The daily Alaskan., 1922-03-04
BOOK ONE
Repatriation.
CHAPTER |.

Dan F0iling stepped out Of thc ele- yatur and was 0t once absorbed in the crowd that ever surgcd up and down Broad street. He was just one Of the ordinary drops of water, not an Interesting. elaborate. physical and chemical combination tn he studied on thc slide of a microscope. He wore fairly DgSSnhle clothes. neither rich nor shabby. He was a tall man, but gave no impression of strength because of the exceeding Spar"neSS of his frame. As long as he remained in Ihr crowd. he wasn't important enough to be studied. But soon he turned off, through the park. and straIghtway found himself alone.
 The noise and hustle of the crowd never loud or startling. but SO contln- nous that the senses are scarcely more aware of them than of the beat ing Of ones own hnart-sUddcnIy and utterly died ulmos, at the very border Of the park. The noise from the street seemed wholly unable to pene- tratp the thick branches of the trees. He Could even hear the leaves whisk- ing and HivkluG together, and when man can discern this. he can hear the cushions Of a mountain lion on trail ut night. Of course Dan Failing had never heard a mountain lion. Except on the railroad tracks hrtwecn, he had never really been away from cities in his life.
 Al once his thought went hack to the doctors words. They were still repeating themselves over and over in his ears, and tho doctors face was still before his eyes. II had been kind face; the lips had even curled in little smile of encouragement But the doctor had been perfectly frank, entirely straightforward. There had been no evasion iu his verdict.
 "Tve made every test" he said. "Thcy're pretty welt shot. Of course, you can go to some sanitarium, if you've got the money If you haven't enjoy yourself an you can for about six months
 Dams voice had been perfectly cool and sure when he replied. He had smiled a little. too. He was stIll rath- CT proud of that snile. "SiX monthsI Isn't that rather shortF"
 Maybe a whole rot shorter. I think that's the limit"
 There was the situation: Dan Fall ing had but six months to live. He began 10 wonder whether his mother had been entirely wise in her effort to keep him from the trough games of the boys Of his own age. He realized DOW that he hnd been an underweight all his life-that jhe frailty that had thrust him to the edge of the grave had begun in his Cgrliest bOyhood. But it wasn't that he was born with phy- slcaI handiCaps. He had weighed full ten pounds; and the doctor had told his father that a srurdier little chm was not to ho found in any ma ternity bed In the whole city. But his mother was convinced that the child was delicate and must be sheltered. Never in all the history Of his family, so far as Dan Ilno", had there been 8 death from the malady that afflicted him. Yet his sentence was signed and sealed.
 But he harborcd no resentment against his mother It was all In the game. She had dOue what she thought was best. And he began to wonder in what way he could get the greatest pleasure from his last six months Of life.
 Good LordI" he suddenly bresthed .l may not be hero to see the snows comer Dan had always been partial to the winter season. When the snow lay all over the farm lands and bowed down the limbs ot the trees, lt had always wakencd 8 curious flood of feelings iu the wasted man. It seemed