Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-26

didn't trouble to ask her again. just that
minute hear some one coming into the door
behind me. and my heart stopped beating. You
know the way Ellis walks, from that bad leg OF
his Well, 1t may motive been the least like it.
but I never turned to look. I took Lester by
the elbow, and says, "Come on quiet" and
walk him straight away through the bake room
and out the back door. I never stopped to
think; never stopped to reckon out what chance
in a thousand there was CT old Ellis turning
up in the flesh in that little t-of-the-way
village in the mountains. No sooner'd we got
into the sunlight outside that door than just
started out to run. dragging Lester with me.
And had to drag him, too.
NO. he keep saying. '"Th'ain't no use,
John; no use, no use."
you never mind about the use." kept tell
ing him.
L DON'T know. There was q fence and q big
dump OF empty cans, and there was a
woman hoeing potatoes in back yard. She
had on q gray-and-white check and she showed
against q line of clothes with one bright red
shirt amongst Lot OF white ones. It's funny
how that sticks in my mind. The only other
thing remember seeing was q mountain COW
cred with woods, standing up against the sky
in front of u.s. and then all of a sudden
smell OF corn growing and rustic breaking
around us like tide-rips. That's where we come,
into field Of It, along the foot Of the mountain.
LAY down." I says to Lester when we'd come
o dozen rows or so. .s, .--.
'"Thain't no use," he kept it up. without
any life to his voice. I'm going back and
have 1t over with, john" --ss
you go back. Lester" says T. "and III kill
myself"
He laid down beside me. nxS .eiss,.
BY and by Lester begin to talk. He laid with
his hands behind his head and his eyes staring
up at the corn leaves. His whole life come out.
He was no good he says, and he knew it. He
had queer ideas and imaginings that scared
him, and it wasn't alone in time of tempest
any more.
I can hear him going on, mono.onous and
dreamy, letting it all come out under the green
corn rows. He knew he wasn't the same as
others, and he couldn't keep his mind off his
queerness. He said he had terrible drawing
toward women-not any one woman-just
women. Yet he was scared of them. He was
scared to be left alone in the dark with q
woman or a girl for fear he'd find her dead.
That was what seem to get in the way OF
everything he undertook. So he nights we'll
be dead himself: better, he says for then he
wouldn't be q drag on me no longer, nor a
shame nor q torment to himself.
With that hitch up and put an arm around
his shoulders. good and tight, and Now it's
my turn to talk" says L
"All this YOU been telling me is a lie," says.
NO." says he. '1ts every word the truth"
NO." says ], tits lie. For it's all just in
your mind, and it's wrong. And what's just
in your mind, Lester. and wrong, that's lie.
And won't have 1t. won't stand for it.
Lester-not In q brother Of mine. Now-do
you hear what say? Look here. No, in the
eye I'm stronger.n you: I'm steadiern you:
I'm braver'n you. Not what you say. but what
I say, Is what goes. Get that? Well, it's
lie, and won't have it. Right here and now
I declare war on 1t: from this identical minute
I take sides-with you-and against that -
lie. I take responsibility for you. What
strength got Is yours-yours- I
give you everything got, soul and body.
There!" .ss
You know. IL either OF us'd thought of it.
sounded as queer as O loon myself. was trying
so hard to make Lester believe me that be-
Neved myself. was blowing like a beached
paddock when got through, and so was he
'You hear what say?" give him a hard
shake IT say that that thing has gone
and got out OF you-now-from now on"
The same look come into his face that I'd