Los Angeles herald., 1910-12-18
und she say she not comm back"

-. und she say she not comm back"
sd she WIFI VIII not not come PM 6 back M and ito to me ord.
ing from them if brittle.
"No-shes done with you" said old Dave mer-
cilessly
Wolf John spun on his heel and went into the wood.
long time, hours hours he walked there, ain1essy,
absently noting nothing but having with him misery,
a terrible feeling of belpessness 1t was as if someone
had cut off his hands. Then it grew dusk Shadows
darkened the trees into vague forms. Wolf John re-
garded this as a child might He was afraid. He must
go home. Home-Wolf Johns heart ached. He had
lost the perfect of selfsuciency For the first
time he realized that he had brought himself to recog
nzc. TO acknowledge locality. Home--it stake
about which he had crcled, an animal, tied with
womans kiss.
As he neared the house he looked to find it changed
in essential particular. But the house the
same, fine wisp of smoke from its little chimney
drifting, the vines clanberng about it, the garden
abloom. Visbly it the But there sat within
it monster, terribly existing thing, almost pres
ence great because of its endless totality The very
clock dragged its ticks in fear of this something which
usurped everything, this demon of utter loniness.
Never before had Wolf John shuddered at the silence.
He dreaded the coming of night He was alone, ac-
cursed.
The next few days passed over him miserably He
cooked his food and then, pastme than
for any other reason. He did not grow ravenously
hungry, he ate without noting the differences of taste
II food Day after day he watched and waited for
her. hundred times he started down the old path
way toward the settlement hundred times he caught
himself repeating old Dawes Words that many times he
returned-home. The fact that he alone weighed
upon Wolf John mighty burden. He was careless
of everything watchfulness, he having
abnormally imaginative sight and hearing. He was
not unlike hunted animal His features became drawn
and lean the nervous tension increased His eyes
Then he took UP his gun and spent whole day in
the forest tramping, rudging. his head bowed down,
his limbs moving tirelessy. He came home, though.
unconsciousy threading familiar paths. There was
perfect silence in the clearing The sun was sinking
behind the trees just bit of ruddy gold touching
the housetop A bird flew up from the roof and
winged away, its pnions Tapping soemnly, accentuat
ing the stiffness. Wolf John found that some animal
had been blowing up the garden. 1t quite ruined
He looked at it. He made effort to repair the
damage. In the night heavy rain finished the work
of destruction. This rain found weak place in
the roof and drpped in to dampen the wall The high
wind wrecked the chimney and blew lot of sand and
rubbish into the house through broken window.
Wolf John noticed these happenings and the results
of them. He did nothing. He was rather an uncouth
soiled, his boots had not been cleansed OF mud
He longer cared The house was in a ptabc state
from neglect. The garden dead.
Suddenly, if seized by the inspiration of single
deadly idea, Wolf john with determnedy set features
began series of preparations He packed all the
things of value into two great chests and locked them
When night came on he got out his old leggngs and
umbermans jacket, rolled his pack, shoudered his gun
and started for the settlement.
There was light in Dave Larsen's house, there
sounds of merriment singing the song Of vio-
lin, woman's voice. Wolf John listened. Yes, they
happy He had never quite understood this life
of the cearngs He tied the keys to chunk of wood
and threw them into the house, window-pane crash
ing the block struck it.
Then Wolf John turned away into the forest Oddly
Familiarity he settled the pack his back and evenly
if he had missed stride, he bucked down
the long, gliding lope of the forest bred The night
dark but his eyes able to pierce its density
The thickets welcomed him with many an olden cry,
the branches swished above if they would caress
him. Wolf John left behind him the clearing He had
peered at its problem he had tried to believe and to
understand he had not been able to make it out He
no longer questioned or argued. He slipped stodly