The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1910-04-01
The Clasp Knife
What Followed the Strange Meeting
Between the Professor and
the vaEabead.


NeNAtAa
The sleei struck sharply on the window
pane, lie shook his head az u oommisor
atlns the weather, and then looked bael
al hls hoax
The sl-ri battered steadily on the pane
wilheroi tree branch scraped agalns
the HOUSE, FAR away a locomotive hootot
dismally.
The reader turned the lamp a liiil'
higher, lie yawned heavily aud rubbet
his eyes, Then he shook himself and con
c-nirated his thoughts GA the book.
The sl-el grew more NOISY, a window
ratified, the man nodded sl-cplly, Their
his head slowly sank upon the atm that
rested on the table aud he was asleep,
for little time he failed 10 hear The
electric bell, Then be- slowly reused.
BrrrF,
lie shook Oh his stupidity and arose
Then he crossed the room TO the hall door
The sleet battered noisily ON the porch
roof. He turned ON the electric light and
opened the outer door. A man was stand
ing at the threshold. a short man with d
soft hat, a stormbeatcn man, wet and dis
NAL
The stranger lifted an unshaycn face and
stared at the man in the hallway.
"A vagabond salutcs YOU, sir, he said
IN a horse voice.
The storm, the moaning wind, the Wild
night. the plight Of the human driitwood
before him, softened the heart OF the
scholar.
"Step into the hail." he said.
"rhanky, master murmured the vaga'
bond
lie closed the door behind him and pulled
OIL his dripping hat, His shaggy hair was
quite gray.
"A bad night" said the scholar.
"les, master. 4 bad nigh, for tn home
less.
lie shook himself like a wet dog.
The heart OF the scholar was still fur
Their softened.
Come in. he said, and dry yourself a,
the CRATE"
"Thanky, master"
The yagabond took the chair that the
scholar placed for him, and leaning for
ward spread his knottcd hands TO the
cheerful blaze.
Have you Travelled far" the scholar
asked.
The vagabond looked at him over his left
shoulder
I'm always travelin'," he replied, and
| travel from nowhereS in partic lar. I'm
iolilH STONE that was WI" '"'''N" 'N'e
ago
lie turned back and pushed his broad
hands nearer TO the blaze.
You are a sailor perhaps"
Tn most anything, master; sailor.
miner, soldier vagabond.'
The scholar drew his chair little
nearer.
"You have visited many countries, !
supunSaS'
Most Of them, master"
The scholars face frightened. Here was
a bond OF sympathy between the man oil
letters and the wanderer. The man with
the home cnvied the homeless one.
"You have been in the far east!
Yes"
"In Australia
sheep herded there"
siberia ?"
''ln the mines
"South America =,
Tn the Amazon and across the Andes.
He nodded his gray head Pretty much
everywhere, master, except to the poles.
The look OF interest on the face OF the
scholar deepened. .,
Il have travelled very little myself he
began.
The strangers gaze left the fire and
wandered about the coy room, the hand
some furniture, the many books, all the
evidence of comfort and good taste.
II don't blame you, master.
The scholar softly laughed.
And yet" he said, 1T has been the
dream of my life to travel, to see strange
scenes and strange peoples, to come home
with enlarged vision and broader under
standing"
The vagabond looked over his shoulder,
'Do YOU think that travel has done all
that for me-" he hoarsely asked. 49,,
'Yet you are a wanderer from choiee'
mo doubt.
He turned and stared back at the fire.
queer STOPPING figure. that was almost gro
tesoue as it huddled in the low chair.
II lead very quiet life," said the schol-
ar. almost as if apoogizng. Nothing has
ever happened to me. | am professor IN
the college across the way, an instructor IN
mathematics, and my work knows no va
riations. Some day ! promise myself that
| will see things-that will journey as lar
as Carcasonne. | beg your pardon"
The vagabond did not look around. -,
81 know what you mean, master. The
man in the French verses never got TO
Carcassone.
The scholar stared at the vagabond
"And / may never get there" he slowly
said "but it remains my dream. lie
paused and his tone changed.
care you hungry" he asked
"No, MASTER
Nor thirsty"
mo"
"You are comfortable"
yes, He looked around again. 81 was
along through the storm when
7 saw your freight 1t drew me to the
porch. | looked in yonder window. The
comfort of the room drew me again.
rang the bell. | rang twice. Then you
came" >, ;,
II must have fallen asleep" said the
scholar.
"You are alone here?"
eyes. My wife has been called away by
the illness of sister. tell you this be-
cause you need not fear that your presence
will alarm her.
"And it doesn't alarm you to be alone
IN tho house with vagabond from the
gutter? ,r
mo" replied the scholar. Il hadn't
thought of any danger"
sThank you, master. But you have
maid, no doubt?''
"No," replied the scholar. He looked at
The yagabond curiously. "Our maid is
taking vacation"
The vagabond nodded.
"I noticed two fellows prowling about
The rear of your house." he said. Il fan
lied they might be friends of your cook.
They hurried away when l stopped to
watch them"
He arose from the chair and drew it
back a little ways from the hearth. Then
ne hesitated.
sT am warm again." he said, "and the
,torm is not so fierce. Thank you, master
I'm going to make free to ask you for.
title loan until tomorrow. have special
,eed for it. I am not begging. | mean to