davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18

a few minutes afterward, Jane
came into the room. In her hand was
n letter, and on her brow q wrinkle
that portended unwelcome news.
IT have just received this letter
from Cicely," she said. Maurice
wants to come down here for some
fishing, and she hopes we will put
him up for 4 fortnight. People are
SO inconsiderate! What are we to do
with o young man? One would really
think, from the way she writes, that
we kept q hotel"
Cicely was the professors married
sister. She had married poor man,
and had had hard struggle to edu-
cate her five children. Maurice was
the eldest boy. He had done bril-
liantly at Cambridge, and was al
ready making a name for himself as
an electrical engineer. His uncle ap-
proved of him, though he had not
seen him since he was q small boy.
The professor and Jane had always
been sorry for Clcely, but there was
a good deal of contempt mixed with
their pity for what they considered
her weakness In falling in love with
a man who had only a very small in
come and no prospects.
II.
Ten days later Maurice arrived,
There was no one to receive him but
Jane and Madge. The professor had
been obliged to go to London for the
day about manuscript which he
hoped to be allowed to copy. and he
could not get back till II o'clock at
night.
The young people did not wait up
for him, but he found the faithful
Jane sleepily presiding over the sup
per table. He was in high spirits.
He had been allowed to copy the
manuscript. which proved to be even
more valuable and interesting than
he had anticipated. He spoke hope
fully of getting his book out in the
autumn. Jane mentioned Maurice's
arrival, but he barely noticed the re-
mark.
He did not appear at breakfast
next morning. having sat up until
the small hours over his new treas
ure. When he came down, about an
hour later, he found the door and
windows open in his study. and his
papers strewn over the floor, but no
Madge.
He had dreamed OF Madge. He
had dreamed of his book taking the
world by storm, of his laying his tri-
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18

sidered an employe careful. II lavish,
in the matter of dress. Now he looked
like a cheap foreigner with no notion
Of the value of color from a New York
view.
The man who was watching him
trailed the various cars Blount took
and the lonely streets he walked. For
al! that he lost track Of him.
Blount disappeared near the water
front and slept in the alley of a ware
house. The veteran on night duty did
not discover him because Blount was
srouched under pile Of refuse.
AS boy Blount had played in this
locality when It was open country. The
man who was watching him knew
brooklyn as one knows dictionary.
One must always look in order to And
anything.
At in the morning Blount, carry
ing the small bag he had bought at q
pawnshop on his way home the day
before he was reported sick at the
bank, strobe calmly up the gangplank
Of the obscure steamer bound for Spain
He had been registered as James War
burton by telephone. knowing enough
not to use a name suggestive OF his
own initials.
The steamer was backing out into the
bay when he noticed passengers and
n few sailors run excitedly toward tho
prov of the boat.
belated voyager was being brought
to the ship on q tug. They took him
aboard on @ rope ladder.
Warburton saw that no was q strong
ly built, stoutish man, with n heavy
jawed, pale face, and small. very black
eyes. This much he observed as tho
tug drew alongside. Then warburton
went down to his cabin and lay on
the couch. dreaming awake of his
whole life.
An inexplicable nervousness prompt
ed him to get up and take a revolver
from his handbag He put the revolver
In the outer pocket of his sack coat. He
brushed his hand across the cloth to
assure himself the weapon did not bulk
noticeably.
Some one knocked at the door. His
hFHfsh aAApped for an instant; his chin
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18

