New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-02

talk 20 the Younger men about MS game Icy leu dS
from pc,tcncc Well, as | say, Hayden came 10 meet
ne. and lust AZ that moment the Admiral finished his
game and went out. We were alone in the library.
~Havdcn told me he had thought the matter over
carefully. There nothing 10 do but to clear ont OF
Rcuton forever But WHY he argued, should we both
20, Why wreck two lives? II would be TAR better, he
told me- for one TO assume the guilt OF both and 90 away
/ can see him now-how funny and white his iace
looked that hali-lighted room, how his hands trem
blcdl was far the caner Of the two.
Il agreed to his plan. Hayden lei the way into the
room where the Admiral had been PLAYING. We went
up to the table which the green-shaded light still
burned. On II lay two decks Of cards t1ce up Hayden
picked up the deck, and shuled it nervously
His acc-Gol. it was ike the snow out there on the
mountain
Kcnlric< closed his eyes and Magee gazed at him in
silent pity
He held cut the deck the exile softly He
told me to draw He said if the card black, he's
clear out. But fits red, David he said 'why-youm--
got to gol ! 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 ever realizes all at
once what such a moment means. | remember that l
was much cooler than Hayden. 1t was who had to
brace him up. Il even tried to joke with him. But
his face was like death He hardly spoke at all at first,
and then he suddenly became horribly laxative. left
him talking wildly left Rcuton! lett the girl to
whom | was engaged
TO break the silence that followed, Nagee leaned for
ward and stirred the logs.
DON'T want to bore YOU" Kendrick said, trying to
L smile Il went 10 a little town in South America.
There was no treaty of cxtradition herenor anything
else civilized and decent smoked cigarettes and drank
what passed FOR rum, on the balcony OF an impossible
hotel and otherwise groped 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 We had done WAS on my shoulders | was
ashamed frghtiully 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
o come back ReltOn. wanted most To die.
THE years crcp by the balcony OF that impossible
hotel six of them the first i'll bitter memories, memories
Of red card that danced cndishly before my eyes when
closed them; the last in fierce, biting desire to come
back to the world had left At last few months ago,
wrote to another college friend Of mine, Drayton and
told him the whole story. | did not know that he had
been elected prosecutor in Reuton He answered with
a kind plying letcr-and finally knew the horrible
truth Nothing had ever happened The thing we had
done had never been discovered Hayden had he'd. He
had even lied about his engagement to Alyra Thornhil
There he had made reality out OF what was simply his
great desire
you can imagine my feelings Six years in a tomb
a comic opera sort of tomb where silly surf was forever
pounding, and foolish palms kept waving. Six years
for nothing! Six years while Hayden, gutcr than l.
stayed behind enjoy the good things of life, to plead
for the girl whose lover he had banshed
Il lost no time in coming north. Three days ago |
entered Draytons office. was ready and willing that
the wrong Hayden and had done should be made pub
lie Drayon informed me that legally there had been
crime; that Hayden had Strengthened things out in
time; that we had deirauded no one. And he told me
that for whatever sin had committed he thought had
more than atoncd down there in that town that God
forgot | think | had. He explained to me about the
trap he had laid for Hayden up here at Badpae Inn.
! begged to help What happened after, you know
we'll as l."
"Yes, think do, agreed Magec softly.
7 HAVE told YOU the whole story kcndrck replied,
and yet it to that still is not all told
Why should Hayden have killed HIMSELF He had lied
10 me, it is true: but life always sweet to him, and
it hardly seems TO me that he the to die simply
because his faSehood discovered Was there some
other act of cruelty, side TO the story Of which
Of us aware? | wOnder?" He was silent a
moment