The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1910-01-26
cHAprER xyI.-fContinued.l }

CHAPTER (Continued.)
With swift. instructive movement
both OF them turned away. Each read
in the others face consciousness of
the impossibility OF discussing those
| experiences through which they had
come to be what they were. Such men
guard the real history of their lives
and the real emotions of their hearts
as jealously as the combinations of
their cards. The old, ironical smile
lighted up Mantels features. and he
said:
I'VE seem to have O violent antipa-
thy to thin Ice, Davy, and skate away
from 1t as soon as It begins to crack
little beneath our feet"
| Yes" said his friend, Struggling his
shoulders. 1T Is not pleasant to fall
through the crust of friendship. There
is sub element in every life too
sudden plunge into which might result
In fatal chill. We had all better
keep on the surface I am frank enough
to say that the less any one knows
about my past. the better I shall be
satisfied"
Il wish that I could keep my own
/ SNAN AhSih AAf1oAiiB tiiut iCohh 90 OeAo7
lily as 1 can keep others! Why is 1t
that no man has ever yet been able to
let the dead past bury it's dead'7 1t
seems reasonable demand"
He Is poor sexton-this old man,
the Past. / have watched him at his
work, and he Is powerless to dig his
own grave, however many others he
may have excavatedi"
| THE Present seems as helpless at
the Past. wonder II the future will
heap enough new events over old ones
to hide them from view?"
Let a shadow bury the sunl Let a
wave bury the sea-" answered David.
bitterly.
Mandel dropped his eyes in silence.
For the first time since David had
known him, his fine face gave some
genuine revelation of the emotions Of
his soul. Great tears gathered in his
eyes, and his lips trembled. In mo-
ment. he arose. took his hat, laid his
hand gently upon the arm of his
friend. and said, David, my dear fell
low, we are skating on that thin ice
again. We shall fall through II are
not careful. and get that chill you
were talking about Let's go out and
take a walk. Life is too deep for either
you or me to fathom. 1 gave 1t up as
q bad Job long ago. Come. let us go.
We need the air."
They went down into the streets and
lost themselves in the busy crowd of
care encountered men. Suddenly Man
tel was startled by an abrupt change
In the manner Of his companion, who
paused and stood as If rooted to the
pavement, while his great blue eyes
opened beyond their natural width
with fixed stare.
Following the direction Of their gaze,
Mantel saw that they were fixed on a
blind beggar who sat on a stool at
the edge of the sidewalk. silent and
motionless like an old snag on the
bank Of river-the perpetual stream
Of human life forever flowing by. His
head was barej In his outstretched
hand he held tin cup which jingled
now and then as some compassionate
traveller dropped him a coin; by his
side. looking up occasionally into his
unresponsive eyes. was a little terrier
his solitary companion and guide in q
world Of perpetual night.
The face of the man was a remark
able one. judged by almost any stand
ard. 1t was large In size, strong In
outline. and although he was a beg
gar. It wore an expression Of power
of Independence and resolution like
that OF another Belisarius But the
feature which first arrested and long
est held attention, was an enormous
| m nj, af a m h.x
less than fourteen inches from tip tc
tip. was carefully trimmed and train
cd. and although the man himself was
still comparatively young. was white
J as snow. Occasionally he set his cur
; on his knee and with both hands twist
ed the ends into heavy ropes.
1t was a striking face and exacted
from every observer more than a pass
ing look; but remarkable as II was
Mantel could not discover any reason
for the strained and terrible interest
Of his companion. who stood staring sc
long and in such noticeable way
that he was In danger of himself at.
tracing the attention of the curious
crowd
Seeing this, Mantel took him by the
arm. What Is the matter7" he asked
1T Is he!" cried David. drawing his
hand over his eyes like a man awak.
sning from dream; 1T is he!"
TT IL who? Are you mad! Come
awayi People are observing you. II
there Is anything wrong. we mus
move or get into trouble"
Let me alonel" David replied, shak.
Ing OF his hand. Il would rather dis
: than lose sight Of that man."
"Then come into this doorway wher,
you can watch him unobserved, for yo,
, are making a spectacle OF yourself
Come. or I shall drag you"
With his eyes still riveted on tina,
strange countenance. David yielded Il
the pressure of his friends hand ant
they retired to hallway whence h,
: could watch the beggar unobserved
! His whole frame was quivering with
/ excitement and he kept murmuring te
, himself; 1T Is he. II Is hel canno
be mistaken. Nature never made hi.
doubiei But how he has changed
How old and white he Isl It canno
be his ghost. can III II It were nigh
.. I might think so. but II Is broad day.
lighti This man Is living flesh ant
blood and my hand Is not. after all
- hax - n