Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-13
CHAPTER I.
The Decision.

not possible. simply is not, for poverty u
approach Theodore and Aunt Rose. Looi
around you. Robert.
Under the clear California moCnilgh
the iade-ereen lawns and terraces drop
nod one below the other to the tstan
road Through them writhed the ions
serpentine drive and PATHS: dotted ove'
them stood dark masses OF Towering
bushes or trees. with here and there the
snowy CLEAN of statue: over all hoatec
the rhvthmic tinkle of the central foun
tain ITntroubled calm was the spirit OF
the place hereditary comfort
Il have looked SO often, John. Yet
find nothing.
I'VE must find not little money, ou'
q fortune, and We must find 1t in Sin
MONTHS John answered. his low voice
inst reaching his listener There is nc
way to earn il, We know. Inside the Ia"
there are ways to acquire it. Wall street
for Instance: a new popular song or two
m inexpIicable conjuring trick. or a
fresh breakfast food But we have no
such talents, you and /: we are just the
ordinary gentlemen of leisure-dilettanti.
We are useless within the limits set for
NJ. Outside the limits, outside tile
Law
The suggestion was left unfinished, the
two men falling silent before it. They
were yeung: so Young that the morning
mists OF romance still blurred the sharp
LANDSCAPE of reality, and for the moment
daring appealed more than endurance.
We could not do anything low. Rob-
ert demurred hesitatingly. Not about
the mortgages or business tangles, John
No no.. John agreed. flushing. Oi
course not that / suppose there is an
honor even in crime. class distinction
Sir Henry Morgan probably despised
common thief. and Paul Clifford would
not pick his neighbours pocket at dinner;
No: we will pay our inherited debts, IL
we have to steal for it. What come
die-heroiQue,
Robert regarded him seriously
You are just playing? he doubted
Il am not playing at all: only looking
1T things. For the time left us is not
long If we do nothing this place viii
go. and with ii all that Theodore and
Aunt Rose call life. We must then take
these women. Aunt Rose. an Invalid ;
Theo. a spoiled and petted patr1cian, TO
some cheap cit lodging. and there strive
idea Some one might employ us as clerks.
possibly l have travelled all Over, Europe,
and speak French and Italian: that ~ a IL
my stock in trade. except an educatioh-
Mine is less.
We have wasted our time thoroughly,
II innocently Now pay. Do you Won
der that l look at the outlaws path that
offers itSelf?
His brother moved. startled.
Offers itself Joln?
Yes. | cid not think of this without
the prompting of circumstance. Are You
dismayed. or shocked?
II cannot see very clearly Robert an
svered simply Or. rather. l keep see
Ing the wrong things. Nothing dismays
nue. tonight except the idea of pain com
ing TO Theo apd her mother. | do not
say il should be so: merely that II Is we
are moro ornamental than useruI we Al
larls as YOU point out. but we have the
art of loving ! think most people have
q less capacity for it, believe 1t is GER
tain intensity born with one-a glIt, a
talent And We have If. Tell me more
II shall not tell YOU very much. be-
.caus, the work is only for one of us.
John said. ..One of us must go, the
other stay here and live as always. one
must still he master of Sun-kist. sun the
head of this household of ours ana an r.
reproachable citizen. He had better not
know too accurately what the one VINO
goes is doing.
John,
John .AIard slipped impulsively from
the verarda rail and came TO sit Oh the
arm OF Roberts chair. drawing him into
q caressing embrace
Il know: we've always played together.
dear. old fellow. School and college. and
the short time since-the two years d1l-
ference between us got lost pretty early.
But we must learn TO go alone at last.
And If we undertake this insanity-for IL
is little better-we must stand without
finching all 1t brings. Is IT worth while !:
I do not know. but l know many man
has gone into the underworld to protect
a woman How many cashiers have mis-
used funds intrusted 70 them. now many
business men have stopped to illegal
methods in order TO give their WlVes-not
necessities. but luxuries? We see it every
day. this cowardice for some one loved.
Only they do il by degrees. and we do 1t
all at once.
Robert laid his hand over the one on his
shoulder.
ut does not sound very pretty. he &C
knowledged. wistfully. 1T IL the old le-
gend of selling your ego to Mephlsto-
pheles. Only. ] wouldn't so much inind
going to hades afterward: it is the clasp
ing Mephisto's snludgy fingers that
hurts.
Il am not asking you to do it, BERTHE.
We will just forget this half hour II you
like. You know IL was a suggestion. not
a conviction. / voiced. You are right, OF
course But 1 was ready for rebellion
against all laws today; and then Des-
nond came to me- 49,
Desmond, He is out of prison?
A week ago. He came to me Tor money
4, go east DO you mind how you and
Master Robert used 10 sneak away IRON
your nurse TO play with fommy' .he
roachman's boy?' he said to me. And
notice far and near. l am master al
nv trade. / am He has not changed
much since we recognized him at his tr1a
I'VE wears ago and tried to help him.
Robert turned to see the face above
him in the moonlight.
He said more than that.
He was very frank John answered
laconicaly.
Then go on, please. | never meah'
that we should. give up the last chance
because il was unpleasant, or unsale
Theo-she has just tasted her SHihoou
lust commenced to live: how can we lei
her lose it all, ] would rather smudgt
nv fingers In saving her than wear tht
bar sinister of cowardice. There are laws
/ know YOU will not break, because, being
Yourself you cannot. Go on ana tell me
what Desmond said
white moth. hunting some star across
the dark. dashed itself against Ailard
coat and hung quivering there Id
peused to disentangle the deiicate Wings
before replying. the careful seriousness o.
the little action in itself a characterize
ton. >,
-arhere has been shown to me way e
make enough money to thrust poVert!
ont of sight for the present and find com
fort for the future. A way 10 save oun
Kis, I'm the short time left us TO com
mand But it Is by crime. crime
which the world calls as ugly as forgery
yo,I know for what Desmond was pun
jshed Yet II Is in certain sense IN
nr,,,a magnificent, In that one wrongs
environment instead of an individual. ant
6sshes the gauntlet into the race OF TIL
state itself 1t is the crime that 70 III
s.s a.Uroo sun1,d1ee, because, AFTER al