Middletown transcript., 1916-05-13

| had come-a resolve to win A;an's
battle for him whatever the odds.
Gerry did not sleep that night. He
lay on the little extra bed he had made
upon his sons arrival and. propping
himself on his elbow. gazed around
him. The moon shone through great
cracks in the warped shutters and
filed the room with a glow that. as bis
eyes dilated, 'became a revealing light
In one corner was an iron wash-stand
with its vessels of coarse enameled
metal, recent purchase. In another
corner stood grOtesque clOthes-rack.
1t looked Ike young pine with irreg-
ular branches and top Topped off. On
the stubs or pegs hung his clothes and
Margarita's and, on the lowest peg OF
all, the Lilhputian garments Of the
Man. The floor was bare and rolling,
for the boards, roughhewn from hard
wood giants OF the forest, had warped
steadily through many years. In it's
center stood the great rustic bed that
Gerry had made from the twisted
limbs of trees and BonifaciO had plat
ed with thongs. By raising himself
to the full length of his arm Gerry
could see Margarita lying uncovered
on the coarse, yellowish homespun.
On her bare, brown arm lay the black
head of her son.
Gerry shuddered at the nearnesS-
the familiarity-Of everything. The
seams of elementary life stood out bru-
tally. For the first time he saw them.
From the touch of the coarse homespun
that covered him, his mind went back
to the feel of Lieber's fine linen, and
from that 1t poised on Alan and then
few back to Alix-Alix, who, seen
through the years, became doubly ethe-
real and fiowerlike. Where was Afix?
What had Alan done with her? He
must ask him. That, at least, he must
know. But before he could ask he
must decide about Margarlta and steel
himself to his purpose. He thought Of
the long. still days at Fazenda Flores
before Alan had come to Lieber's-the
struggle and the reward that had been
his-and the f1rmness in him, the
steadfastness that had led Alan to
name him The Rock, rose up in de-
fense of Margarita and her son.
Gerry was up early. AS he was
saddling True Blue Margarita came on
to the veranda. where art thou go
ing?" she asked.
Gerry looked up. He was a
little pale from the wakeful night
and there were slight shadows under
his eyes. 81 am going to Lieber's.
There is a sick man there-he Is dying
and l must help. He Is my fellow
countryman."
Margarita's eyes searched his face.
Her bosom rose and fell rapidly. "DO
not CO." she said, and Gerry started at
the passion in her voice.
He looked at her and smiled 81
must see this man before be dies" he
said, half to himself.
"Ah," said Margarita, beating with
her little brown fist on the veranda pill
lar, II know. know. 1t ls not death
that calls thee. Why should one turn
from things that live to fondle death?
1t Is the stranger thou wouIdst see."
Gerry dropped the reins Of his horse
and, hurrying up the steps. took Mar
garita In his arms.
And why not, my beloved? 1t Is
not a woman go to see, but man.
Shall l not talk with a man that Is
at deaths doOr?"
'cLet him but die" pleaded Marga-
rita: "let him but die and thou shalt
go and bury him. See, the day il
beautiful. There Is a cloud. Perhaps
ii will rain. Come, my Geree, let us
go down to the river and swim. We
will take the Man. He shall sit on the
bank and the river will play with his
bare toes. He will laugh"
Gerry smiled but shook his head.
Tomorrow, my beloved, tomorrow we
shall play with the Man and the river"
Margarita's arms fell to her sides
in pathetic surrender She watched
Gerry mount and ride slowly up the
slope to the bridge where Kemp await
ed him. Then she went back to the
veranda steps, sat down and wept
with her face hidden in her hand. She
did not know why she wept. but she
knew she wept for things that were
70 ha