umph at her feet, and Of her confess
Ing that she loved and esteemed him
above all other men she had met His
dressing had been accelerated by the
prospect of finding her waiting for
him when he got down. He called for
her-searched the house for her-buS
all to no purpose.
He came back to his room at last
feeling cross and not a little injured.
Az he proceeded laboriously to collect
his scattered papers. he heard q mans
voice outside the window.
do you know. think It was ave-
fully good Of you to give UP your
mornings to his musty old papers," u
said.
And then Madge's answer:
1T was rather a bore, but didnV
mind when there was nothing else Ia
do. And liked to please him-he's
such q dear old thing"
And then the voices Of the two
young people died away as they
walked, chattering and laughing.
The professor drew himself up, ana
SILVER ran through his frame.
For a few minutes he stood at the
window, watching them in their youth
and unconscious heartlessness as they
crossed the lawn. Then he turned,
went to his drawer, and took from it
the little package he had consigned
to 1t 80 tenderly a fortnight earlier.
He unrolled the sonnet without read.
ing 1t, and tore It across and across
into tiny fragments. He picked up
the rose. and turned to the window:
but. changing his mind, he lifted the
withered flower reverently to his lips
and locked 1t up carefully once moro
in the drawer.
Taking pencil. he wrote on a slip
of paper: There's no fool like an old
fool" and sternly set 1t up against
his inkstand where It could not fail
to catch his attention during the
morning. Then he went to the book
case, and, with sigh, took down
the second volume of Semitic ORR
gins"
When Jane came In, a little later,
she found him deep in his papers.
my dear" he said, mildly, would
you ask the young people to make a
little less noise? This chapter on
Progressive Judaism needs all my
attention"
But the next time his eyes met
those Of the portrait over the man.
telpiece there was a brightness In
them suspiciously like tears.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18

keep their heads for that time. All
the night they prowled about in the
fog. and when. with the dawn and SUM
rise, came wind that brushed the seq
clear. they saw no sign Of the Vic
toria or the ship that had run her
down.
One man stood up and. with a cry Of
frightful blasphemy, threw himself into
the water
That's the man I'm after! Let ma
get him!" O'Neill yelled. and would
have sprung over the side If warbur-
| ton had not restrained him.
O'Neill fought like the maniac he
was.
Let the fool go overt" some ono
shouted. It's one less mouth to feed"
Let him CO." the tillerman roared.
"or you'll go with him. Can't you sea
he's too strong for you?'
II can't do it! can't do IT," Warbur-
ton cried out. II want to. but I can't
do it,
One Of the oarsmen tapped O'Neilrs
skull with his oar, and the detective
fell in a heap with warburton on top
Of him.
Hes got a wife and kids at home"
Warburton said, picking himself up
and shook as with ague. He had lied.
he knew.
Then he disposed O'Neill. who was
quite unconscious as comfortably as he
could. and sat watching him as faith
err watches a sick child.
| Toward noon they were taken up BY
one of the large transatlantics. which
had learned Of the collision by wire
less, and was on the lookout for stray
ed lifeboats.
O'Neill. still unconscious, was placed
In the ships hospital with a slight
fracture of the skull.
Three days later he recognized War
burton.
Say" O'Neill began. 1.-The doctor
told me this morning that you're the
fellow who saved my life. He got u
from the Victoria men. And I never
knew you. What's your name-oh.
holy heaven. I know you now! Blount
-Warburton. Why didn't you stay
away"
1--WE got to go back and pay my
bill" said Warburton. I'm a thief, all
right. but / couldn't be a murderer.
even II 1t didn't look like murder to
those on the outside. I thought ia
| begin my life over again when I ran
away. but found out that night in the
boat that have to begin right.
Il couldn't even die that night.
though at first l wanted to, with this
strain. Good Lord! To think what
I've been through to find cut these
things"
mot word about It while we're on
the boat" O'Neili cautioned.
May stay little while" Warbur-
ton asked.
Sure! Smoke a cigar!" O'Neill as
sured him Hospitality. at the same time
offering him one.
you see," Warburton explained.
you are the only person with whom ]
stand right. With the other people on
the boat I'm simply living lie.
I've had to live that way so longs
too"
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18

