The Detroit times., 1912-06-08
CHAPTER XVI.
We Hold Conference.


We Hold Conference.
For a moment / was too surprised
to answer him. but the mild blue eyes
never wavered from mine. The lined
old face presented such a gentle cour'
tesy that | nodded without further
thought.
Yes. sir" replied. do you know
him, and can you tell me IL he Is th9
owner OF that stable opposite?"
The old gentleman smiled. III have
to make you a Yankee answer, I'm
afraid" he said. Are you a friend
of Ephriam Bonds, and what do you
want of him."
hesitated. did not want TO
answer questions, and, even II
answered this, | hardly knew what
reply TO make to the first half OF his
question. Il don't suppose I'm ex-
actly friend,"I said at length. but
I'm very anxious to find him. | have
been to his house and found II closed.
and l had an idea that he owned that
stable over there"
He doesn't" said the old gentle
man. And the reply seemed by its
very abruptness to end the congersat
ton. Nevertheless, sat still and
waited.
The old gentleman had dropped his
eyes, and seemed TO be centering all
his attention on little noteless tune
he was drumming with long, blunt
fingers on the marble tabletop. When
ever he finished particularly difficult
run he would glance up at me, FOR am
the world like a shy little boy, and
then fall again to his drumming. At
last he folded his hands in front OF
him, and leaned across the table over
them.
Has he hurt you in any way." he
asked -''s
| stared at him in amazement. why
do you ask that?" said. do you
know who ann"
Il am not sure" said the old gent
tleman, II was only wondering"
I'm not sure that he has hurt me,
either" | replied; but ! should very
,, much like to find him. Do you know
where he is at present."
The old gentleman raped sharply
with coin on the tabletop. "Our
checks, boy. our checks" he said. He.
motioned away the money took from
my pocket mo, no." he said. let
me settle; IL will save time. You and
/ need to have long talk together,
and this is no place for IT, Will you
do me the courtesy Of visiting my
room?"
Gladly l answered. and reached
for my hat.
| At the first corner / started unconA
sciously to turn west, and my compan-
ion laid his hand on my arm.
No" he said, east, II you please.
East. in fact some distance east. T.
! perhaps l should explain that / am a
socialogist, a student, you understand,
OF mankind and society. There Is
nothing more interesting than mans
relations with man, nothing more i'm
teresting and nothing more complex.
/ Ii Is pleasant, | assure you, to be in
close touch with humanity. TO rub ell
bows with ones fellow beings: to be
close to the heart OF hurly-burly
human existence. have no patience,
sir, with your hermit, your solitary.
your recluse. God knows, we're most
OF us enough alone In crowd, with
out disturbing our mental balance fur
Their by withdrawal from IT, Men,
women and children, trouble, joy and
sorrow, human defeat and ultimate
human victory, these are the only
things of importance to a thinking
man. Your recluse is only a sort OF
coward who dares not put his soul to
the acid test OF life. He would save
his soul and loses it.; he draws away
from others to find the full develop
ment OF his ego, and he ends By turn
ing his ego into a vague, shadowy
thing, as soft and cloudy-outlined as
a sponge. Think what he misses;
think what he misses. Love Is lost to
him, and even nate becomes a fiabby
thing. Man Is an emotional aniftah
contrived and equipped for the great
adventure OF life, and II he refuses to
enter the lists he loses its very es.
sence and meaning. Where 7 live.
sir, the world moves. Personally, do
not think that the annals of the poor
are either short or simple. With -,
neither the duello nor marriage by
conquest are things Of the past Men
give or strike because their hearts are
touched, and so men have through all,
ages. The city. sir, is the very cream
OF human existence Here life cries
out TO you on every corner. That is
what appeals to me, sir; here even an
old man may throw his cap into the
ring