Evening star., 1913-03-02


from pestilence. Well as say, Hayden to meet
me- and just that moment the. Admiral finished his
game and went out. We were alone in the library.
- HAYDEN told he had thought the matter
carefully There nothing do but to clear out of
Reuton forever. But why, he argued, should both
goo Why wreck two lives? 1t would be far better, he
| can see him now.-how funny and white his face
looked in that halfighted ROOM how his hands trem-
bled l was far the calmer of the two.
Il agreed to his plan Hayden led the way into the
room where the Admiral had been playing. We went
up the table, which the green shaded light still
burned On it lay two decks of cards, face up Hayden
picked up the deck and shuffled it nervouslv
His face-God it like the snow out there on the
mountain.
Kendrck closed his eyes, and Magee gazed at him in
He held out the deck" went on the exile softly He
told draw. He said if theecard was black, hes
clear out But if its red David, he said, why-you-
got to go | held my BREATH and drew 1t was full
minute before dared look at the card in my hand
Then turned it overland it red, measly little
red two-spot. don't suppose man ever realizes all at
once what such a moment means. l remember that.
much cooler than Hayden. 1t was | who had to
brace him up II even tried to joke with him. But
his face like death. He hardly spoke at all at first
and then he suddenly became horribly laxative. left
him talking wildly left Reuton! l left the girl to
whom engaged
To break the silence that followed Magee leaned for
ward and stirred the logs.
DON'T want to bore you" Kendrick said, trying to
smile. Il went a little town in South America
else civilized and decent smoked cigarettes and drank
what passed for rum, the balcony of impossible
hotel and otherwise CROPPED about for the path that
leads to the devil. After year wrote to Hayden. He
answered. urging to stay away. He intimated that
the thing had done my shoulders. | was
ashamed frightully unhappy. didn't dare write to
her. asked Hayden about her, and he wrote back that
she shortly to marry him. After that didn't want
to come back to Reuton. | wanted most to die.
"The years crept by the balcony of that impossible
hotel six of them: the first in bitter memories memories
of q red Card hat befO m
closed hem the last in fierce biting desire to come
back to the world had left. At last few months ago.
wrote to another college trend OF mne Drayton and
told him the whole story did not know that he had
been elected prosecutor in Reuton. He answered with
a kind, pityng letter-and finally knew the horrible
truth. Nothing had ever happened. The thing had
done had been discovered Hayden had lied. He
had even lied about his engagement to Myra Thornhl
There he had made reality of what simply his
great desire.
"You can imagine my feelings. Six years in tomb,
comic opera of tomb, where silly surf was forever
pounding, and foolish palms kept waving! Six years
for nothing Six years, while Hayden, gulter than
stayed behind to enjoy the good things of life, to plead
for the girl whose lover he had banished
Il lost no time in coming north Three days ago
the wrong Hayden and had done should be made pub
lie. Drayton informed me that legally there had been
crime; that Hayden had Strengthened things out
time; that we had defrauded no one. And he told
that for whatever sin had committed he thought had
than atoned down there in that town that God
forgot. l think had He explained to me about the
trap he had LAID tor Hayden here at Baldpate lnn
| begged to help. What happened after, YOU know
well as l."
yes think do" agreed Alagee softly.
HAVE told YOU the whole story Kendrick replied,
"and vet it seems that still it is all told.
Why should Hayden have killed himself? He had lied
me- it is true but life always sweet to him, and
it hardly to me that he the sort to die simply
because his falsehood discovered. Was there
other act of cruelty side to the story of which
of aware? | wonder?' He silent a
moment.
Anyhow, have told you all know" he said. "Shall
l tell it also the Coroner shall we allow Haydens