Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-07-01
Before Night
BY D. e. Dermody.
Copyrighted. 1910. by The Pearson
Publishing Co.
BY D. e. Dermody.

IhSclndtedIy. Then ne called Ior al
other drink. The bartender hesitated,
looked into the sailors eyes, and
showed forward a bottle. John drank
and went out. Half an hour later he
knocked at the Whylie cottage The
old lady came to the door.
Where's Jane live?" he asked.
She could not see his face IN the
shadows, and she did not note the
thickness of his voice.
What you goin' to do, John?" she
Queried timidly.
Coin to graduate Jane and jim"
The old lady gave him an address,
He walked steadily until he was out
side the gate, then staggered in relaxa-
ton as he passed down the graveled
walk At a little distance he stopped,
looked about TO see that nobody was
observing him, flung his arms aloft
and hooted like an owl. 'Tha's bet
ter" be muttered, and weaved onward.
The home of the Storkleys proved to
be an implanted wooden structure,
sordid even for that city of laborers.
Jane answered Johns knock, appear
ing in the doorway in a loose, soiled
house gown and with lamp in her
hand.
"Howdy, Jane?" he greeted her
gruffiy, and reached TO take the lamp.
She backed away.
The knowledge that he had never
been drunk before led her to analyze
instantly his condition now. and the
realization made her tremble so that
the fame of the lamp flickered. Stolid
Jim Storkley was a noisy idiot in his
cups. What sort of mailman would
a swashbuckler like John Waith BET
AS she set the lamp on a stand, he
reached out hand.
CALCULATIONS. Jane" he hiccoughed.
She gave him her hand, her eyes
haunted He jerked her close and
kissed here She tried TO retreat, but
ne gathered her in his arms and bore
her bodily to lounge, where he sat
down and drew her TO his side. While
she struggled desperately, though ST.
lently. to release herself, he held her
in vise-like bondage and rained kisses
on her head from crown TO throat, on
eyes, cheeks, lips and chin.
"An hour for me, Jane" he num-
bled hoarsely-"one hours goin' to be
mine. You've me that"
Painting wildly, struggling at inter
walls, but uttering no cry. Jane endured
the indignity of his endearing. Be-
tween storms of kissing, his hand,
coarse but clean, explored her face,
fumbled in her loose hair, or pressed
back her forehead that he might stare
enthusiastically into her frightened
eyes. A step sounded on the porch
without.
For Gods sake, John. let me co."
gasped Jane. "Jim's comm"
John laughed ghoulishly. You'd
think it was the admiral on inspec-
ton, way you say it. Who's afraid OF
JIM"
Jim entered. He gaped at the pair
dumbfounded. Jane answering the &C
cusing anguish of his eyes with re-
assuring supplication in her own. John
merely glanced at the husband and
continued his caresses. Jim, pale and
trembling now, crossed the room and
seized the ravisher by his coat collar.
John arose and struck him down. Jim
sprang to his feet. his mouth bleeding.
John was advancing on him, when
with a piteous wall Jane flung herself
on her husbands breast, her arms
around his neck, a fierce defiance in
the big eyes turned back toward the
intruder. That was too much for John.
He suddenly sobered. He looked at
the pair in dumb agony for a moment,
turned and wen; out into the night
and its soul-loneliness.
Downtown he drank heavily again.
Swaying along a street, he saw swing
ing doors and pushed thcm open, be-
lieving the place TO be saloon. lie
entered a wide room filed with people
of both sexes, on benches, who were
singing generously, AM he was i'm
mediately surrounded by number Of
women 1t amounts almost - creed
with sailors and soldiers. be they never
SO turbulent, to respect women and re-
ligions John, realizing that he bad
unwittingly entered an evangelical
mission, steadied himself with a stiT
effort and permitted an elderly LADY 20
conduct him to seat Between songs
men and women exhorted or prayed,
but John paid no attention 10 the ser
vice. He was tired, deathly tired. His
half-clOsed eyes wandered reSttully
about the walls of the room, which
were covered with admOnitOry and bib
lical notices. Are you prepared TO
die?" was the query of one. Yes"
exclaimed John, flinging his arms over
his head, the quicker the sooner" He
was brought back TO himself by OBJ
serving that several people turned
their heads to look at him curiously.
He lowered his face in shame, but
soon his eyes wandered again. One
lengthy print over the front platform
attracted him inexplicably and he read
it over and over at intervals until the
service closed. 1t said:
This life is day, and there are
some who in the brightness of the
day grow strong and are arrogant.
But there is a long night coming,
and before that night comes the
strong shall be broken"
Not me-" John was telling himself
as he quilted the room at the heels Of
the crowd-"not me; I'm not gojn' to
be broken. Who cares for an addle-
headed girl, anyhow" All wonen's
silly" 1t was nearly a minute later
before he added softly: "All but
Mother Whylie."
During the month that target prac
tice continued John visited the home
Of Mrs. Whylie each evening. where he
habitually sat on the porch until a
late hour. . silent, meditative. dour
speaking only when spoken to. But
Mrs. Whylie knew his ways and knew