But" he stipulated. "she must con-
form to the rules of the house. I
can't have her coming in at all hours
for meals. and playing the piano con-
stantly; and. above all things. Jane,
she must not sing on the stairs!"
SO Madge came.
At first the professor hardly seemed
to notice her presence; but on the
third day after her arrival, when she
picked up the sheets Of an essay on
primitive civilization. which he had
scattered broadcast on the stairs. and
pinned them neatly together for him.
he made the discovery that she was
very pretty.
Madge was 20. She was tall, slender
and graceful; she had soft, wavy
brown hair, with golden lights In 1t,
and very deep gray eyes. She was
pale-almost too pale; but when any
thing pleased or surprised her. pink
flush crept under her delicate skin and
made her cheeks glow.
After this breaking of the ice. she
used to question the professor about
his overwhelmingly, at first. but
growing holder. Paradoxical as 1t
seemed, he found himself flattered by
her interest, and by degrees 1t became
an established thing for Madge to
help him with his work in the morn
ings.
"Madge is unlike other girls" was
the answer, somewhat sternly given.
Heaven knows what we might have
been called on to endure had she not
proved SOL"
Then, one day. when Madge had
come down stairs singing to herself,
and Jane had retroved her for SO
doing, the professor, forgetful of his
former injunctions. bade her not to
be so harsh with the child.
do not check her light-hearted-
ness" he said. Il like to hear her
in good spirits"
On another ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
day, Jane, rushing oown to warn
Madge that her brother could not en-
dure the sound of the piano, found
him turning over the music for her.
James wonder increased daily as
this state of things went on. but she
rejoiced over it secretly. She could
not help noticing that her brother
looked at least ten years younger,
and seemed in better spirits than she
had ever known him. And that is
how matters stood when we find the
professor so eagerly anticipating what
a few months back he would have
Stunned in terror.
At ten minutes past the hour Madge
made her appearance. The professor
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18

self asking another question-was 1t
too late? Was he too old to be ca
pable of awakening love in another
heart--in the heart of young girl?
At first it seemed iol1y, insanity,
even to think of such n thing. but by
degrees he grew accustomed to the
idea. He remembered little trifling
things that Madge had said and done,
which might be interpreted to mean
more than an ordinary regard for
him.
He watched her as she knelt on the
floor. She was bending over a packet
of papers, yellow with age: and the
sun, catching the wavy masses OF
her hair, made it shine like FURNISH
ed gold. She could not decipher the
faded writings, and brought them to
his side. AS he bent over her Shout
der, her hair lightly brushed his
cheek. and he groaned inwardly over
the years that were gone. He doubted
no longer that they had been wasted.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18
,Rlhayd DMH

twitched. Then. inhaling deeply and
bracing his shoulders. he opened the
door.
The purser appeared before him to
inquire whether Mr.. warburton would
share his cabin with another man. In
the companionway Blount got a
glimpse of the heavy Jaw and sharp
black eyes Of the man who had been
taken aboard from the tug.
I'm sorry" said Warburton, "bu,
my health is run down. and that's why
I took a cabin entire. I couldn't SLEEP
with any one else in the ROOM"
Every we'll. sir. Thank you," the pur.
ser said, and withdrew.
Warburton went late to luncheon
and passed the heavy-jawed man as
he was entering the dining room. He
heard another passenger address him
as "Mr. O'Neill."
IT don't suppose" Warburton thought
more than once during his meal. that
I would ever have noticed the fellow
II he hadn't come on the tug, and II
he hadn't wantsd to share my cabin
Mr.. O'Neill was friendly to every
body. and had a cigar to offer any man
who would accept. He professed to be
curious as a child about the wireless
telegraph room, and spent the greater
part of on afternoon with the operator
He sent cipher message to q code
address In New York.
" Just want the boys back at the
Office" he said. laughing ito know I've
got my eye on them even If l am
gone"
Outside Sandy Hook the Victoria
ran into . fog that grew thicker as she
throbbed her way eastward. After din
ner few passengers cared to remain on
deck. ONeill came upon Warburton
leaning against the sterii rail.
Rotten night" O'Neill said, hating
and looking into the murk as II he
hardly noticed Warburton.
Doesn't seem like April, it's so cold.'
Warburton replied. I'm going inside. u
A steward ran up as he was leaving
and said:
"A wireless. Mr.. O'Neill."
:yarburton shuddered inwardly. He
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18

