Middletown transcript., 1916-06-03
CHAPTER XVIl-contlnued.

Alan'S eyes cleaned with amuse-
ment at the rippllng words. Alix was
certainly well. Then suddenly she col
lapsed in chair. "Three years!" she
gasped. Her hands went up to hold
her head and she began to cry in a
way Alan had never heard a woman
cry before. The gasping sobs racked
his nerves. He felt as though the sobs
were tearing their way up from his
own breast. He gripped the arms Of
the chair in which he sat. His body
teiephOned to his brain that he was
going to faint and at such astounding
news Ten Percent Wayne woke up and
took charge. "Alixy' the word snapped
out Ike the crack of a whip. "You
stop crying or I'll slap you. and when
slap I slap hard"
Alix choked, swallowed and looked
at him, outraged and unbelleving.
Alan's eyes were blazing. You listen
20 me" he commanded, listen to every
word | say. You've gone through lot
in three years. but just fasten your
mind on TO this: so has Gerry. That
note Is cOlOrless because Gerry made
1t colorleSs. 1t doesn't tell anything,
because Gerry isn't a coward and be-
cause there are things he must tell
you face TO face to get your answer
clear In his own mind I'm making
you curious with every word. All right,
be curious. But you can be sure of
one thing; If Gerry had wanted me
to tell you his story he'd have asked
me to. but he didn't He didn't even
ask me not to. He was standing in
deep waters, but he had his head and
shoulders out. He wasn't asking for
my or anybody else's hand to help
him up the bank. He didn't ask me
not to meddle because he knew l was
man enough to see where he stood
without words. He trusted me-" Al
ans voice trailed of weakly. He
closed his eyes.
But, Alan," said Alix. 81 must know
something, Is he well2 Is he"
Alan held up his hand. "Just one
thing and then I'm going to sleep. l
never thought the old Rock would ever
loom so big"
Ally watched him doze of. She felt
strangely comforted by the crumb he
had tossed her. She went back in her
mind to q dinner Of long ago. when
she had defended Gerry's placid
weight against Alan. She sat on for
half an hour, busy with varying
thoughts. She looked curiously around
Aian's sitting room. How strange
that she should be here and yet how
natural. How safe she felt She Won
dered II 1t was all because Of the de-
fenses she had raised up in herself or
whether any woman would feel safe
with the new and weakened Alan. She
slipped out without waking him and
sent cable to Pernambuco. By night
she had an answer. Gerry had not yet
sailed!
Days passed. She went out only for
exercise. Her mind was busy with
wondering. The judge called regu-
iarly. He had put Off going to Red
Hill. He wanted Alix to feel that
friend was at hand and. besides, he
had Alan on his hands. Alan was
worrying him in a new way. Some
thing had gone out Of him. Sometimes
he seemed to the judge a mere shell
a blown egg, robbed Of the seed Of life.
The Judge talked Of him often to Alix.
but she could not fasten her mind on
Alan. '+Take him to the Hlll," was
ber listless advice.
'T've tried" said the judge. "and he
says he's not ready-not strong enough.
told him that's what he ought to go
for-to get strong-and he said fun
ny thing. There's a kind of strength
we must generate or borrow. didn't
borrow. SO now I'm generating. 1t
takes time And then he dropped Off
to sleep. Before. he used to run you
through with his tongue when be
wanted to stop conversation. Now he
Just goes to sleep. It's just as effec-
tive and almost as original"
oDA afternoon the judge came in