The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-12-15

You can see that i am very
busy" KONG spoke more gruff-
ly than he had intended.
Il know. hope you will for
give me. am being selfish. You
see :" and Sixtus gazed for a
moment, smiling, at the gray
smoke from his cigaret, "you see,
l am a scholar of the science of
thinking, so TO speak, and you
you are a scholar of the sci
ence of war. So we are more or
less brothers, and I am sure we
will understand each other"
KONG thought of his plan.
This old fellow might have more
sense than showed on the sur
face. you flatter me-" he said,
also smiling. Il don't imagine
| have as many books as you,
but in my own way :. as you
say "a. :. / ! burn the
candle at night, if you see what
l mean"
And the candle never goes
out?" The question came, sharp
and imperative.
The captain frowned. 81 don't
think you understand"
1T must be a very fine light
not to go out in so much dark
ness" said Sixtus. He spoke
slowly, as if he were thinking
of something quite different.
why did you want my
house?" he asked, finally.
The captain started. well"
he said. We'll, l hardly For
a blockhouse, to be sure" He
stopped himself and picked up
cigaret. But what was it you
wanted to see me about? You
still have an hour and a half.
I suppose you came to ask for
an extension of time. If that's
what it is, we may be a little
lenient in your case. How much
time do you want?" While he
lighted his cigaret, he kept
shrewd eye on the old mans
face.
"Oh, but you mistake me. For
ty-eight hours was ample. For
a blockhouse, you say. l have
lived there forty years, you
know. And now l had forty eight
hours to think things out for
myself. l considered the whole
matter carefully, and from ev-
cry angle. My conclusion is what
l have come up to tell you. l
cannot let you have my house."
The captain stared at him.
you what?"
II must forbid you to enter
my house"
"You forbid For a moment
there was dead silence, and then
all of sudden KONG threw
back his head and began to
laugh. He laughed and laughed,
rocking violently back and forth
in his chair. But then all at
once he stopped, leaned forward
over the desk, and examined the
old mans face. "Are you in
sane?" he asked slowly. II
could have you shot"
"He must be very nervous"
Sixtus thought. Finally he said,
Il know. But if you are interest
ed l will tell you what brought
me to my conclusion, which l
can assure you, is completely un-
shakable. You see, I am seventy
nine, and especially at my age,
it would be foolish for me to be
like Socrates enemies and fear
death more than I love truth"
"Silence!" KONG smashed his
fist down upon the desk.
Sixtus acted as if he had no
idea of his danger. He punched
his cigaret out in the ashtray be-
side his chair. II have seen the
waves of light and darkness
washing over each other for
thousands of years, but always
the individual man :"
Quiet. you fool" KONG
started forward, but the old
man backed out of his reach.
1.-The individual man stood in
the middle like a rock"
KONG leaped at him and
caught him by the collar. "Will
you stop"
"No," Sixtus cried. 'If I were
afraid, there might be hope for
you, but am not. What Is mine
is mine. Do you think you can
stop the working of our brains !
and hearts? We are not animals. |
We are men. That is the founda-
ton of law. You cannot win.
Where are your courts, your
judges and your juries? Until
you bring them forward, / must
forbid you my house"
"You madman," KONG was
beside himself, his face flushed,
trembling with anger. He
struck the old man hard on the
mouth with the back of his hand. !
Sixtus closed his eyes and fell
back. "You forbid, do you? You /
forbid. The captain forced him
across the room, shaking him all !
xAA III ILL., All l<ialsal A.