Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-14


aerry's lip trembled. you're right,
Lieber," he said. you're right, only
you don't know it all. That chap In there
| we were boys together. lie ran. away
| with my wife. That's why" Gerry sud-
| denly stopped. Alix had not run away.
She had jumped off the train. Where
| was she then? What had she done
through the years he had been away?
! Why had she Jumped Off the train? lie
| struck his hand TO his head and stum-
| bled off the veranda
Lieber's anger died In him, but he
| turned and went back to Alan.
| Two hours later he came out again to
| find Gerry crouched on the veranda. The
| spirit had gone out of him but he turned
| on Iieber with a determination In his
| tired eyes. You told me to get out and
| I haven't There are things I've got to
| know. I'll wait"
~ spoke in haste, Mr.. Lansing" said
| Lieber II want you should forgive me.
| You are all In, too. Come with me"
He led him inPo his own room, made
| him lie down and closed the shutters.
Gerry threw himself across the bed, arms
outstretched face downward. Lieber
| slipped out and noisclessly shut the door
| Gerry lay exhausted. lie could not think
| any more n great weight lay on his
| brain The ten minutes doze In the chair
at AlanFs bedside had not been rest but
| u UlBUtlhuIcs presently ne lell INTO steep,
| deep sleep that was all unconscious
| ness.
IL was almost night when he awoke,
| and with tho awakening the weight set
| tied back on his brain. only now he had
the strength to think in spite of It, lie
| got up and went out in search of Lieber.
| Lieber heard him and came out into the
hall. Gerry nodded toward Alan's room.
| TITS all right, Mr.. Lansing. He must
| have solid mind. Your talk didn't eX-
| cite him-didnt even disturb his sleep.
He's on tho road up-weak, baby, but
| he's started life again. He's asked for
| you twice. Seems to have something he's
got TO get on his chest to you. You'd
better go IN"
Gerry sat down once more beside Alan,
| The questions he must ask crowded to
his lips. but he forced them back lie
tested his strength with resolutions and
held them. 1t was his way of reassuring
himself. lie wanted to feel his firmness
rising in him to meet the struggle he felt
must come when Alan spoke.
Alan knew he was there. He saw him
, through half-closod eyes but, more than
that, he felt him. His brows puckcred
in n frown. 1t was still hard to usu
words. Gerry, last night / wanted to
tell YOU moro only | couldn't. I had TO
sleep. Mix didn't go with me. She only
Cr~ or tho train. When I kissed her she
W and found she wasn't-Carnal
afip : She went back home. You
didn't n up. You never turned up.
They traced you to river an empty
oc-pajamas-you know" He stopped
and sighed as though his task were over.
his cnin rested on his clinched hands.
his elbows on his knees. "Alan," he said.
where Is Alix now? what has she done?"
Alan opened his eyes and looked Mt
him. "She is waiting. She has always
waited for you to come back. She would
not believe you were dead, because of
the boy"
1.-THE boy" groaned Gerry what
boy?"
yours" said Alan. "Ec is n great
hoy. There is a new AliX since he came.
She is as far from me and what she was
as the stars. She is a steady star. But
it's all right now. You'll go backst her"
II can't" whispered Gerry hoarsely,
more to himself than 10 Alan. i've got
wife here. rye got child here. To me
he is my first-born."
Alans eyes opened, this time in wonder.
A twisted smile came to his lips. YOU
he said. "Your' and then the smile
changed to n faint disgust. He turned
his head on the pillow away from Gerry
and slept.
The next morning found Gerry still at
Licber's. He knew he must go back to
Fazenda Flores in the end. but just now
his soul was too raw. He hung around
waiting for Alan to wake up There was
wound and that was to add vinegar to II.
II seemed terrible affront that Alan
Alan Of all peOple-should sit in judgment
over him. Alan awoke at last to a raw
enous appetite and desire for the open
They moved him, settle and all, out upon
the veranda. What a murderous day."
he shid. his eyes turning, blinded from
the blaze of the sun, to rest in the shady |
hooks of the veranda
Outside, the heavenly bowl of blue was |
virgin of clouds. 1t stretched and domcd
I'm n sphered eternity Of emptiness. |
Through it's depressing void the sun swan |
slowly, pltilessly, as though 1t were 10th
to mark the passing minutes. The whole
earth baked. Strong trees wilted and
turned up the wrong sides of their leaves |
on the sea of heat like dying fish turning
up their while bellies at the last gasp. |
Not u breath of air stirred. Heat rose
from the ground in an unbroken. visible |
wave. MY God" said Alan, gazing with |
wistful, faT-seeing eyes beyond the ia |
mlliar, repellant scene. "a homeward
fever parches up my tongue. There |
was such an agony of longing In the
words that Gerry was frightened. He !
looked questoningly at Lieber
mo" said Lieber 'he is not dying He
was dying, but he's changed his mind. |
He's going to go home instead"
81 believe he's right Gerry" said Alan |
with n faint smile But l didn't change |
my mind He did 1t for me. He's I'm line |
for life-saving medal. Lleber's all |
right" He stopped, tired out.
Lieber began to talk to Gerry. "How's |
the water in the ditch. Mr.. Lanslng?"
Mighty low" said Gerry. He spoke al |
most absent-mlndedly. For the first time |
in months the ditch was far from his |