
together for this likeness. In the past
weeks Harry had grown perceptibly
thinner. A spare beard was now on
his chin, and the fiery sun that had
darkened his cheeks to sallow had
llghtened his brown hair a shade. The
cut on his brow had healed to the
semblance of thin red birthmark
Fate-or God-was doing strange
things for Harry Sanderson!
In the nomad weeks of wind and
sun, as the tissues of the brain grew
slowly back TO state of normal ac-
ton, the mind seized again and again
upon the bitter question Of his identi-
ty. 1t had obtruded into clicking
leagues on steel rails, into miles afoot
by fruit hung lanes. on white Pacific
shell roads under cedar branches. on
busy highways. 1t had stalked into
days of labor in hop fields. work with
hand and foot that brought dreamless
sleep and generous wage; into nights
Of less sayory experience in city pur
lleus. where self forgotten man
gained and drank recklessly. auda-
ciously. forbiddingly Who was he2
From what equation Of life had he
been eliminated? Had he loved any
thing or anybody Had he friend.
any friend, in the world?
The man Of no memories gave no
heed to the men on the street, who
looked at him askance. He sauntered
along unconsciously, his hands thrust
deep in his pockets. With a casual
glance at the hotel across the way he
entered a saloon. where score of pa
irons were standing at the bar or
shaking dice noisily at the tables
ranged against the wall. The bartend-
er nodded to his greeting, the slightest
possible nod. The dog which had fol-
lowed him into the place leaped up
against him. its fore paws on his
knee.
Brandy, II you please" said the
new arrival, and poured indolently
from the bottle set before him.
The conversation in the room had
chilled. To its occupants the man who
had entered was no stranger He was
Hugh Stires. returned unwelcome to a
place from which he had lately van
ished. Moreover, what they felt for
him was not alone the crude hatred
which the honest toiler feels for the
trickster who gains living by devious
knaveries, There was an uglier suspi.
cion adoat of Hugh Stiresl A blue
shifted miner called grufiiy for bis
score, threw down the silver and went
out, slammirg the swing door.
The newcomer regarded none Of
them. He poured his glass slowly full
slipped from It and. holding II in his
hand, turned and glanced deliberately
about the place He looked at every
body in the room. suddenly sensible Of
the hostile atmosphere, with what
seemed a careless amusement Then
he raised his glass
"Win you join me. gentlemen be
said.
There was but one response. A
soiIed. shambling figure. blear, white
haired and hesitating. with battered
violin under IFS arm. slouched from
corner and grasped eagerly for the
bottle the bartender contemptuousIy
pushed toward him. No one else
-...1x