The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1915-07-29
CHAPTER lll-continued.

CHAPTER lll-continued.
"The dragon may have teeth and
claws, but II eau neither see nor
smell" he said. coutemptuously, turn.
ing his steps riverward again Now
have only to choose my route and 60
IN peace. How and where are the
only remaining questions to be an.
swered'
For an hour or more after his re-
turn to the riyerfront Griswold idled
up and down the levee; and the end
OF the interval found him still undecid
ed as to the manner and direction of
his iight-to say nothing OF the choice
OF destination, which was even more
eyasiye than the other and more i'm
mediately pressing decision.
His first thought had been to go back
TO New York. But there the risk OF
detection would be greater than else
where, and he decided that there was
no good reason why he should incur
It. Besides, he argued, there we're 9TH
er fields in which the sociological
studies could be pursued under condi-
tlons more favorable than those to be
found in a great city. In his minds
eye he saw himself domiciled in some
thriving interior town, working and
studying among people who we're not
unindividualized by an artificial en-.
Vironment. In such a community
theory and practice might go hand in
hand; he could know and be known;
and the money at his command would
be vastly more of a molding and con-
trolling influence than it could possi-
bly, be in the smallest Of circles in
New York. The picture, struck out
upon the instant, pleased him, and hav-
Ing sufficiently idealized it, he adopted
It enthusiastically as an inspiration,
leaving the mere geographical detail
to arrange itself as chance. or subse-
quent events. might determine.
That part of the problem disposed
of, there yet remained the choice of
line Of flight; and It was a small thing
that finally decided the manner Of his
going. For the third time in the hour
Of aimless wanderings he found him
self lettering opposite the berth Of the
Belle Julie. an up-river steamboat
whose bell gave sonorous warning Of
the approaching moment Of departure.
Toiling roustabouts trailing in and out
like an endless procession Of human
ants, we're hurrying the last Of the car
90 aboard.
Poor devils! They've been told
that they are free men, and perhaps
they believe 1t. But surely no slave
of the Toulon galleys was ever in bit
terer bondage. Free?-yes,
free to toll and sweat, to bear burdens
and to be driven like cattle under the
yoke! Oh, good Lordl-look at that"
The ant procession had attacked the
final tier Of boxes in the lading, and
one OF the burdenbearers, a white
man, had stumbled and fallen like a
crushed pack animal under a load too
heavy for him. Griswold was beside
him in a moment The man could not
rise, and Griswold dragged him not un-
tenderly out of the way of the others.
where are you hurt?'
The crushed one sat up and spat
blood.
81 don't know inside, somewheres.
been dyin' on my feet any time for
a vaar or tyfn hoob
Consumption" queried Griswold,
briefly.
q reckon So"
"Then you have no earthly business
In a deck crew. Don't you know
that?"
The mans smile was a ghastly face
wrinkling.
Reckon l hain't got any business
anywheres-outn a horspital or a hole
in the ground But kind o. thought
I'd like to be planted longside the
woman and the childer II I could make
out some way to git there"
"Where?"
The consumptive named a small riy-
er town In Iowa.
In Griswold impulse was the domi-
nant chord always struck by an appeal
to his sympathles His compassion
went straight to the mark, as it was
sure to do when his pockets we're not
empty.
What is the fare by rail to your
town 2 he inouirpd
81 don't know: never asked. Some.
where's between twenty and thirty dol
lars. J reckon; and that's more money
than I've seen sence the woman died"
Griswold hastily counted out a hun
dred dollars from his pocket fund and
thrust the money into tho mans hand.
Take that and change places with
me-" he commanded, slipping on the
mask of gruffness again. Pay your
fare on the train, and III take your
Job on the boat. Don't be a fool" he
added when the man put his face In
his hands and began to choke. It's
fair enough exchange. and I'll get as
much out Of II one way as you will
the other What Is your name?
may have to borrow It,"
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