Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1916-07-08
CHAPTER XxxIIl-continued.

IL those days when once more his
thoughts demanded to be seen in their
relation to Alix, that steady voice
within him was his only comfort. The
food at Fazenda Flores had swept
away all that his hands had done, but
the things that Fazenda Flores had
done for him could not be swept away
by any material force. They stood and
feared nothing-except Alix.
Wherever his mind turned, it came
back to Alix and found in her an i'm
passe. Alix assumed more and more
the portentOus attributes of one unat-
tached, sitting in judgment over his
acts. His memory of her frailty, Of
her fowerlike detachment from the
bones-the skeleton-of life, her arti-
fciality. made her seem ludicrously in
congruous in the role of Judge He
could not picture her, much less esti-
mate the sentence she would pass. His
thoughts led him daily up to that i'm
DasSe and left him. Then came the
doubt and the question-why should
ne lead himself bodily to the impasse
at all?
He was still fighting this point when
ne reached Barbados but there an Incl
dent befell which brought a new light
to his mind and then a new peace
TO his soul
He had gone ashore at Bridgetown
simply because his whole body per
fectly attuned by three years of long
hours of toll, was crying out for more
exercise than the narrow decks of the
freighter could afford.
When the little group of passengers
reached shore, with the exception Of
Gerry and an old returning Barbadian,
they all turned in the same direction
as If by a common impulse.
The Barbadian glanced at Gerry and
Jerked his head at the disappearing
group. Men of the world in the big
sense" he said.
What do you mean?" asked Gerry.
SON." said the old Barbadian, who
was very tanned and whose kindly
eyes blinked through thick glasses,
when a chap tells you he's a man
of the world you ask him if he ever
had g drink at the Ice house. You
don't have to say in Bridgetown.' Ever
have a drink at the Ice h0useY Just
Ike that; and if he says, No. you
know he meant he was a town rounder
when he said he was a man of the
world"
Gerry smiled and fell naturally in
step with the Barbadian as he moved
slowly on
Yes" said the old man. ITS a sure
test. The man that hasn't crooked his
elbow at the big, round deal table in
that old, ramshackle drink-house can't
say he'L really travelled. Long lost
brothers and friends have met there
and when men that roam the high seas
want news of some pal that's disap-
peared down the highway of the world
they drop in at the old Ice house and
ask what road he took. It's halfway
house TO all the seven seas"
Have you lost anyone?" asked
Gerry.
No, I'm not thirsty for a drink just
now" said the Barbadian with a
smile, And you?'
Nor L" said Gerry, laughing. I'm
out to stretch my legs"
You can't do that here" replied the
old man. You don't know our sun.
Come with me-" He hailed a ram
shackle victoria.
Gerry hesitated. "You must have
home you want to go to and friends
70 see. Don't worry about me. I'll
be careful about the sun"
Boy" said the Barbadlan, "I've got
home and I'm going to see it, but
there's no reason why you shouldn't
come along. AS for friends-the ones
left here won't get up to meet anyone
lii the last trump sounds Come afong
You are the only company and I'm the
on host in our party"
They climbed into the rickety cab
ana the Barbadian gave directions to
'-e driver The driver answered in the
SOFT cultural of the West Indian black
Slowly they crawled through the
crooked streets Of the town. Gerry
.7@hed back and gazed at the freak
asa buildings. They were all of frame
work. Some swelled at the top, and
gerry wondered why they did not
t'pp,e over; some swelled at the bot
''n and he wondered why these did
lot cave in.
ne Barbadian watched his face.
Funny town, eh?"
Terry nodded.
PRESENTLY the found themselves on
: country road. It was so smooth that
me weighted carriage pushed the old
L9ises along at an unwonted pace.
Little houses-hundreds of them-that
.ooAed Ike big hencoops lined the road.
suddenly the carriage came to a halt
me Of the little houses was trying to
straddle the road. From around 1t
came screams and cries. Now, then.
Gladys, when alb say heft, yo'
1he driver poured out an angry tor.