Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1913-06-14

| Into water and withdraw It.. what hap.
pens? Nothing Well. the man who
gives mo benefit il sticking his
! finger into water I'm Just as un-
stable. How many promises have |
made and broken! | mean. promises
to myself. don't know. This mo-
ment swear 70 be good. and along
comes n pack OF cards or bottle of
wine. and back ! slip. Would Il be
worth while TO trust man SO damned
weak rs that7 Look at me am six
foot two. normally a hundred and
eighty pounds, no fat. am as sound
as cocoanut There isn't boxer in
the States I'm afraid Of. | can ride,
shoot, fence. fight; there isn't a game
can't take creditable hand In. SO
much for that. There's the other side
Morally. I'm putty. When it's soft you
can mold II any which way: when It's
hard. II crumbles. Will you trust a
man like thatg'
yes. Out there you'll be away
from temptation"
Perhaps. Well. accept. And II
one day I'm missing, think kindly Of
the poor devil Of an outeast who want
ed to be good and couldn't be. I'm
tagged. I'm going to turn in. Good.
night"
He picked up his blanket and saddle
bags and made his bed dozen yards
away.
George set his gaze at the fire. now
falling In places and showing mean
descent holes. A month ago, in the
rut Of commonplace, moving round In
oiled grooves Of mediocrity. Bangl
like rocket. Why, never had those
liars in the smoke-rooms recounted
anything half so wild and strange as
this adventure. Smugglers. card
sbarps. an ancient rug. caravan In
the desert! He turned his head and
looked long and earnestly at the little
tent, Love. too: love that had put
into his diffident heart the thrill and
courage OF Bayard. Love! He saw
her again as she stepped down from
the carriage; in the dining room at his
side, leaning over the parapot; ipef-
fabiy sweet, hauntingly sad Would
she accept the refuge he had offered?
lie knew that old Mortimer would
take her without question. Would she
accept the shelter Of that kindly roof?
She must! II she refused and went
her own way into the world. he would
lose her for ever. She must accept!
lie would plead with all the elouuence
OF his soul. for his own happiness. and
mayhap hers. He rose, faced the
tent, and, with a gesture not unlike
'hat OF the pagan in prayer, registered
w" mat never should she want for
pro'ecuon, never should she want for
'ne comforts of life. How he was
so'ns 10 Keep such vow was a ques-
uoh that did not enter his head. Some
feat.
""at mattered the ragged beard
UPON MS face, the ragged clothes upon
s 'ouy. the tattered cloths upon his
rect, the grotesque attitude and en-
semoie' The Lord of Life saw into
s heart and understood. And who
"'en, say with what Joy Pandora
s".eu upon her work, knowing as she
casket?
from these heights, good occasional
y Tor any mans soul, George came
uoWh abruptly and humanity to the
p'osaic question OF where would he
n.ahe MS bed that night? To lie down
a. uhe north side OF the fire meant
nin IN The morning: the south side.
me intermittent, acrid breath Of the
IRE nseh; so he threw down his blan-
ket and bags east Of the FIRE. wrapped
m.msen up, and sank into slumber,
ilsht but dreamless.
what was that? He sat up. alert.
s'raining his ears. How long had he
ueen asleep? An hour by his watch.
what had awakened him? Not
SOUND anywhere. yet something had
startled him out Of his sleep, he