The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1919-12-24

their number 10 care Tor all the horses
on Sundays while the others enjoyed
the luxury of their one day of leisure,
In consequence of this custom the
room was still full of snoring sleepers
and the air was very close and foul.
Dave sat down by the little table
that fronted the open window and
rested his head on his hands. He was
recalling. with considerable effort, the
events of the previous night; piecing
them together In impossible ways; re-
asserting them until they offered some
sequence. The anger he had felt
toward Coward had subsidized. but the
sting of shame ranked in his heart.
''Fool !" he said to himself. And be-
cause he could think of no more spe-
ciic expression to suit his feelings,
and because expression of any kind
brought a sort of relief, he kept on
repeating the word, 'Fooli fool I
fool" And as his self-condemnatio
gradually won him back 10 a sense Of
perspective he became aware of the
danger of his position. He had left
his ranch home to better himself, to
learn things, TO rise TO be somebody.
He had worked harder than ever be-
fore, at more disagreeable employ
ment; he had lived in conditions that
were almost nauseating-and what
had he learned? That you can't beat
a card man at his own game, price
sixty dollars, and that the gallery
seats are cheaper and sometimes safer
than the orchestra.
Then all of a sudden he thought of
Reenie. He had not thought of her
much Of late; he had been so busy
In the days and so tired at nights that
he had not thought of her much. Now
she burst upon him again with all that
beauty and charm which had so mag
netized him In those glad, golden days,
and the frank cleanness of her girl
hood made him Disguised and
ashamed. 1t was to fit himself for her
that he had come TO town, and what
sort of mess was he making of IT?
He was going down instead of up. He
had squandered his little money, and
now he was squandering his life. He
had been drunk.
Dawes nature was one in which
emotions were accelerated with their
own intensity. And the sudden man.
ner in which Reenie had now invaded
his consciousness intensified the black
ness In which he was submerged, as
darkens the storm.
He saw her on that last night. with
the moonlight wooing her white face,
until his own body had eclipsed 1t in
a warmer passion. and he heard her
words. II know you are true and
clean"
True and clean. "Yes, thank God.
/ am still thati" he cried, springing
suddenly to his feet and commencing
to dress. i've been spattered, but
nothing that won't wash Off. Per-
he stopped as the great
thought struck him-'perhaps 1t was
the luckiest thing in the world that
the booze did put me out last night.
. TIN wash off,"
Fortunate fate, or whatever good
angel Ii is that sometimes drops I'M
expected favors, designed that young
Eden should the following day deliver
coal at the home of Mr.. Melvin Dun
can. Mr.. Duncan. tall, quiet and forty
five, was at work in his garden as
Dave turned the team in the lane and
backed them up the long. narrow drive
connecting with the family coal chute.
AS the heavy wagon moved straight
to its objective Mr.. Duncan looked on
with approval that heightened into
admiration. Dave shoveled his load
without remark. but as he stood for
a moment at the finish. wiping the
sweat from his coal-grimed face. Mr..
Duncan engaged him i'm conversation.
"You handle a team like you were
born to It," he said. "Where did you
get the knackr
swell. came up on a ranch" said
Dave. 'Pve lived with horses ever
since I could remember"
you're rancher, eh?" queried the
older man. swell. there's nothing like
the range and the open country. II
could handle horses like you there
isn't anything would hold me In town."
"Oh, / don't know" Dave answered.
"You might get sick of It,"
did you get sick of it7"
Eden shot keen glance at him.
The conversation was becoming per-
sonal. Yet there was In Mr.. Duncan's
manner certain kindness. a certain
appeal of sincere personality, that dis