The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-04-06

MUTTON reused, returning MS reHaTu
with a smile slow, charming, infinitely
sad. Nothing" he replied; "abso-
lutely nothing"
But surely-i"
mo man can do for me what I
cannot do for myself. When the time
comes"-he lifted his shoulders light.
ly-'I will do what I can. TIL then
:" He divergsd at a tangent.
After all, the world Is quite as tiny
as the WORKOUT aphoI-sm has It. To
think that you should And me here!
It's less than a week since Doggott
and l hit upon this place and settled
down, quite convinced we had, at last,
lost ourselves and might have
peace, for a little space at least! And
now" concluded Rutton, I'VE have to
nov on"
Because I've found you here?"
Because you have found me-"
II don't understand"
my dear boy, ! never meant you
should"
But if you're in any danger"
II am not"
You're not! But you just said"
I'm in no danger whatever; hui
mainly is. If I'm found"
II don't follow you at all"
Again Rutton smiled YEARLY. IT
didn't expect you to, David. But this
~misadventure makes 1t necessary that
l should tell you something; you must
be made to believe in me. / beg you
to; I'm neither mad nor making game
Of you" There vas no questioning
the sane sincerity of the man. He
continued slowly. IT'S a simple fact,
incredible but absolute, that, were my
whereabouts to be made public, a
great, a staggering blow would be
struck against the peace and security
of the world. Don't laugh, Da-
vid; | NEAR It."
I'm not laughing, Rutton; but you
must know that's a pretty large or
der. Most men would"
Call me mad. Yes, I know" Rut-
ton took up his words as Amber
paused, confused. 81 can't expect you
to understand me: you couldn't unless
I were to tell you what may not.
But you know me-better, perhaps.
than any living man save Doggott =.
and one other. You know
whether or not | would seek 10 delude
you, David And knowing hat |
could not, you know why it Gems to
me imperative that, this hole being
Uncovered, Doggott and | must be-
take ourselves elsewhere. Surely
there must be solitudes-'" He rose
with a gesture Of impotence and be-
gan restlessly to move to and fro.
Amber started suddenly, flushing.
IF you
R~utton's kindly hand forced him
back into his chair. "Sit down, David.
| never meant that-never for an in
slant dreamed you'd Intentionally be-
tray my secret. It's enough that you
should know 1t, should occasionally
think of me as being here, to bring
misfortune down upon me, to work an
incalculable disaster to the progress
of this civilization Of ours"
you mean" Amber asked uncer-
tainly, thought transference?"
Something of the sort-yes." The
man came to a pause beside Amber,
looking down almost pitifully into his
face. Il daresay all this sounds hope
lessly melodramatic and neurotic and
tommyrotic, David. but I can
tell you nothing more. I'm sorry"
But only let me help you-any way
in my power, Rutton. There's moth
ing I'd not do. ="
Il know, David, know 1t. But my
case is beyond human aid, since ! am
powerless to apply a remedy myself"
And you are powerless?"
Rutton was silent a long moment.
Then, Time will tell" he said quietly.
There is one way ." He re-
sumed his monotonous round Of the
room.
Mechanically Amber began TO
smoke, trying hard to think, to pene-
trate by reasoning or intuition the
wall Of mystery which, It seemed, Rut-
ton chose to set between himself and
the world.
Presently he grew conscious that
Rutton was standing as if listening,
his eyes averted to the windows.
What is it?" he inquired at length.
unable longer to endure the tensitY
of the pause.
Nothing, l beg your pardon, Ia.
vid." Rutton returned to his chair,
making a visible effort to shake off
his preoccupation. It's an ugly night,
out there. Lucky you Numbered on
this place. Tell me how it happened,
What became OF the other man-your
friend?"
The thought Of Quain stabbed Am
ber's consciousness with a mental
pang as keen as acute physical al
guish. He jumped UP in torment.
God" he cried chokingly. I'D for
gotten! He's out there on the bay,
poor devil!-freezing to death If not
drowned. Our boat went adrift some
how; Quain would insist on going aft
er her IL a leaky old skiff we found on
The shore and didn't come
back, l waited till 1t was hopeless,