The Man in Lonely Land

able, his overcoat on a chair, put his hat o

snow and steam heat to come home to. Hello, General! How are the legs tonight, old man?" Stooping, he patted softly the

from the beseeching eyes. "For the love of heaven don't look at me like that, General, don't make it-" His breath was drawn in sharply; then, as the dog made effort to

wflakes so thickened it that the people hurrying this way and that seemed twisted figures of fantas

here would think he'd struck an ice-pond." He looked around and then at the darkey in front of him. "The Lord gave you a head for the purpose of usi

ning to put fresh air in here and I put, but me and General ain't be

his head. "Close up those windows and turn on the lights and see abo

of light. "It's a very spacious room, sir, and for them what loves books it's very aspirin', but of course in winter-time a room without

ead. "No, I don't. I want sleep. I came

m suffer, and you'll be sick yourself if you keep a-waitin' on him all night. Can't I get you a little Scotch, sir, or a hot whiskey punch? I got the

table and looked over the letters laid in a row upon it. "Have a taxi-cab here

s one of impatience at having to go out. Why must people do so many things they don't want to do? He put out his hand and smoothed softly General's long ears. Why couldn't a

women he knew, with few exceptions, wouldn't give a twist of their necks to see his, would as soon think of reading them as of talking Dutch at a dinner-party, and very probably they were right. Knowledge added little to human happiness. Science and skill could do nothing for General. Poor General! Again he smoothed the latter's head. For years he had barked his good-bye in the morning,

the dog's back-"and somewhere you must wait for me. I've got to stay on and play

lf alone at forty was hardly what he had intended. There was something actually comic about it. That for which he had striven had been secured, but for what? Success unshared is of all things ironic, and soon not even General would be here to greet him when the day's work was done. He blew out a thin thread of smoke

es when he hated the thing which made men fight as fiercely to-day as in the days of the jungle, though they no longer sprang at

won't be long. Why Hope didn't telephone what she wanted me to do, instead of beseeching me to come to her

was beseeching adoration. With painful effort he laid first one paw and then

ilence of understanding comrades, the