Middletown transcript., 1916-04-15


brought out the lights of their fitfullJ
glowing pipes. From the mems camI
came a subdued chatter The mer
were feeding. AS they finished they
lit fires-a fire for every little group
The smell of the wood fires triumphed
over every other odor.
McDougal had met Alan first in q
bare room at an African seaport. Hhe
room was furnished with a chair and
a table. At the table sat Alan, busy
with final estimates and plans for sup
plies for his little army. The interview
was short. McD0ugal had asked for a
job and Alan had answered, Get out. "
McDougaI had repeated his request
and the rest Of the story he told the
next morning before the resident mag
istrate in the chair and Alan in the
dock.
'Aweel, your honor. it was this way:
/ went into Mr.. Wayne's Office and
asked him for worruk and he said, Get
out | asked him again and he said.
I'll give you two to get Out-One-
Two and with that he cooms on to
the table and flying through the air.
1 had jOOst considered that it was best
l should let him hit me first aimee that
l might break him with justice when
he struck me face with both fists, and
his knee in the pit of me stummick.
And that's all, your honor, savin' the
+ Kaflr that 1 woke up to find watering
me and a rose bush. turin by TURN
ABBOTT"
Il suppose. said the magistrate
covering his twitching mouth with his
hand, that was the Kafir signed a
lOhospital pass for last night"
at may weel be-" replied McDougal
dreamily. 1T may weel be-"
well, McDougal, 1 think this Is
matter that can be settled out of
| court"
McDougal held up a vast hand in
interruption. Begging your pardon.
your honor there'll be nae settling of
this matter out of cOort between Mr..
Wayne and myself. Aimee is enough"
Justice and the prisoner in the dock
surrendered to laughter. McDougal
stood grave and unperturbed.
What I meant" said the magls-
trate when he recovered, ''is that Mr..
Wayne will. probably give you a job
and call it all square"
That's it. said Alan.
Il asked Mr.. Wayne for worruk and
if It's worruk he is giving me I'll nae
be denying it Is fair answer" replied
McDOusal, ard forthwith became Ten
Percent Wayne's gang boss and under
study in the art of driving men with
both fists and knee.
McDOugal knocked out his third
pipe. The dell of country Is this"
he said; I'm the seas of it a life-pre-
server holds you up handy for sharks
and in the rivers does swimming save
your life? Nae. 1t gives you a meal
to the crocs."
They had lost a black that day. He
had slipped from the bridge into the
water. He had started to swim to
shore and then suddenly disappeared
in swirl
ConversatiOnally, McDougal limited
himself to a sentence day in which
h. summed up the one event that had
struck him as worthy of notice. Hav-
ing delivered himself of his observa-
ton for the night he lit his pipe once
more and relapsed into silence.
McDOugal's was a companionable ST.
Ior,
there in the dark, raw-boned and dour
but ready at the word Of command.
1t was after eight when Alan called
for light and drew from a worn lei
ter case the correspondence that a
runner from the coast had brought in
that day. He glanced over official com
municatiOrS, blue prints and business
letters and stuffed them back into the
leather case. One fat letter, note
paper size, remained.
"McDougal," said Alan. ''hush up
the campbell 'em it's nine o'clock"
McDOugal arose and picking up a
big stick strobe over towards the men.
The stick was so big that he had never
had to use it. At the mere sight of it
the men desisted from clarnor, dance !
and horse-play.
Alan drew the lat letter from its
envelope and for the second time read.
Dear Alan: AS you see, this Is from
New York. We came down yesterday.
All summer I have been watching for my
second self because I'm just about grown /
up now-outside, mean-inside is different /
somehOw-and three days before we left |
i really caught her looking at me while |
was sitting on the old stone bench |
down by the pond.
1 jumped up and ran after her all the
way down Long Lane and UP the Low
Road TO where the red COW broke her leg
that time and there I lost her. 1, didn't /
find her again and had to come away h
without her and now I feel so queer
sort of half-y, just like you.
Somehow I can't blame her. She didn't
want to leave the Hill in the gorgeous
month so she just stayed behind. Do you
remember
This is the gorgeous month when Ieafy
fires
Mount to the gods in myriad summer
pyres ..?
A few hours ago when I was doing my
mile on the avenue almost got run down
and Nam m'selle gave me an awful scolding
for being so absent-minded. It was a true
word. 1 was just Observation-Disclosures
because my mind was off chasing that
other half. And then 1 came back and
there 1 was on the avenue with people
staring at me more than they ever have
before. I suppose 1t was because 1 was
out Of breath with chasing in my mind.
Sood-by, Alan. GLEN.
Alan sat in the circle of light from
the hanging lamp and stared into the
darkness. From the river came the
sound of sucking mud. then q beovv