The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1922-10-21
nv parke Reed.
BY Parke Reed.
Protected by the Kelley Newspaper
Feature Seryice.)
CHAPTER TEN.
A True Friend.

"You Knew it," exclaimed Clare
wood
"Yes", said Joe Lightner, but not
all once. You know we were ralseu
and educated together. John. ano
we've been together eyer sisce.
began to suspect something way
back in college days. One night you
were reading by the lamp anu
was lying on the couch. l Just hap
pened to look up at you. don't know
why but all of sudden | felt there
was something strange about your
face. l thought no more OF it at the
| time but some months later 1t hap
pened again, and after that 1t became
regular thing. l never could say
| Just what it was, but it was there.
Not till two or three years ago did
my fancy take a definate form. =
How asked Clarewood.
1T was here in Elliston one day
stopped at busy downtown corner
to wait for the traffic to pass. Just
in front of me was a cripple Negro
who looked old enough to have
fought in 1872. You and Virginia
came by Just then in your car. You
paused a moment and then went by
with the traffic. The old Negro
looked after you and struck his
cane sharply on the curb. and numb
led to himself Cant tell me that
mans white. He never knew any
one heard him. Then the whole thing
came down on me with crash-that
night at college and all. This Negro
well you know, very aged people
have sure instinct for such things
But you never mentioned it "a
me- said Clarewood.
What do you take me for JIM
Think I'd walk up to my best friend
and call him Negro? / was puzzled
moreover. l had known all your
people for three generations and had
never seen or heard anything of it
Nor had any one else knew you
didn't know of it, If you had you'd
have been just fool enough to say
so. Besides, you were fond of talk
ing about younr great-grandmother
Harriet, which you never would have
done if you had known all this"
You knew this thing, Joe, and
you never let it make difference,
You're real gold, Joe. all through.
How about yourself?'' glowed joe
Lghtner. you did your duty with
this awful thing hanging over your
head. Tell me all about it,"
John Clarewood then told his
friend all about his long night Of
agony.
Just like you'll" cried Lightner
You're so honest you're inhuman
The temptation must have been awful
and what of Virginia. How did she
take it?'
shes gone"
"Gone!'
What else would she do Joe,
She's lovely and loyal but she's only
human.
Cod" breathed Joe. II wonder
IL the city's worth such sacrifice
And the worst of it is that some Of
the people whose homes and children
you are protecting will turn on yor
and curse you for a Negro"
"Oh, I'm past that IVORY | weighed
all that in my mind before I tool
pthe plunge"
Look here, john said Lightnel
suddenly, "you write the full story
of your night OF temptation and III
make it the feature of the UniOI
this Saturday"
mo, no, Joe. don't hurt your bus
mess for my sake"
Hurt my businessl Haven't yo,
got any better news sense than that
Such a story would make the UniOr
outsell everything in town.
Clarewood finally agreed 10 write
the article and his friend Joe wen
iubilantly out Of the office.
AS the DAYS went by the Filistor
newspaper fought an editorial wa
over Clarewood, the Clarion am