Mexico Missouri message., 1916-04-13

morning in Alix' room. Red Hill came
back to him, Alix stood before him.
Through the suit he saw her room, the
shimmering blue of her dressing gown,
her crown of hair and her thin fingers
busy with It, He felt again the nip
of the dear mir as il had streamed in
through the open window.
The worst OF the food was over.
Gerry engaged a search party. All day
long they sought for Ma 'garita and her
child. Towards night they found them,
the little boy tight clasped in his
mothers arms. Gerry laid them ten
derry In the canoe and in silence the
party crawled back up the river to
piranhas. No one looked curiOusly at
the burden they carried up through
the main street. Eyes were tired OF
the familiar sight. The hour of weep
ing, the allotted tears, were long since
spent. They buried them that night.
Gerry went back to his room. He
sat for a long time looking out on the
picked up the old tweed suit and hung
it carefully on a chair. The rest Of
his scattered things he swept uncere-
mOnlously upon the floor and threw
himself full length on the bed. He
was exhausted and slept.
He was up early the next morning.
He made the old woman bring water
and bathed in his room. at is WISE"
she said. For many days there will
be poison in the river" Gerry did not
answer. He closed the door and went
through his ablutiOus and toilet with
great care. His beard he had always
kept close clipped. Now he shaved it
off. The tan of his face looked like Il
mask above the fresh white of his
newly shaved jowls and chin. He
picked out the best of his linen and
dressed. Lastly, he put on the old
tweed suit. 1t fell naturally to the
lines of his body all except the waist
band of the trousers. He drew the
back strap as close as 1t would go.
Still the trousers were Il little loose at
| the waist. At first he was puzzled.
then he understood. He looked at him
self in the broken glass with a gOr-
geOus but sadly tarnished frame that
| hung on the wall. His shoulders
seemed 20 carry the coat better than
before. He could hear Jones & Jones
say. "a splendid fit, sir. You can't
pick it UP anywhere"
Gerry turned from the glass with a
| sigh. He was restless. The heavy
| twceds seemed to bind his limbs and
| chest, but he would not take them Off.
He sat at the window and watched the
| little stern.wheeler splash up to the
| bank. Luckily for her, she had been
three days late In starting up the river,
else that trip would have been her last.
| Gerry tried to exert himself to the
trouble of packing and getting on
board, but he felt lIstless. Why should
lie hurry back? AliX had waited, was
waiting, but not for him. He had not
waited for her He must go back and
| tell her, of course. but what then?
A cavalcade came down the street.
At its head was carried litter and on
the litter lay Alan. He had refused to
ride in a hammock again. Behind him
rode Lieber and Kemp. Gerry drew
back from the window and watched
them make their way down to the
little stern-wheeler. She had brought
little freight, there was none for her
to take away. BY three o'clock she
gave a long shrek OF warning, and
half an hour later she warped out into
the river and chugged away down
stream. At the last moment Gerry had
sent down TO Alan a note addressed to
Alix.
Lieber turned from watching the
boat out of sight 1t was bearing Alan
away with Kemp installed as nurse
ms far as the coast Lieber stumped
heavily up the street, leading his horse
From his window Gerry called to him
Iieber took the reins from his arm
and handed them to boy. He climbed
to Gerry's room and sat down on thI
bed. Gerry had never seen him lool
so tired.
$50" said Lieber, you escaped"
Gerry nodded gravely. Lieber looked
ut him with dull eyes. I'VE passe,
Fazenda Flores. The house still stands
It's on little island" Gerry noddel
, again. Lieher shrugged shoulder i'm
patiently. why aren't you up there?
Gerry braced himself aud told him
In a dlspassionate tone he told hin
the history OF those terrible moment
OF destruction and death. Il am no
there" he finished, because there /
, nothing left. Three years--alI my III
) here--have been wiped out. Marga
rita--shs knew from the beginning
From the beginning she hated tn
, ditch, | have been curse. l hav
> brought ruin" Gerry stared befor
| him. his face was white and drawn
4 Lieber shook his head judlciall!
E "No. it would have been the same. e.
: cept that without you there woul
] have been nothing TO sweep ava!
Margarita would stin be alive. TheI