El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-10-24
THE MAN HIGHER UP
By Henry usseu miner Copyright 1910 by BOD0a Merrill Co.
CONTINUED from Saturday.

ON Saturday.
to assist him. he almost tottered The
hand that reached for the doorknob
trembled visibly.
He opened the door and passed slow
along the narrow aisle, nodding
mechanically. Then the strange silence
struck in on him. He raised his head
sharply, the lips parting a little.
What is it," he said. His voice
was high pitched and querulous.
From the street came the strident
voice Of the newsboy. He was too
Ear away for his words to be distin-
guished. but he was coming rapidly
nearer.
stop that newsieF' a man exclaimed
invoIuntarily.
what is It? Why stop the newsieT"
The tone was still sharp and queru-
lous.
The young man who cherished ideals
standing before Bob sought to hide
his paper behind his back The move
ment caught Bob's attention. Just be
fore the paper disappeared behind the
young mans back he saw in big, far
ing red letters, ''Reming''-
He held out his hand. "Give me
that paper"
The young man stared at him mute
", a scared look coming into his eyes.
"Gi7e me that paperT' Bob repeated
1ercely He caught the young man
by the shoulder, swung him around
roughly and seized the paper.
Then he unfolded It and read The
crowd looked on in dumb discomfort.
Somehow every one present found
himself suffering horribly.
AS be saw the laring headline Bob
felt his heart contract convulsiVely
There was a sudden sharp throb in his
brain. and then a strange numbness
spread through him He read through
the affidavit without being able to
comprehend what it meant There. in
its bold type. it seemed so impersonal,
so much the thing which he was used
to see in the newspapers, that he could
not realize that it was Paups, his
friends, public disavowal Of him. He
read it a second time. and stin 1t did
not seem real-the nUmbness persisted
He looked at the young man.
what does it mean?" His hand
passed before his eyes IL don't IN
derstand"
The young man sobbed aloud
cit isn't true, Mr.. McAdoO? Say it
isn't true"
Bob looked at him, the smile still
playing about his mouth.
els it bad2" The Guerulousness was
gone The voice was tired and gentle
elmer, its true-whatever it is"
The crowd stood stupidity mute. The
young man sobbed again He caught
one OF Bob's hands in both his own
Il don't care il it is true" be said
brokenly. ~Pl stand by you" he
turned to face the others and through
unshamed tears looked defiance at
them They stirred uneasily. A NUT
ter Of approval arose.
Bob exerted all his VIII power to
bring back bis straying mind to the
thing before him, to realize what it
was that made these men stand
around him in stupid silence.
The paper had fallen from his hands.
he was standing rigidly upright, his
head thrown back, his feverish, gilt
tering eyes taking no account Of the
present Haggin took a step forward
and laid his hand on BOb's shoulder.
Bob" he said-and no one wonder
ed then at the gentleness in the old
prizefghter's voice-'ye're sick. Let's
go home. Bob"
Bob started. he looked at Haggin
with a puzzled, childish frOwn.
"Eh, Tom? came to see you about
something. 1 forget what. 1t was
something-Pm always forgetting to-
day. Tom, let Macpherson go to
thunder. and you and III 90 home"
Haggin took one Of Bob's arms, the
earnest young man caught the other.
Together they half led. half support
ed, him to the carriage. Then they
got in with him and drove away.