Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-07-21

caused the munger to be forgotten. He
/, stepped quietly from the sidewalk and
without word moved beside her down
the street. The movement caused a
score Of men to turn with quick curl
osity, but suddenly cry ran down the
line: THE doors open!" Everything
else yielded to the march toward food.
Dorcas swiftly led the way to the
carriage. When she opened the door
and beckoned Merry to enter he hest
tated, the blood flushing into his wan
face.
What do you want, Miss Dorcas ."
he asked quietly.
Il want to talk with you," answered
the girl. DO get in, please-out of the
storm"
Merry handed her in, then followed
and shut the door. Il cannot 20 home
with you," he announced stubbornly.
"Enoch is away. He's in Montreal,
and there is nobody at home except
Jason and me. l have so much to say
to you," she cried appealingly. 1--WE
cant talk driving through the streets
on such night as this"
Merry stared at her for a minute
with logged obstinacy in his gaze.
Wont you Gomez" urged the girl
impetuously. Her color deepened and
an eager light shone in her eyes.
There is SO much I want to say. We
shall be quite alone. You can trust
Jason. Afterwards you may 60 away
Up vU{ch-onA rx,t1l
never to- attempt to find you. will
try to forget you"
Merry stretched out his hand and
touched her arm. leaning forward un:
til his face was close to hers. Miss
Dorcas, don't say that. Since l left
you that night on Juniper Point have
lived lifetime Of happiness and hor-
ror and remorse. One thing alone has
saved me from going over the brink
Of the precipice, simply one thing"
He lifted his eyes to hers. THE one
thing" he repeated, that I could not
fling away was the memory that you
trusted me, that you believed in me.
and were waiting for me to make
good"
II trust you now" cried the girl, her
voice breaking into a sob. II am still
waiting for you to make good. Won't
you come home with me?"
The cab stopped in front of the
Waverly Place home. Merry followed
her reluctantly up the steps. She
paused for a moment while she ad-
justed the key In the lock.
would you mind seeing Jason?'
she asked hesitatingly. He can help
you with dry clothes. He will be as
glad to see you as l am"
ring for him." answered Merry
quietly. Jason and I are old pals"
Half and hour later Merry walked
into the library where Dorcas was
waiting for him. 1t seemed as If the
mere resumption of clean, comfortable
clothing, even though hunger still
marked him, had given the man fresh
yalor, new dignity.
He laughed nervously. 1T is a re-
juvenation, isn't it," he asked as he
glanced at himself in the mirror. ia
son unearthed some buds l once left
here"
Jason was an excellent valet, and a
hot bath, shave, and fresh raiment
had made a man of Merry. The lock
of fair hair which habitually fell over
his forehead made him look almost
boyish, although his face was pallid
and careworn.
II have eaten nothing since morn
ing" Dorcas said. Il told Jason to
serve supper here, on little table be-
side the fire, where it is coy and
cheerful"
Merry dropped into chair. He
wondered if the intense enjoyment OF
the good things of life was pure sensu-
BUSINESS. The odor of hot coffee, the
sight of daintily set table, the ra.
dance of a coal fire. the glow of red
shaded lights, and the storm shut out
doors brought a tingling pleasure
which seemed like mere animal graft
flcation. He shivered for a moment as
he listened to the storm. He won
dered what had made it possible for
him to brave homelessness and hun
ger and squalor. Looking back on it
he realized he had borne it as a man
lives through pain under the power of
an anesthetic. The misery of his mind
had dulled the sordid wretchedness of
mere existence.
To Merry that supper was festival,
not wholly because 1t was the salts
flying of ravenous appetite, but because
1t was the crisis II his life. Dorcas
eensed that II her own hunger was
real, Merry would not feel that she
Ito be continued)