Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-03-14
Illustrated By
Is'wiss Myes:s

! Hatless, out Of breath, he brushed
| the gravel from his knees. and looked
both ways. The suburb was quiet,
and this the continuance of a city
street that became a road beyond the
! town. blush arc-light at the corner
| showed no one. Con turned to the
left and walked rapidly. AS he neared
the next arc-Iamp, large black motor
car crawled out of the shadows, and
drew in at the curb on his side of
the road. The door opened-no light
III the car. Lexington stepped into it
and the door swung shut after him.
The leather packet was placed in the
hand of the person who sat beside
him. The car whirred away.
"Have any trouble?" asked the
other.
mo. 1t was much as you had said"
"How did you slip your friend
Cecilia?
Con explained, adding, SIT was a
shame to fool him."
II understand" replied the other.
at isn't his fault. Maybe you can
straighten it out with him some day."
81 hurt that Chiney," said Lexington,
half to himself.
There were no congratulations upon
the small success. These two had ex-
pected to succeed, and were not sur
prised.
! The other man was of middle age,
| rather slight and small. Under a
soft black hat his hair showed long
and gray. The lean-fbered strength
of his hands aid neck might not have
| been considered beautiful but to Con
Lexington this man was chief, and
more-a comrade and second father.
It was Andrew March who had
found him running wild, one spring
night in lower Cincinnati, with a gun
speaking from each hand. The riot
! call was in. Andrew March had, by
, the grace of God, appeared, beheld
! and understood. The elder man had
recognized the equilOctial madness
| of one whose head was filled with
beauty, the heart passionate for life
! and more of it, the feet rebell1ng
against the ugliness of pavements.
March had hurried him away, and
! later at his leisure soaked some of the
deviltry out of the young frame,
steaming him clean and reasonable.
He had needed to be patient with
Lexington while the rioter found
! new sensation called health.
! Presently the car turned in beneath
a vine-covered archway, and stopped
at the door of a great house. A IAN
| tern that was mellow and friendly
hung at the step. There was ter
raced garden ridging gently down TO
a pond, far back from the road.
| These terraces with lanes of roses and
columbine were Levington's respite
from the wine-sogged streets that
wanted him.
March's housekeeper Mrs. Ames,
cheerfully daZed woman whose narrow
body never recovered from the exer-
lions of yesterday, opened the door
to them. They went directly to the
stairs and assembled to an open door
from which freight danced out into
the hallway.
AS they entered, very old man
nut down his book and turned to race
| them. There were no glasses before
his ewes. and through the pallor of
aee IN his face showed yet seasoned
strength
"I know it is early for a fire. l
was not cold" he said smiling, but
there are certain thoughts one cannot
think without bank of Goals to look
into. And my fire here has been out
nearly four MONTHS
eyes and think of the people VINO
can always get along without. an open
grate.'' said Andrew March.
The very old man had the manner
of one who has found vital peace.
filed with more than memories. HIS
head was strangely long. and some
thing like nobility lowered about the
wasted shoulders. He was the father
of Andrew March.
Now the gray-haired son closed the
hall door. and brought to his fathers
chair the tiny leather packet. he
said: Lexington has done very well"
The father nodded, and the light in
his ewes meant long acquaintance with
defeat. Expectancy caught his fea-
+,,ras and turned them almost youth
full The bit of leather was placed IN
his hand, and he drew from 1t
So,are of white silk. 1t was tightly
creased. of firmest texture. Traced
in purple upon one side was line