The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-08-07
CHAPTER III-continued.

CHAPTER III-Continued.
"The dragon may have teeth and
claws, but it can neither see nor
SMELL" he said, CONTEMPORARY, turn
ing his steps riverward again. Now
I have only to choose my route and go
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 riverfront, Griswold idled
up and down the Ievee; and the end
of the interval found him still undecid-
ed as to the manner and direction of
his f1ight-to say nothing of the choice
OF destination, which was even more
evasive 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 ne should incur
1t. Besides, he argued, there were 9TH
er fields in which the sociological
studies could be pursued under condi-
found in a great city. In his minds
eye he saw himself domiciled in some
thriving interior town. working and
studying among people who were not
unindividualized by an artificial en-
YirOnment. In such 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 posi-
bly, be in the smallest of circles in
New York. The picture, struck out
upon the instant, pleased him, and hay-
ing sufficiently idealized it, he adopted
1t 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 a
line Of flight; and it was 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 FoustabOuts, trailing in and out
like an endless procession of human
ants. were hurrying the last of the car
go aboard
Poor devils They've been told
that they are free men. and perhaps
they believe it. But surely no slave
of the Toulon galIeys was ever in bit
terer BONDAGE E'rea7-ves
free to toll and sweat, to bear burdens
and to be driven like cattle under the
yokei Oh, good Lord!-look at that"
The ant procession had attacked the
final tier of boxes in the lading, and
one of the burden-bearers, 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 IN
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.
I been dyin' on my feet any time for
year or two back"
Consumption? Queried Griswold.
briefly.
81 reckon So"
; Then you have no earthly business
In a deck crew. Don't you know
that?"
The mans smile was a CHASTITY face
wrinkIing.
Reckon I hain't got any business
anywheres-out'n horspital or hole
In the ground. But I kind O. thought
I'd like to be planted longside the
woman and the childer, if 1 could make
out some way to git there
''Where?'
The consumptive named small riv.
er town in Iowa.
In GriswOld impulse was the domi.
nant chord always struck by an appeal
to his sympathies. His compassion
went straight to the mark, as it was
sure to do when his pockets were not
empty.
What is the fare by rail to your
town. he inquired.
81 don't know: 1 never asked. Some
where's between twenty and thirty dol
lars, 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 the 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 I'll take YOU
Job on the boat. Don't be fool" be
added, when the man put his face IL
his hands and began to choke. Its
a fair enough exchange, and I'll get a:
much out of it one way as you vii
the other. What is your name?
may have to borrow it."