The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-03-04

on nothing. ''Bodsky," he said, us
dead. He has been dead for months"
"Oh," cried Alix, "Tm sorry. I'm
sorry for you" She did not try to
say any more. She had put all her
heart into those few words.
Collingeford drew out his pocket
book and took from it soiled sheet
Of paper-a leaf torn from field note
book. He held it out to her with trem-
bling hand. 81 wouldn't show it to
anyone else. Trouble has made you
great-hearted. Read it,
Alix puzzled over the slip of paper.
"What's the name Of the place? I
can't make 1t out"
"1t's little hole on the borders Of
Thibet. That papers been handed
along for five months. The envelope
1t came in was in tatters."
"Dear Old Pal" read Alix, do you
remember what l used to tell you?
When man has seen all the world he
must go home or die. When we last
parted had three places left to see,
but they haven't lasted me as long as
I thought they would l have sent you
my battery. The bores are bit too
big for the new powder and you can't
use the guns, know, but you'll have
a home, old man, and you can give
them place in a rack. They will
make little room as wide as the
ends of the earth. didn't kill her. l
made her kill herself. Bodsky'
Alix was puzzled again but then she
remembered. $50 he didn't kill her,
after all,'' she said.
'Kill her! Kill what?'' said Col
lingeford. "Oh, yes. l remember. AS
If that mattered."
ut matters. 1t does matter" cried
Alix, outraged.
"Forgive me-" said Collingeford 81
had forgotten that you never knew
Bodsky. You said Yesterday that Bod
sky used naked language. You were
right. Bodsky undressed things. Just
as some people see red and some blue,
Bodsky saw things naked. He could
look through a black robe of rumor
spangled with lies and see truth naked.
He was naked himself-naked and un
ashamed. It's hard for me to make
you see because you did not know him.
Bodsky was one of those men who
could have accomplished anything
only he didn't. He sifted life through
a big mesh. All the nonessentials-
the trivialities-fell through. An act
with Bodsky was volition, measured.
weighed. and then hurled. That's why
If you knew him you knew that in his
hands crime was not crime. That's
why know that he is dead. He new
er used a stale cartridge-his gun new
er missed fire."
Alix unused. II can't see him-I
can't quite see him. A man who can
accomplish anything and doesn't seems
wrong-a waste"
"You don't see," said Collingeford,
because you are facing my point Of
view. You must turn around. Bod
sky used to say that all humanity had
a soul, but it took tragedy to make
man. His tragedy was that life cut
him out from the herd. He wasn't q
creator, he was a creation. Genera
tons, races, cons, created Bodsky and
left him standing like SCARED crag.
He had but one mission-to see and
understand. Have you ever sat in the
desert on a moonlit night and looked
at the Sphinx? 1t holds you-it holds
yours eyes in a vice. You wonder
why. I'll tell you. 1t knows. That's
the way it was with Bodsky. He only
Observation-Disclosures. If that
is nothing, Bodsky was nothing"
They were silent. Presently Col
lingeford helped her out and together
they passed through the rich foyer, the
latticed palm room, and up the steps
into the latest cry in dining rooms. A
little table in the far corner had been
reserved for them. AS they crossed
the crowded room a hush fell over the
tables. Some looked and were silent
because Alix was beautiful and dam
tily gowned and Collingeford all that a
man should be, but those who knew
looked because Alix was Alix and Col
lingeford was Collingeford These soon
fell to whispering, predicting a match.
Alix bowed abstractedly here and
there as she followed the head waiter
to her seat.
They sat down, each half facing the
room. Alix caught her breath. Whit
fling the old air?" asked Collingeford.
"No," answered Alix. "Only sigh
ing. fool so o,,t of ~ and tho+ 81