The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-01-21

IDENTIFY the poor devil had no loved
ones. There were no wonderful
heart lifting letters from home. He
had not been in England in nearly
six years.
False sweetheart and false friend
so wrote 1t down in my book of OBJ
servations
The restaurant was modest and
clean and cheap for the times. In
the rear was long bare table. Here
benches served instead of chairs.
No doubt the place had been
patronized by artists whose
ateliers were in AIontmarre, for the
walls Were well decorated with light
hearted sketches. How many of these
hands are now cold and still?
Some wag had recently drawn in
charcoal q study of an Eskimo and
labeled it ~The only NeutralY
There were about nine of us
around. the board. l heard some ia
nous names. My companion was the
only Englishman present. He spoke
French quite as well as we spoke
English.
There was a thick but excellent
cabbage soup, mullet chicken. spin
ach and cheese. The proprietor him.
Sell SttNSu US anu ne WAS Olug DtDl
and taciturn. l was told that he had
lost his two sons in the great Cham
payne drive.
was in the act of spreading
cheese on my biscuit when l CHANGED
to look at Carmichael. He sat rig
idly erect, his mouth open slightly,
his cigarette poised in midair.
seemed to be the only one who no.
tieed the singularity of his express
sion.
All at once his body relaxed. He
dropped the cigarette and spoke to
the Frenchman opposite. young fell
low not more than %, with eyes
and nose hawk-like, and mouth like
a pretty womans.
He came around the table curious
ly. My companion rose and conduct
ed him a few feet away There fol-
lowed a low earnest conversation.
Carmichael seemed to be begging
something.
La, Lar cried the Frenchman,
laughing as he drew back. He blew
a kiss into my Englishman's face.
droiiy not impudentiy, and returned
to his bench. His comrades quiz
zed him; but. still laughing. he shook
his head and reached for the cof-
feepot.
Come, let us be off," said Car
michael, his face leaden and his
deep-set eyes filled with species
Of chatoyancy like that which 1 have
often noted in the eyes of drug
eaters.
followed him into the street. The
night air had grown suddenly keen.
There was a northeast wind blowing.
L fancied / could hear the faint rum
Bile of the guns at Verdun. You
know how your ears will trick you
at night.
Carmichael shifted the air.
Poisonous gas tomorrow, and bad
holes up there"
What was the row." 1 asked; for
L was certain that something I'M
usual had happened to cut short our
evening.
II am accursedl" he said. II
warned him not to fly tomorrow.
But he will, and he'll die. 1 saw
the veil on his face, doctor But
they always laugh, and they al
ways die. Yes, am certainly
damned"
Look here, young man. what the
devil are you talking about" / de-
ais@haIo' QdCSA iii al lHc DdSC
of my neck.
Death. my friend-Death, whom
l seek each day and who re-
fuses my hand. O'Hara knew, be-
iieved and understood. But he is
dead. VIII you believe and under
stand. or will you laugh? 1 had a
purpose in banging on to you today
Craig. You're a famous surgeon.
Will you come to my rooms again?
I'll tell you why / am damned"
Yes" For suddenly / recalled the
case of Bradford and his death in
the Nepal jungles.
The wind rose steadily, and there
was now bit of dry snow in it.
In the sky great shafts of blue white
light. queerly blunted at the far
ends. swooped hither and yon, cross
ing and recrossing. 1t would be an
ideal night for a visitation by the
Zeppelins; and SO these brilliant Cy-
clopean eyes searched persistently
the black vault above.
When we got back to Carmichaers
rooms. he threw a match into the
CRATE. brought out whisky anu soda
and poured a stiff peg for himself.
I shook my head as he passed the
bottle toward me.
No, thank youi l wanted a per-
fectly adjusted mental balance, for
T felt If in NV homes that NV theories