Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-24

| r was fairly hopeless by that time, what
| RI with Dicks unexpected resistance and
- the change in the man himself. He
was dealing with something he did not under
stand, and the hypothesis of delirium did not
hold. There was a sort Of desperate sanity
| in Dicks eyes. The statement, now, about
drinking his head off-he hadn't looked yes
terday like drinking man. But now he did.
He was twitching, his hands shook. On the
rock his face had been covered with cold
sweat. What was that the doctor yesterday
had said about delirium tremens? Suppose
| he collapsed? That meant capture
He did not need to guide Dick to the cabin.
He turned off the trail himself and Bassett,
! following, him dismount and survey the
ruin with a puzzled face. But he said moth
! ing Bassett, waiting outside to tie the
horses. came in to find him sitting on one of
! the dilapidated chairs staring around, but all
| he said was:
"Get me that drink, for Gods sake I'm
going to pieces"
Bassett found his tin cup where he had left
| it. on shelf, and poured out small amount
/ of whisky from his flask.
"This is all we have he explained. "We'll
| have to 60 slow with it,
1t had an almost immediate effect. The
! twitching grew less, and faint color came
| into Dicks face. He stood up and stretched
| himself That's better he said. 81 was
all in. I must have been riding that Internal
horse for years"
He wandered about while the reporter
maze q anu set the COu0e pot 10 UOll
Bassett, glancing up once, saw him surveying
| the lean-to from the doorway, with an express
sion he could not understand. But he did not
say anything, nor did he speak again until
Bassett called him to get some food. Even
| then he was laconic, and he seemed to be lis
tening and waiting.
Suddenly he picked up his hat and went
| to the door.
well, you've been mighty kind, old man."
he said. But I've got to go back I ran last
night like scared kid, but I'm through with
that sort of foolishness."
Bassett watched him.
| 81 see," he said quietly. cit was last
night, was 1t, that this thing happened?"
| 'You know it, don't you?''
"And after it happened, do you remember
what followed?"
"I've been riding all night. didn't care
what happened I knew I'd run into a. whale
He stopped and stared outside. to where
the horses grazed in the upland meadow,
knee deep in the mountain flowers. Bassett,
watching him, saw the incredulity in his eyes,
and spoke very gently.
"My dear fellow" he said, "you are right.
Try to understand what I am saying, and take
it easy. You rode into a blizzard right
enough, but that was not last night 1t was
| ten years ago.
Had Bassett had some wider knowledge of
Dicks condition, he might have succeeded
better during that bad hour that followed,
! Certainly, if he had hoped that the mere
statement of fact and its proof would bring
| results, he failed. And the need for haste.
the fear Of the pursuit behind them, made
| him nervous and incoherent
He had first to accept the incredible, him
self-that Dick Livingstone no longer existed,
| that he had died and was buried deep in some
| chamber of an unconscious mind. He made
every effort to revive him, to restore him into
the field of consciousness but without result.
| And his struggle was increased in difficulty
| by the fact that he knew so little of DICK
| life. David's name meant nothing. apparent
ly and it was the only name he knew He
! described the Livingstone house; he de-
scribed Elizabeth as he had seen her that
! night at the theater. Even Minnie. But Dick
only shook his head. And untH he had
aroused some instinct, some desire to live, he
could not combat Dicks intention to return
and surrender.
| 81 understand what you are saying Dick
would say. I'm trying to get it. But 1t
doesn't mean anything to me-"
| Some time later Bassett got on his horse
and rode out to ledge which commanded a
horsemen were riding. along it, one behind
! the other, small dots that moved slowly but
steadily. He turned and went back to the
cabin.
! "We'd better be moving" he said "and
! it's up to you to say where. You've got two
| choices. You can go back to Nevada and run
the chance of arrest. You know what that
| means without much chance Of a convic-
ton, you will stand trial and bring wretched-
ness to-to the people who stood by you be-
| fore and who care for you now. Or you can
go on over the mountains with me, and strike
| the railroad somewhere to the west. You'll
have time to think things over, however.
They've waited ten years. They can wait
| longer"