The Cairo bulletin., 1909-11-29
The Liar.
BY L. Lundsley,

wtdgeon weuld return through tbs
dusk light, In. low, suspicious flights
to their night haunts.
At length picked up my gun
rose, shock myself aad started te
walk back along the sea wall. aban.
donins all thought OF chance shot
I had not proceeded many yards
whsu. In the hollow between the
ridge and the dixie which cut 1t of
from the saltings, | saw the body OF
q man. He WAS lying on his breast
his arms stretched out stifily before
him, his face buried in the grass
The attitude could mean only one OF
two things---despair Or
'Hulloi"
The call was Involuntary. The
man sprang UP with the quick, ner-
vous action OF one taken unawares.
why can't you leave me alone?'
he snarled tiercely. at bay on the in
slant.
Then. evidently finding | was not
whom he had expected to see, he
scrambled up In front of me. and
stood .sIlhoutted against the sky-a
pitiable. ragged. wasted figure. He
commenced to whimper.
ITS those birds; they're always
calling, calling, Curse them" he
broke out savagely: they'll END by
sending me mad, You can't think
what 1t is. he Went on, more quietly,
and making motion toward the
bank from which he had risen,
when that's your bed--s-to lie awake
on, listening 10 those screams. fall
ing asleep with them still haunting
you and making yon dream you're
tormented by screehcing devils.
He had come step nearer, and
his eyes fell on my gun. lnyoluntar-
lily he put out his hand, much as does
a child who longs to touch some oh.
ject, but half fears to do so. In a
moment his manner changed. ts.
by Josel" he cried; eight-bore?
That must pepper EN- up Bit"
AS he spoke the words, In "a flash
I knew the man--Abolsford! Abols-
ford, lost. strayed, dead? Nobody
knew, nobody cared. He was one OF
those who have lived" and gone
out. Clearly the light Of his memory
shed no CLEAN of recollection upon
me The sudden recall Of hts old
manner, too, had passed RS sudden
ly as 1t had come; yet In his bearing
there lurked something apoIogeic.
"That isn't what have been used
to-iong, you know.
He spread out his hands deprecat-
ingly toward the beach and the few
eel catchers' huts that dotted It.
'Once I used to be pretty rich
chap"
True, he had been,
But" he went on, struggling his
shoulders. II had no luck; 1t all
went,
Gambled. nnng wantonly away.
We'll"
III doesn't bother you TO listen
It's months since met man !
could talk to-" ,u.r
ut interests me-" replied.
1t did.
"Well. then the poor old governor
went broke that was deyilish bad
luck"
So IL was; to be ruined In his old
pease his sons creditors, to die bro
ken-hearted -devilish bad luck In
deed. But | merely nodded my head.
After that" he staggered nneas-
iiy-'of course | had to get mar
ried Not bad sort. with pile OF
her own: but that wouldn't work,
You know what women are2"
Yes, | knew the woman who had
been tied to this man, who had been
cheated OF her money by him, drag
ged down by him, insulted by his
associates, and, finally. deserted by
him for II shuddered at the recol-
lection.
After that" ne proceeded, Il
went In for speculation, but my
luck again everything went against
me; yet It's a game lots OF chaps
win att 5tI E-
The game of the bogus company
why did let him 20 on saisinR his
wretched mind By one more fash OF
imposture? All know Is that |
stood mechanically listening, me-
chanicaliy translating lie to fact,
AT last" he proceeded. feeling In
HIS tsttered coat. and drawing out 4
blackened briar pipe, everything
came to an end, everything but the
bed luck. and that stuck. pish,"a 3
He dashed of his cap and | saw
that his hair was fecked with white
Strange as 1t seemed, this man was
growing full OF pity for himself AZ
he believed he was impresstng me
with the sorrows OF the past
remembered the end, too. Q
card scandal. expulsion from clubs
the slow falling away Of all men,
could not speak. He looked al
me- expectsntly
In the pause that followed he be.
gan to grumble under his breath
| and whirnper once more Then, ap-
| pearing to reeollect his pipe In hhs
hand, he looked UP,
| You don't happen TO have q
pouch, do your" he asked insinuat-
| ingIv