The Washington herald., 1913-12-21
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still on him as he veered irresolutely
southwark again into Madison Square.
The pure aimlessness Of his movement
arrested my attention. The figure thai
1rifted listlessly in past the Farragut
statue and wandered on under the parl
trees, in some way reminded me of my
own. I, too. knew what it was to cir.
Gle doggedly and sullenIy about, like
bell boy paging" the corridors of night
for that fugitive known as Sleep So
continued to watch him, quietly and close.
ly. had lost my interest in the white.
faced girl who. sat within twenty PAGES
of me, looking, silent and still, up at the
September stars.
So I sat there. listlessly watching the
listlessly moving figure with the wide
hat rim pulled down over its face. There
was something still youthful about the
man, for all the Respondent droop to the
shoulders. I asked myself idly who or
myself, he was merely haunted by the
curse of wakefulness, If the same blood
hounds of unrest dogged him through
the dark hours Of the night.
saw him tread his indeterminate
way along the winding park walks
saw him look desolately about the
square, with its bench rows filled with
huddIed and motionless sleepers. These
sleepers, with their fallen heads and
twisted limbs. with their contorted and
hol he hol "a
as horrible as a battlefield. The only
murmur or sound of life was the foun-
tain, with its column Of slowly rising
and slowly falling water, like the tired
pulse-beat of the tired city.
The man in the panama hat seemed to
find something companionable in this
movement, for he slowly drew nearer.
He came to within three benches of where
1 sat. Then he flung himself down on an
empty seat I could see his white and
haggard face as he watched the splashing
fountain.
When he made his next movement, 1t
was a startling one. 1t sent a tingle
Of nerves scampering up and down my
backbone. For 1 saw his right hand go
down to his pocket, pause there mo-
ment, and then suddenly lift again. As
it did so, my eye caught the white glim-
mer of metal. could see the fash Of
a revolver as he thrust it up under the
hat brim and held the nickeled barrel
close against his temple, just above the
lean jaw bone
It was so sudden, So unexpected, that
must have closed my eyes in sort Of
involuntary vince.
Yet even as 1 looked again at his hud-
died figure, 1 heard his little gasp of
something that must rave been between
fear and defeat. 1 saw the arm slowly
sink to his side. He was looking straight
before him, his unseeing eyes wide with
terror and indecision. 1t was then that
l decided to interfere. To do so seemed
only my plain and decent duty. Yet 1
hesitated for a moment, pondering just
how to phrase my opening speech to him.
Even as 1 took a sudden deeper breath
of resolution and was on the point OF
crossing to his side, 1 saw him fling the
revolver vehemently from him. 1t went
gIimmering and tumbling along the cop
perry green grass. 1t lay there, point
of high light against the darkness Of the
turf.
Then 1 looked back to the stranger and
saw his empty hands go up to his face
1t was a quiet and yet tragic gesture
of utter misery.
Then 1 turned back toward the fallen
revolver. As 1 did so, 1 noticed figure
in black step quietly out and pick up the
firearm 1t was the white-faced girl who
had sat looking up at the stars. Before
I fully realized the meaning Of her move
ment. she slipped the weapon out of sight
and passed silently on, down the winding
asphalt walk, between the rows of sleep
ers toward the east
1 vacillated for a moment, undecided
as to which to approach. But second
glance at the man in the panama hat,
crouched there in his utter and impas-
sive misery, caused me to cross over to
him.
put a hand on his fiaccid shoulder and
shook it. He did not move, at first SO
1 shook him again. Then he directed a
slow and resentful glance at me.
II want to have a talk with you," 1
began, puzzled as to how to proceed. He
did not answer me.
Il want to help you If can," I ex-
planned, as still let my hand rest on
his shoulder.
For Gods sake, leave me alone!" he
cried.
A sleeper or two on nearby benches
sat up and stared at US with drowsily in
different eyes
Then why are You making fool of
yourself like this?" I demanded.
That's my own business" he retorted.
Then you intend to keep it up?' in
quired.
No, I don't" he flung back 81 can't"
Then will you be so good as to talk
to me?"
No, won'tr was his prompt retort
1t dampened all the Quixotic fires in my
body. Then he rose 10 his feet and con-
fronted me. And If you don't get out Of
here, III kill your -
His threat, in some way. struck me as
funny. laughed out loud. But did not
waste further time OF him. 1 was al
ready thinking of the other figure, the
equally mysterious and more appealing