Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-11-30
BY william TiIinghast EIdridge.
Copyrighted by the Frank A. Munsey Co.

transpire was also common rumor, for the
elder Summerville had broken in health
with his daughters death n year before.
Father and son were now quite alone, and
1t was said they were not a very happy
couple.
Morgan had heard all this as rumor, and
it had been borne out by Summerville's ac-
tons since his arrival in camp. Although
little over thirty the man had the serious
look Of double his years, and he was never
known to smile.
Morgan rose slowly.
II cam get the thing out of my mind,
Summerville,' he said, speaking like a man
picking out his words. IL don't know what
you are going to report when you get
back"
.That Dewitt is dead. what more?"
"And that | can't land the one who did
it. Id give my life for the identity of the
Internal black who hacked him to death.
I'd"
Summerville.
Forget it? I've worked beside Dewitt
for eight months. Forget that one Of those
fiends did him?".
perhaps Dewitt il rs well off,
The words came very slowly in a calm.
matter-of-fact voice that carried no hint
Of the speakers feelings. His face, too.
was set in hard lines, and what the heart
felt concerning the death of Dewitt was i'm
possible for any one to say.
"What do you mean! That he's got
what is coming to Us all; that I'll get mine
in the endi Oh! fancy it's so,'' nodded
Morgan, indifferently.
Il didn't mean that. ! don't fancy you'll
get yours. What | meant was hat per-
haps Dewitt is better off. He may have had
things on his mine that were troubling him.
Death isn't such n bad thing, after ALL"
Morgan could only nod, for Summer
ville's words limited at troubles that he
felt without liberty 10 inquire into. lie led
the way back toward camp.
Late that night a canoe slid up 10 the
bank and a native got ont with a message
forwarded along by steamer and carrier
from Para up the Amazon, and so to the
lumber camp.
Morgan tore the message open and,
reading il, stuffed il into his pocket. Then
he sat down, and long into the night he
thought more and more of Summerville's
remark. When he told him what the mes
sage contained. perhaps the young fellow
would be ready To think that his words
might well be applied to himself.
A. early dawn touched the forest, and
the night sounds died away before the
rushing, rising sun, Summeryille was astir
and hunting for Morgan. Motioning 10 the
manager. he led the way down the path
to the left, and paused ut the edge Of the
quadmire.
"What was the message hat came last
nightf' questioned SummervilIe, evenly.
Morgan was taken by surprise. lie had
thought that his chief-so he considered
him now-wanted 10 look this part of the
work over before he left on his long trip
back toward civilization. Then he noted
for the first time that Summerville was
still dressed in his old, dirty linens, and
had apparently made no preparations for
the journey.
"What was it!" questioned the younger
man again.
"News from the States,' answered Nor
gan, slowly.
Il see," agreed Summerville with n nod,
IA his eyes turned on the tangled vines
beyond the morass, news from the pre.i-
dent. lie i dead"
lie didn put IL n n question. but a. u
fact and his voice swung very low.
"les." answered Morgan in a whisper.
'your father il dead" and he handed over
the crumpled message.
The younger mans face had not
changed. He looked like one who had been
told only what he knew, what he had ex-
pected FOR a long time, what he had be-
lIeved q certainty since the arrival Of The
native canoe, and which he had prepared
himself To see confirmed beyond question.
lie stepped to the edge Of the soft
ground and looked off across the swamp.
Then he began to speak a. if unmindful
Of the troubled man just a few feet be-
hind him.
1T = perhaps as WE'LL said Summer
vile in his deep bass voice. ever since
my sister died he has hung to life by n
thread. When a daughter passes away,
far from her friends and home, diving be-
cause some fiend had no thought in his
heart of the sanctity of womanhood, it i
a blow that kills. 1t must be terrible for
the father: it is bad enough for the
brother"
There was a silence which neither man