Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-06-15

uOOT. GeTTy luy exhausted. tie could
not think any more. A great weight
lay on his brain. The ten minutes
doze in the chair at Alan's bedside had
not been rest, but nightmare. Pres
emily he fell into sleep, deep sleep
that was all Inconsistencies.
1t was almost night when he awoke
and with the awakening the weight
settled back on his brain, only now he
had the strength to think in spite of 1t.
He got up and went out in search Of
Lieber. Lieber heard him and came
out into the hall. Gerry nodded
towards Alan's room. "It's all right,
Mr.. Lansing. He must have a solid
mind. Your talk didn't excite him
didn't even disturb his sleep. He's on
the road up-weak, a baby, but he's
started life again. He's asked for you
twice. Seems to have something he's
got to get off bis chest to you. You'd
better go In"
Gerry sat down once more beside
Alan. The questions he must ask
crowded to his lips, but he forced them
back. He tested his strength with res
olutions and held them. 1t was his
way of reassuring himself. He want
ed to feel his firmness rising in him to
meet the struggle he felt must come
when Alan spoke.
Alan knew he was there. He saw
him through half-closed eyes, but.
more than that, he felt him. His
brows puckered in frown. 1t was
still hard to use words. Gerry, last
night / wanted to tell you more only
l couldn't. had to sleep. Alix didn't
go with me. She only came to the
train. When l kissed her she woke
up and found she wasn't-carnal after
all. She went back home. You didn't
turn up. You never turned up. They
traced you to a river, an empty ca
noe -pyjamas you know" He
stopped and sighed as though his task
were over.
The veins on Gerry's forehead stood
out in knots. His chin rested on his
clenched hands, his elbows on his
knees. "Alan," he said, where is
Alix now? What has she done?"
Alan opened his eyes and looked at
him. "She is waiting. She has always
waited for you to come back. She
would not believe you were dead, be-
cause of the boy"
"The boy" groaned Gerry. what
boy?'
Yours" said Alan. "He is a great
boy. There is a new Alix since he
came. She is as far from me and
what she was as the stars. She Is a
steady star. But it's all right now.
You'll go back to her.
II can't" whispered Gerry hoarsely,
more to himself than to Alan. 1--WE
got wife here. I've got child here.
To me he is my first born"
Alan's eyes opened, this time in won
der. A twisted smile came to his lips
your he said. Your and then the
smile changed to faint disgust. He
turned his head on the pillow away
from Gerry and slept.
The next morning found Gerry still
at Lfeber's. Outside the heavenly
bowl Of blue was virgin of clouds. 1t
StlCtNlCu anu uOLiCo LII q ophClCd CttI-
nifty Of emptiness. Through its de-
pressing void the sun swan slowly,
pitilessly, as though it were loath to
mark the passing minutes. The whole
earth baked. Strong trees wilted and
turned up the wrong sides of their
fish turning up their white bellies at
the last gasp. Not breath of air
stirred. Heat rose from the ground in
an unbroken, visible wave. my God"
said Alan, gazing with wistful, far
seeing eyes beyond the familiar, repel-
lent scene, ga homeward fever
parches up my tongue" There was
such an agony Of longing in the words
that Gerry was frightened. He looked
questioningly at Lieber.
mo" said Lieber, "he's not dying.
He was dying, but he's changed his
mind He's going to go home instead"
II believe he's right Gerry" said
Alan with a faint smile. "But didn't
change my mind. He did it for me.
He's in line for a life-saving medal.
Lieber's all right" He stopped, tired
out
Lieber began to talk to Gerry
FLOWS the water in the ditch, Mr..
Lansing"
"Mighty low" said Gerry. He spoke
almost absent-mindedly For the first
time in months the ditch was far from
| his thoughts.
"Its hard luck" said Lieber. "The
| rivers never been so low before-not
in the memory of man. We do not
hear the falls any more. The river is
asleep. DO you want me to send my
men down again?"
"It's no use" said Gerry. II don't
dare deepen the ditch any more. It's
| way below the normal level now
| Alan stirred. whats that about a
ditch?"
In unhurried phrases and a low
voice Lieber told him the history of
Fazenda Flores since Gerrys advent
and of the great part tho ditch had