Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-03-28

to tell you his story he'd have asked
me to, but he didn't. He didn't even
ask me not to. He was standing in
deep waters, but he had his head and
shoulders out. He wasn't asking for
my or anybody else's hand to help
him up the bank. He didn't ask me
not to meddle because he knew 1 was
man enough to see where he stood
without words. He trusted me-" AL
ans voice trailed off weakly. He
closed his eyes.
"But, Alan" said Alix, "I must know
something. Is he we'll? Is he"
Alan held up his hand. "Just one
thing and then I'm going to sleep.
never thought the old Rock would ever
loom so big"
Alix watched him doze Off. She felt
strangely comforted by the crumb he
had tossed her. She went back in her
mind to a dinner of long ago, when
she had defended Gerry's placid
weight against Alan. She sat on for
half an hour, busy with varying
thoughts. She looked curiously around
Alan's sitting room. How strange
that she should be here and yet how
natural. How safe she felt. She won
dered II 1t was all because of the de-
lenses she had raised up In herself or
whether any woman would feel safe
with the new and weakened Alan. She
slipped out without waking him and
sent cable to Pernambuco. BY night
q n L. rvaN
sailed!
Days passed. She went out only for
exercise. Her mind was busy with
wondering. The judge called regu-
larly He had put off going to Red
Hill. He wanted Alix to feel that a
friend was at hand and besides, he
had Alan on his hands. Alan was
worrying him in new way. Some
thing had gone out of him. Sometimes
he seemed to the Judge a mere shell
a blown egg. robbed of the seed of life.
The judge talked of him often to Alix,
but she could not fasten her mind on
Alan. Take him to the Hill," was
her listless advice.
I've tried" said the Judge, "and he
says he's not ready-not strong enough.
| told him that's what he ought to go
for--to get strong-and he said a fun
ny thing. There's a kind of strength
we must generate or borrow. l didn't
borrow, so now I'm generating. 1t
takes time And then he dropped Off
to sleep. Before. he used to run you
through with his tongue when he
wanted to stop conversation. Now he
just goes to sleep. It's just as effec-
tive and almost as original"
One afternoon the Judge came in
with smile on his face. "Alan is bet
ter he announced.
isn't he better every day?" asked
Alix.
'Not like this" said the Judge "You
know Fleureur? OF course you don't.
You wouldn't. Can't imagine how he
ever got into the club, but he did. Well,
It's long time since Mr.. Fleureur has
been asked to cut In at bridge at the
club or anywhere else. Yesterday he
came In and saw Alan for the first
time since his return. Halo, Wayne
he said, back again and doing the
heavy swell as ever, only not quite so
heavy inside the clothes now, eh| Alan
is getting touchy over being weak
ling. That's good sign, too, by the
way. He looked sideways out of his
sleepy eyes at FIeureur and you bet
everybody listened" The judge paused
at thus forgetting himself then he
went on: ALAN said DO clothes matter
such lot? Somehow 1t seems to me
1t doesn't make any difference how
much a man wakes his mustache as
long as he doesn't wax his finger
nails"
Alix' face lit up "Oh, that is Alan"
The judges eyes twinkled. YES" he
said, land then Alan went off 10 sleep
like shot and Fleureur remembered
an engagement. The whole clubs
cheered up. The club didn't know
what was the matter with itself. but it
knows now. 1t was missing Alan after
he had come back"
Alan had written to Mrs. J. Y. that
he was planning to motor from town
to Red Hill. Glen. as Mrs. ]. Y.'s
deputy, had answered his letter, prom
Using him warm and long welcome at
Maple House. She gave him a way