Copyright, The Frank A. Munsey Company.
~ N the day Blount realized the
market would never turn right
for him in time-it would turn.
Of course, but not in time-he spent his
luncheon hour eating a frankfurter
sandwich on a bench in Battery Park
He watched the boats go out to sea-
the big fellows that. with smoke
plumes trailing, seem inevitably bound
for happier shore.
The frankfnrter had cost him i've
cents. He was paying SIS a week for
board and room In Cramercy Park.
miserable hall room 1t was, whose
window was imprisoned by lofty wall
Of n new once building.
And re had taken $4,000 from the
Merchandise National so cleverly in
six months that everybody believed
him the innocent and energetic Ed
ward Blount ne had always been.
With Ave OF the twenty thousand he
had never played. The Ave he had
held sacred for such an emergency os
the present.
When he returned to the bank he
ssw strange man working over the
books ir the loan department. The
next morning his doctor sent a note
&c the president to say Edward Blount
YVES threatened with grippe and must
remain abed for n few days.
The president wrote a cordial per-
sonal letter. urging Blount not to leave
his room without the Doctors permis-
sion.
At IL that night Blount slipped out
Of the boarding house and took SUBJ
way train to Brooklyn. He had no fam
Jly il New York, no intimate friends.
They would come to him. he had al
ways said. when he had made lots of
money.
The man who was watching him
stood hidden on the platform.
Blourt thanked his stars he had been
born in Brooklyn, and SO could get
out at the terminal and make his way
roundabout to the Erie basin without
asking n question. He had shaved his
teard and dyed his lght-brown hair
black.
1t the bank he had always been con-
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18

had not thought the small steamer
would be equipped with the wireless
He had not fear, but an instructive dis
like, for O'Neill, because he seemed toe
affable and rather common.
Day after day thenceforward he sus-
pected that O'Neill was determined to
make friends with him. He was popu-
lar with all the other passengers, and
Warburton judged that 1t piqued him
to find single person reluctant to
smoke and talk with him.
To avoid being considered singular
and thus the subject of remark, War
burton took on a more sociable air. He
played cards in the smoke room and sat
in game with O'Neill.
Yet He always evaded O'Neill when
others were not present. The man, for
some indefinable reason. fretted his
nerves.
O'Neill could not be on his trail, he
reasoned, since the bank officials
could have had no reason to suspect
Edward Blount; and before they could
have learned that he had left Gramer.
| cy Park the Victoria was out at sea
All his bills had been paid, and the doc
tor had been advised not to return.
| The keeper of the boarding house ex'
! pected Edward Blount to come back
! from the country within fortnight
1t would take week, he told himself
i nd d. h& nj
unearth his defalcation. 1t was simply
nervousness that made him dread
O'Neill.
| The same evening. during card
| game In the smoke room. the deck
steward brought O'Neill another wire
| less message.
| O'Neill put on his glasses, shifted his
cigar by rolling 1t between his lips
glanced at the message, and then rolled
it into a ball and threw it toward the
cuspidor. The Victoria would reach
port early in the morning. so the game
broke up early.
| O'Neill went Off first.
Warburton waited till everybody hat
gone. Looking about him cautiously
he stopped and picked up the ball OF
paper O'Neill had thrown away.
| CHANGING again at the door and al
the portfolio, he spread the message out
and read:
Get James Warburton. really Ed
ward Blount. for embezzlement For
eign police notified. PINCKNEY.
Rolling the sheet Of paper again into
ball. he dropped It on the floor. Cold
sweat oozed from his forehead and the
palms Of his hands.
He started with palsied steps toward
the door.
Suddenly 1t was pushed open from
without. O'Neill popped into the room
and slammed the door shut behind him.
All his affability had vanished. War;
burton could see only two fierce. black
eyes and the bulldog Jaw.
i've got you covered" he snapped
showing an automatic revolver. Il
want that gun out OF your right-hand
pocket"
whats the matter with you?" War
burton demanded angrily What do
you mean by"
Gimme the gum" O'Neill growled,
and slipped up on Warburton, aiming
J his own weapon.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18

