The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1914-10-16
CHAPTER xV-Continued.

1OreSaW the END or chapter. ne udu
spent himself: In body-he was no
longer capable of long intense appli.
cation, he had fallen back upon the
invalid's last resort, drugs; in mind
the creative faculty seemed dead, that
very morning young man in the mills
had announced an important invention
that was to have been Truths mag.
mum opus and upon which his sterile
brain had labored in vain; in soul
he could no longer dream. And for
reward he had-the dry fact of tri-
umph he could not sense and the pros.
pect Of an empty, useless. disconnected
future.
He was critic, you see; but not
Of himself. The world was out OF
joint
Passers-by we're diverted from their
own cares by the sight of we'll
dressed man stamping his cane on
the pavement and muttering aloud:
AN evil fate pursues me. Other men
do as l do, desire as I desire and find
content. Why can't be contented-
and happy?"
A thousand faces streamed past him.
unrecognized and unrecognizing. Then.
at corner where two currents
damned each other, appeared one
that seemed oddly familiar 1t was of
an undistinguished LONELINESS. pasty
pale, morose, matching well the gen.
eral shabbiness Of its owner. At first
Mark, confused by the dirty brown
beard. did not recognize him.
The man had no doubts. At sight
OF Mark an evil glitter sprang into
the sullen eyes.
"You!"
BY the hate that had lived through
fifteen years Mark placed him.
'Piotr Andzrejzski!"
Peter Anderson" the man cor.
rected him.
That's a good American name. I'd
forgotten you had preference" Mark
smiled and held out a friendly hand.
How are you, Peter Anderson?
The hand was ignored. When Peter
Anderson sneered, his LONELINESS be-
came almost grotesque
Since you're SO interested, / man
age to keep alive"
How do you manage it?"
I'm compositor on the Outcry-
when there's any money for an ISSUE"
THE Outcry?"
You'll hear of 1t yet. It's the paper
OF our Cause"
Mark knew of but one cause that
employed the capital. Socialism, l
10 Id In
hope it's in funds sufficiently often"
Il look it. don't II"
The answer was SO obvious that
Mark avoided it. How" he asked
hastily. lis Romans"
He breathes and sleeps and eats.
But he's dead"
is that Socialist parable? I'm
not Socialist. SO you'll have to ex-
plain
His minds gone. It began to go
soon after you stole his job. But prob
ably you've forgotten that, too"
II have no recollection" said Mark
coldly. 'of any such occurrence" With
q curt nod. he passed on.
He had gone but few steps when
he halted and looked back. Peter, un-
mindful of elbowing pedestrians. was
still at the corner. glazing at him.
Impulsively he turned and retraced
his steps.
See here. Piotr," he said. Let us
not use hard names. There are q good
many things we'd never agree on. But
we can agree on this-you're hard up.
I've been luckier than you. What can
j do to help your"
Piotr's lips formed surly, Moth
ing" But the refusal did not fall. A
look Of transparent craft displaced
malevolence.
do you mean that?" he asked sus-
piciously.
I'm not in the habit"
Il don't care about your habits"
Piotr interrupted ungraciously. III
you want to do something. you can
lend me hundred dollars"
Lend evidently. was a euphem-
ism.
what will you do-still. that's your
business. OF course, l will. I wish
you'd asked me something harder.
Come along to the bank"
The bank was few blocks away.
Mark improved the time by asking the
details OF Romans circumstances.
Pfotr. sullenness not lifted by the
prospect OF money. answered shortly.
1t was a pitfable story of descent-of
thu gradual dissipation of the savings
OF Romans active years and the swift
failure. through idleness and too much