The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-11-27

never this way when ne s himself.
There was something of an unlovely yell
low in the episode, inasmuch as Steve didn't
take such Liberties with any of the rest of us.
He knew where the endurance lay. The
day was we'll started when Steve awoke the
next morning Martin came in from the
claim frequently to see if his brother needed
help.
"You roughed me good deal last night,
Steve" he said.
"Did IL didn't know" was the salts
faction he drew, as the other started off for
Biltong's.
Now in this woman matter, l intend to go
light and keep in my own shadow.
Mary Give was one with Discord in hates
and hopes; of the center and import in our
midst, it might be said, of the moon in our
hot night skies. I looked from afar at the
soft-skinned, yellow-haired young woman,
and the light rich figure of her-all unhurt
by toll. She was as far from me as the
moon. 1t was sober Martin Flint who
seemed to make the Roadway to her heart.
l have said that he was by nature
marrying mana reckonable stakeholder,
not maverick. Didsey and blessed his
progress. Steve spent his nights at Bill
tong's and his days in watching his brother
work. Their claim was very good one, as
the river went; and the town figured, as
months drew on and the romance prospered,
that Martin must have quite leather stock
ing cached somewhere for the bride. We all
hoped so, and were glad for all the good that
could come to Mart, because he was show
ing whittier and Drawer every month in the
little ways that count-the patience with
sin, the soft hand with mount, the quick
hand with gun in time of stress, and the
voice that wins the child. Finally, when
Steve appeared to realize that he was enter
ing into three-sided arrangement, instead
of losing partner, and began moral clean
up, it really seemed as if the decent brother
had come into his high noon of happiness.
For true, there never was serener face on
a man than the night when Martin took his
brother over to the bakery to meet the bride.
1t was well that he did this, though the
music of his life was broken. 1t was better
so, than after he had married the woman.
AS for Mary Gives part, haven't word
to say in comment. The naked fact is that
her heart turned from Martin to the more
imperious attraction of the other. Steve
,
heart beat--at least the kind of women we
know. There is no use expatiating on the
ugly event. Months of gentle and tender
wooing were forgotten in night. Within
fortnight after he had first looked into the
eyes of his brothers chosen, Steve and
Mary Give fled together. Also was taken,
the gold which brother Martin had bitten
out of the Canon. Thus was the latter
looted in day-heart and cache.
There were no words for us. We couldn't
tell him that woman who would do this on
the eve of her marriage, might have been
tempted afterward. I never pitied a man
SO. He seemed suddenly depleted Of health,
muscle and heart. We used to 90 and sit
with him for a while in the evenings sort
of running guard of us-clumsy but eager to
do any good we could. Martin wouldn't
talk, seldom came down to the heart of
town, but worked like fend and sat in his
doorway, unwashed from the terrific DAYS in
the Canon. More than once 1 caught
him thus, staring into the red-plumed west
with eyes of man whose brain is running
down.
Neatest of all about his cabin before, the
place began to take on the look of boar's
nest. don't believe he would have taken
trouble to replenish his food stock, if we
hadn't started in to bring him stuff. That
jerked up old Martin, for he was proud and
aself-doer always. How he worked! Often
Iheard the ring of his pick at that gray hour
when the blanket is soft seduction, and
more than once he was still at it, fifteen hours
later, when black night drove him up to the
twilight of the Cafion's rim. Full ten
weeks passed before the crisis lifted. One
Sunday morning Didsey and strolled over
to find him bath bricking the cabin floor.
Everything washable was breezing in the
sun outside. Martin was sweating over the
sloshing suds, but we rejoiced to find the
eyes straight in his head again, and lively.
"My Gawd, neighbor," Didsey remarked,
"I'm sure afraid you're goin' to live"
Martin smiled. 1t was the first. I.
Four or five nights later we were sitting as
usual in his doorway, discussing bugs,
tobacco and the shutdown, when Gil Reeks,
the letter-carrier, who does bis two hundred
miles along the Canon every ten days,
brought letter. Martin took it in swift,
nervous way, and disappeared. We heard
him fumbling with matches inside. Gil
Reeks was disposed to whisper a reflection
upon the courtesy Of the twin.
"That's all right" said Didsey, briefly.
'He'l thank you soon enough. He's had
some mortal troubles"
Gil went back to town grumbling. He's
getting old and crabbed-been a guest so