The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1910-07-21

on me angrily. You're here for copy
You've got me. Think of your head
lines. I'd have been worth more to
you so than I'm worth
10 anyone . al1Ve!'
So that was It! And here he stood,
%quivering with life; and If had
CHANGED to sleep one hour longer!
With what sailors neatness he had
planned It! One momen on the end
of his diving-board, a mole in his tenn
pie, and deep, sapphire waters meet
ing over his foolish, wasted youth!
While / was agonizIng for the word
to ease him, for the wisdom to hold
him and yet not make light of his
fault, the thing, the only right thing
of itself naturally happened. | was
crying, bitterly, IS his sister might
have cried.
Why do you do that?" he asked,
presently adding, I'm nothing to you.
only copy for your aunt"
The time had come to speak. You
are not eve so much" l took him up.
DO you suppose we're scavenging for
things like that? My poor little aunt!
She's literary critic for our village
paper at home; she'd rather die a
thousand deaths than mention you!"
Then why ?" He pointed
downward to his lost pistol. But
why not let me what bust
ness of yours?"
None" | confessed. But come,
Frank Liston! Let us talk this Quit"
You're a woman" he objected.
You E" He eyed me doubt
fully. You're not old"
ANY woman worth the name is cid
enough for that"
But women-ladies-"h he corrected,
don't . can't :"
Listen, boy" / turned on him.
This is bad enough, big enough, for
you to die Of, you strong, young
thing, with a mother at home maybe,
and a sweetheart" How he WINGED at
that! And you stop to think whether
we, you and l. two human beings, can
talk it out! And three days ago you
didn't stop at doing it,"
He shook his head. You don't un
derstand. No woman can! | don't
e why It is, myself, but so 1t is"
After a minutes brooding =. . e.
Suppose the people at home don't
find out! Can l go back, and al
ways think some day they surely will?
You don't know what she's like. She
b~elieves!" The inarticulate young
creature paused, struggled with some
inner pocket, and held me out a pic
ture. A girl with starry, trustful look!
Again my eyes filled.
What is it?" he again asked.
only thinking how she would have
looked tonight, when the cable zane.
You would have been we'll out of it,"
| could not spare him now.
He pondered. But if she really
Women" I broke IN, know far
more than you ever dream. Look at
me. You say l am not old! You say
| don't understand. Why, lad, it's
simple, simple as the tides, and
death. and life! Why? Who can say?
But so 1t Is"
when we came down here" at last
he softened, ~ never meant :"
Everyone knows that" l treasured
him. IT'S only this. You had been
kept thirsty in a desert. Thirst Is
natural. Deserts are torments. Then
you came where there were only gut
ters. Saints and heroes resist! But
van ora nnithnr And nn.,ut dia
because you fall short of the best?
It's hot here, and strange, and dis
turbing. That woman, yesterday, felt
defiled at being under the same roof
with you. Today, 1t seemed, poor lad,
that you were copy for a harry Of a
newsmonger. You forgot that what
ever lay against you, you'd never been
a coward. You had risked all this,
rather than leave a dying girl. You've
stood like a man, ready to pay; why
default now?"
He raised his head a little, not meet
ing my eye. 81 couldn't leave her!"
"The others did I laid my hand
on his shoulder.
Suddenly he broke out with his pent-
up horror. IF you only knew how lit
tie | liked It! Time and time again
they say, Come ashore with us!' And
you don't go. There's your girl at
home! And you write letters. You
read stale books, you smoke pipe after
pipe and . but then
there comes q time, you never know
why
"Ah, lad! Who does? But II
you're flawed, pick up the pieces and
go on. I'm often in New Hampshire;
some day I'll see that girl of yours.
Shall she be wearing black, and liv-
ing under a silent dread. half knowing,
half fearing to know"
But the trial, the court!" He OBJ
jected.
Write her today, don't leave It to
chance!" l pleaded. Tell her you've
been In a scrape. a bad one. That
you tumbled in, lad. because you were
a man. and for the same reason you
did not crawl out! That girl Of yours
will ask no q%uestions!"
Would you do THAR" AT last his
eyes met mine.
Good morning, you early birds!"