Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-06-22


Hill. He had had it on the day he
left New York. He had worn it that
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 1t. He felt again the nip
of the dear air as it had streamed in
through the open window.
The worst of the flood was over.
Gerry engaged a search party. All day
long they sought for Margarita and her
child. Towards night they found them,
the little boy tight clasped in his
mothers arms Gerry laid them ten
derby 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 long time looking out on the
starry river. Then unconsciously he
picked up the old tweed suit and hung
it carefully on chair. The rest of
his scattered things he swept uncere-
moniously upon the floor and threw
himself full length on the bed. He
was exhausted and slept.
IL WINS ,,y1 40 ,1r +I,a
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 additions 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 a
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 a 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 furnished frame that
hung on the wall. His shoulders
seemed to 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
tweeds 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
he 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 long shrek of warning, and
halr 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
as far as the coast. Lieber stumped
heavily up the street, leading his horse.
From his window Gerry called to him.
Lieber took the reins from his arm
and handed them to boy. He climbed
TO Gerry's room and sat down on the
bed. Gerry had never seen him look
SO tired.
so" said Lieber, "you escaped"
Gerry nodded gravely. Lieber looked
at him with dull eyes. 1--WE passed
Flores. The house still stands.
It's on little island" Gerry nodded
again. Lieber shrugged a shoulder i'm
patiently. why aren't you up there?"
Gerry braceI himself and told him.
In a dispassionate tone he told him
the history of those terrible moments
Of destruction and death. Il am not
there" he finished, because there is
nothing left. Three years-all my life
here-have been wiped out. Marga-
rita-she knew from the beginning.
From the beginning she hated the
ditch. | have been a curse. / have
brought ruin" Gerry stared before
him. His face was white and drawn.
Lieber shook his head judicially.
NO, it would have been the same, ex-
cept that without you there would
have been nothing to sweep away.
Margarita would still be alive. There