The collding vessel was standing by.
and both ships bobbled up and down on
the floor Of the sea like balls.
And over all the tragic wonder Of the
scene rose human voices in terror or In
command and the hoarse, gloomy note
of signal whistles.
Passengers were darting here and
there, cursing and screaming to God
and man to help them.
Warburton, still grasping O'Neius
trembling hand, listened and watched
for some word or sign from the officers.
After all. this was a good way out
They had caught him. To live meant
disgrace, Experimentation death.
Better a quick one.
The sight of the sea reaching up all
about them with greedy arms, quite
inconsequently, made him think Of the
waters at home. He had seen Long
Island Sound in a fury and had sailed
his little boat laughingly. What a fun
ny thing the Sound was! What a tenn
pest in 4 teapot the whole struggle of
life!
Gee, the poor kids and me wife!"
O'Neill continued to moan.
'Listen" Warburton cried, wrench
ing O'Neill's arm.
An officer was shouting orders to the
passengers. At point Of pisto! he had
herded them on the forward deck near
| I no u-ha VVa ~, nd oil
We're standing.
| They would be let down in boats and
on rafts-the women first, the crew
last. All must move in an orderly fash
ion and obey or be shot. The colliding
steamer would continue to stand by
and pick them up.
Members of the crew manned each
boat. O'Neill stuck close to Warbur-
ton with helpless dependence.
Now and then he would ask absurd
questions in moaning voice. can
you swim?' was one Of them. will
this boat hold all these people," Or.
staring about at the fog that enshroud-
ed the sea, he would say: THE one
thing in the whole world I'm scared of
is the water. and here 1t is at my
throat And that fog-it's choking
| mel"
Some Of the men cursed. some pray
ed Warburton remained calm and ST.
! lent. With stole impassiveness he
was trying to fathom why this trick
of fate that meant dire tragedy for all
the rest should mean for him possibly
lasting happiness.
He saw the way O'Neill was going.
The detectives terror Of the sea by this
time had driven him into sheer de-
lirum. He moaned or babbled by turns
of his wife and children; and he kept
hold OF Warburton's hand as If he him
self We're a child. All idea of pursuit
and capture of Warburton seemed to
have been blotted out
The master of the crew, who was at
the tiller, did his best to assure the
passengers that they would be saved
IL they only strove to be brave and
quiet
He explained that they were pulling
far off frem the wrecked Victoria in
order to avoid swapping when she
slipped to the bottom. In an hour at
most they would find the other steam
er and be picked up. Surely they could
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18
HE professor laid down the
n third volume of Dunkelmann's
"Orihntal Antiuuities'' q II d

HE professor laid down the
third volume of Dunkelnann's
"Oriental Antiquities" and
waited for the clock to strike.
He was sitting in long, low room,
paneled with oak and lined with
books from floor to ceiling-an ideal
study for a student The tables, too.
were covered with books. and the
only thing in the room which seemed
out Of keeping with the general at
1nosphcre was q picture over the man
telpiece.
It was an old portrait of the pro-
fessor'e mother - q young girl with
pathetic eyes and a very tender smile.
She seemed to be looking down. full
Of sympathy and love. and with Just
q shade Of sadness. on her sons life:
a. II she realized what his learning had
cost him. and did not think that what
he had gained in life was fully COM
pensated for by what he had missed.
The professor himself had begun to
have doubts on that subject, Of late;
and sometimes. when his eyes met
those Of the picture. there was an
indescribably wistful expression In
them.
It still wanted seven minutes to the
hour, and the hands of the clock
seemed to crawl round as If they were
weighted with lead. Never in the
whole course of his existence--and
the professor was on the shaded side
OF go did he remember being so
anxious for the hour to strike.
At 10 o'clock Madge had promised
to come and help him sort papers.
Madge was the daughter Of an old
college friend of his, who had come
to stay with him and his sister while
her father was abroad. The pro-
fessor had demurred, at first. at the
Idea of having a girl in the house.
His experience of girls was distinctly
limited, and his knowledge of their
nature was mainly based on Miss
Austen's heroines. For nearly thirty
years he had lived alone with his
sister, in OXborough. Jane had given
herself up entirely to her brother and
his research work, which was to her
Of paramount Importance. To fur
Their 1t, and to protect him from friv-
olous distraction, nothing under as
was ever allowed to cross the thresh-
old.
AS they both agreed. this was n
very exceptional case. Jack Thorn
ton. Madge's father, and the professor
had been friends at Balliol, drawn to-
gether by the closest ties Of intimacy;
and he could not refuse to receive
Jacks motherless child.