The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1914-12-12

had been pleasant companionship with
him in the old days. The old days
seemed ages ago, further back than
the gaiety of childhood
He left Broadway. walking with
quick, nervous strides until he found
himself far over on the East side.
wandering aimlessly through wretched
streets. populated by the drift from
nations. The sidewalks were thronged
with children. Occasionally Enoch
swore beneath his breath as he es-
capped tumbling over them during his
hurried. headlong progress. When he
turned corner he found his way
blockaded by huge safe that was be-
ing hoisted into "A warehouse. He
glanced at the street. it was ankle
deep in siush. Suddenly the odor of
hot bread was waited to him from a
little restaurant cavern below the side
walk. He remembered he had eaten
no breakfast, and it aroused sudden
sense OF hunger. He ran quickly down
the steps. The small dining room was
remarkably clean. He sat down with
a sense of satisfaction which seemed
alien to such place.
Bring me coffee and a steak, first
class steak done rare" he ordered.
Cook it carefully"
He was alone in the small room. 1t
was quiet except for the shrill voices
of children on the sidewalk. He had
not known a moment of peace or soil
tude for months. All his life he had
scoffed at nerves as a delusion He
wondered il he had been wrong.
whether nerves might not be stern
reality. If they were, he had them.
His mind went flashing over the events
of the past fortnight, since the night.
when. weary, harassad, and hopeless,
he returned from Montreal to be met
by Dorcas with the news that Merry
had returned and was ready to begin
rehearsals. 1t still exasperated him
when he remembered how stubbornly
she had refused details of Andrew 5
Homecoming. All he learned was that
the actor had seen Oswald and was re-
hearsing from morning till night.
A few days later. in the foyer Of the
Gotham. when he came face to face
with Merry, the plan OF their future
intercourse was determined instantly.
Wentworth had been in mood to
welcome reconciliation and friend
ship; Andrew was cold courteous, and
singularly unapproachable Enoch's $
warmth was chilled and his pride
aroused. He plunged fiercely into
work. scarcely snatching time to eat
81 no UaT n
remonstrated; he could see that the
man was working beyond the limit of
human capacity. Work was the only
thing that would whip retrospection
from his mind. Drink had never been
temptation to Wentworth-it was
nothing but side issue to sociability
so he did not take to it now. He
realized he was losing old friends: he
had tossed one of them aside today.
The intuition which is bred by a
guilty conscience began to play strange
pranks with him. He felt as If Os-
wald had guessed his secret and was
driving him into a corner by the sug-
gestion that he remodel the play He
saw Dorcas each day grow colder and
more suspicious. Merry at one glance
had thrust him outside the pale Of &C
quaintanceship. Within ten days
The House of Esterbrook" would have
its first production
Enoch shivered with apprehension
as he thought Of It. A queer thing had
| doomed up in his mind during the past
few days A decade ago a club friend
with fad for palmistry had insisted