The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-08-26

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ccssory before the fact. No .
this was the same procedure; TO let
the memory ~ Dicky Morgan rest In
peace. and 10 let the brunt Of anger
fall on Henry Hllllard. who was no
body from nowhere with n lying face.
lying tongue, and no claque to mourn
at his exit.
But then there was Angela's start
ling allegation She had declared
that everybody" IN town knew all
about billiard and Carol. Every
body" would have n different opinion.
lie had tried 10 explain himself TO
Carol. and he had failed; and In the
hight of Angela's revelation. II was diff
fcult 90 decide whether Carol herself,
In protesting that she wanted 10 re-
tain him as a friend, had meant that
and nothing more. or that and great
deal more. But no matter what she
had intended to convey. he dared not
20 to her again, he dared not see her
and speak TO her, for n he lied To her
but he couldn't lie 10 her now,
and every word Of truth would prove
boomerang. lie was trapped and
although his heart was breaking for
the love he had almost won second
time. he remained steadfast TO the
ideals he had created. II Carol were
to lose him ms sultor. she should new
or know that her first and foremost
sutton had gone TO the devil.
lie told himself hercely there was
one definite and permanent way out
Of It. . Nobody would then nave
cause 10 gossip about Dlcky Morgan /;
no one-after the first natural food Of
excitement and denunciatlon-woul
remember very much about Henry
Hnllard. II would save such deal Of
needless trouble; II would save such a
wearisome amount Of shame.
But against the pitilcss background
~ the war. self-destruction as a means
OF avoiding personal difficulties, self
cnused seemed curiously repellent-
curiously cheap.
No Il was n part of his own
grievance that Carol and the others
must grleve, too; he had dual re-
sponsiblllty TO society. He had no
right 10 leave these matters clouded by
any uncertainty Of msive. Syracuse
had n right 20 know the facts: and II
the facts brought pain 10 those he
loved. why. that was something he
should have thought about in June,
and not In November
A. l.. Il o.. - ~ 4.
slipping hours Of the reputation he
had so carefully bullded. he knew that
II wasn't the punishment OF the law
that he dreaded. II was the ostracism
which would accompany II. II wasn't
his own shame which gripped him. II
was the consciousness OF the shame
which would attach 90 his friends.
And 50. for a day or two, all his fac
ultles were strung upon the attitude
~ the public toward him; no was
watching frantlcally for the first signs
of adverse demeanor. and bracing him.
self for the shock which was unavoid.
ably TO come. For secrets will out.
and although he had no reason TO ex-
pect waring to break his pledge. he
knew that when rumor smolders
among as many as four people. there
comes-there always comes-a mo
ment In which IL bursts forth In spon-
taneous combustion.
Presently he sensed a subtle super
charging Of the atmosphere whenever
he met male acquaintance; he
couldn't deny that the greeting of his
bankers was suddenly less Informal,
more impersonal he perceived. with a
sinking spasm OF forehodlng. that
fewer people stopped TO chat with him
on the street and that those who still
were willing 10 halt and pass the time
Of day were uncommonly FESTIVE about
II. Syracuse hadn't yet arrayed itself
officially against him. and part OF
Syracuse was outwardly as pleasant as
ever, but there wasn't the slightest
question that the story had leaked out,
and that II had got itself adherents.
The end was plainly In sight; Arm
strong's report was due. Only the Cul-
lens and the Durants and one or two
other of the James street families were
quite as cordially attentive as former
ly: and 10 billiards. vast chagrtn. they
rather overdid II he seemed TO
feel In the steady warmth OF their
friendship a sort OF blindly unseason-
able resolution 10 support him, whether
or no. This. infinitely more than the
cooling manner OF the majority. CALLED
him necessarily. II was as though
they rallied to his defense before the
need OF II II was as though they
conceded In advance the necessity Of
such defense.
So billiard waited. waited
smiling upon the world his hollow
smile. carrying through the city the
body of a knave and the face OF
martyr and the soul Of a gentleman
. and In the watches OF the night.
he was perplexed 10 find that his eyes
were sometimes wet. but never when
he was thinking OF himself-always
when he was thinking OF Angela. or
Carol, or-unexplainably-of a com
mon-enoush representative Of the
French bourgeoisie named Pierre Du-
tout.
On the eighth day, he CHANGED to
meet DIR. Durant by accident In front
of the Physicians building at nigh noon.