The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1913-02-22
Rv HAROLD MacGRATH
.Copyrisht, By The BoDbs. Merrill Company

drama is closest to our everyday af-
fairs.
| at once determined not to notify
the police; they would only bungle
the matter with the red tape OF delay.
/ could call them in when the work
was over.
And to think that this ruffian's taste
/ in overcoats was one and Identical |
! with mine! had half a notion to tear |
| of the coat, only it would have at
tracted attention-and, besides, 1t was |
cold.
| Some men would have shrugged |
their shoulders and permitted the |
thing to go on. In great city the
good Samaritan is usually looked upon
as a meddler; and besides, every one
has trouble enough of his own. The
girl was nothing to me; even her
name was unknown. / hoped, how
ever, that she was beautiful and
young. My duty lay clear enough. 1t
was possible to save a human being,
and that was all there was to the mat
ter. Any right-minded man would
have done exactly as l did, though
hardly with the same result. (This is
not to say that I'm not right-minded,
however!) If | should save the girl
from her prosecutor, | should always
have something to fall back on If by
any chance | myself left the straight
and narrow way. To save a life is to
do penance for many sins.
Putting aside all f1ippant moralizing,
: 1t was an adventure such as invaria-
bly, appeals to me, and 1t is habit
Of mine to pursue things to the end.
1t is a fine and noble pursuit, that OF
research. But sometimes, as in cases
like this adventure of mine. persons
. lacking my sense of the romantic, are
called busybodies.
I do not recollect what street 1t
was In the eighties that the guard
9 bawled out, but 1t was near enough
for my purpose. | hurried out OF the
: car and down the steps OF the ele-
waited. Everybody gets in the way OF
= a man in hurry; so, for block or
= more, the time was spent in making
+ apologies to gruff-tempered persons.
They would get in my way, and they
would demand what I meant by not
y looking where l was going. Finally
q succeeded in Kidding myself OF the
- crowds, and turned into a quiet and
9 sober street. The sign on the lamp
e post told me that l had arrived on
u the scene 1t was twenty minutes past
q eleven. Two things we're possible:
70 either the girl had been killed the
ID night before or had half an hour Of
le so In which to render her the great
10 est possible service.
l. The house proved to be fine struc
ture. one of those few dwellings Il
a. the metropolis that boasts OF anything
70 like a court or yard. This yard VIZ
IT. at the right of the building, and wa
- more a roadway to the stables in tn
o. rear than anything else. Still, ma
81 stretch 1t point and call 1t a yart
no | cast a hasty glance about. Not
soul was in sight. l tried one OF tn
40 gates. 1t was Unattached! This ce
ad tainly must be the night. l stole u
ad the roadway cautiously. The fat
ok that left some fine tracks in tn
snow did not disturb me. / was nj
ne guilty of anything wrong. Yes, thel
Ter was the bow-window through whic
IT, the rascal was to enter. There wou
Ito be a surprise in store for him. A su
dued light shone through the hal
les closed blinds. Some one was awake
at. doubtless the girl herself, reading.
up Everything Was working out NIGEL
ne I would even save her any real ammo
ance.
1 tiptoed back to the gate, and wi
' about to make my exit, when l pause
NO. Mortified, my heart in my mout
Coming airily along the walk was
" policeman. He was whistling popul
're Irish melodies and swinging his nigf
stick. The deuce! Suppose he took
M into his head to examine the gate!
ess hid behind the great stone gate-po!
lns breathing with difficulty. II there VI
u' anything in the world did not wa
~ to happen, 1t was to be arrested
an this other fellows coat! Besides Il
leu policeman wouldn't believe a word
IN said. He would hale me to the nes
"a est police station, and all my effor
!on to save the girl would come to moi
ing.
. The policeman did start for t
80 gate. but cat fight across the sire
~" distracted him and he crossed over
80 break up the conflict. l was saw
~, After a reasonable length OF time
-. stole forth. 1t was a close shave.
zoe I dare say that l have omitted {
tho fact that am young, still under thir
,od and am a struggling dramatist, AT
having been struggling poet, IL
and which craft had drifted after havi
been a struggling humorist. The mi
fault of my want OF success | lay
a. the fact that do not look the varit
parts. As dramatist. lack
will requisite irritability Of temper; as
poet, I have not that distinct dis
o." gard for personal appearance usus
and considered characteristic; as hum
,erv ist, / am totally deficient OF the 10
coat cadaverous and dyspeptic countenal
mis-. and lusterless eye OF the typ1
wing writer of funny fancier When
de. uncle died and left me comforta
more income, Art received q stagger
laws blow, from which 1t IL doubtful
had will ever recover A spinster aunt
sists that l am more than ordina
was agreeable to the eye; but. OF cou
"a q. | hlood "a martial IN bloO( That