The Helpers

g his latest obliquity to whatsoever unpardonable sin has been recorded against the most incorrigible of mankind. Love had its word, also-outraged love, acknowledg

he had wasted her sympathy on a shameless vagabond who had sou

ffocating, and the muffled drumming of the sewing-machine in Margaret Gannon's room jar

nge of suburban houses, he came to the borders of a shallow pond what time the sun was poising for its plunge behind the upreared mountain background in the west.

of a less carefully groomed but more rapacious wild beast whose keeper offered his patrons a choice between the more serious business of the gaming-tables, and the lighter diversions of a variety theatre. Jeffard had seen the interior of the Bijou on the earliest of his investigative expe

t of charitable by-play; and it was there, also, that he had thrown away the major portion of

s. Having permitted her to give and himself to take it, why should he quibble at the manner of its spending? When he saw that hesitancy implied another attempt to turn b

or after he had flung away this bit of yellow metal. The decision was so nicely balanced that he let it turn upon the fl

the fading light. It was the misshapen eagle that stared back at him from the fac

uilding on the little knoll above the pond; a brick and the binding-string from a bundle of lath would serve; and when he had secured them he sounded the pond around the edges

threshold he met the proprietor; and when he w

ed the man of vice, sententiou

ing fever, and the man's voice sounded afar off. Grim led the way behind the bar to a windowless

, and I put it up that you're out

s you," said Jeffard, with a s

ther here nor yonder. You're

. "Call it tha

oke most of the

st of th

ou are, where you come from, and all the rest. You've been playin' to lose right a

ciently to wonder what the man was drivin

t-chair, and his hard face w

o go and blow in whatever you've got after I get through with you. Or, if

enly. "If you have anything

a suit o' good clothes, pay your board at the Albany or the Brown, whichever you like, and

sture was of

e details. What is t

d you'll have 'em again, as soon as you're flush. And when any of 'em f

nd he covered his face with his hands to crush back the hot tears of impotence which sprang up and blinded him. Grim looked on unpityingly, waiting fo

e began unsteadily, "but you've shown me my mistake. Thank God

me two men, striking and clutching at each other as they fought their way into the clear. Within arm's-length of Jeffard they separated. He saw the sheen of the electric light on a weapon, and darted between them in time to spoil the aim of the man who drew first. There was a

Jeffard's wrist. "Like as not you wouldn't 'a' done it if you had, but that

of the winning night, was glad, inasmuch as he had been able to c

t? Well, we're quit

he street. "Somebody in the crowd'll be sure to know you, and you'll walk slap back into trouble after I done

urpose in his eyes. Whatever of vacillation there was in him an hour earlier had been thoroughly flailed out

ionery, he was compelled to wait until some one left what he required. The chance befell presently, but when he came to write his note to Constance Elliott the thing was harder t

st seem to you too despicable to be remembered. I can't hope to make you understand without being frank, and when

think I have been loving you ever since that evening which you said we were to forget-the evening at the theatre. Strangely enough, my love for you isn't strong i

eet innocence and loving sympathy,-you see, I am quite frank,-and when you finally gave me a chance to make the impossible thing that I longed to say still more im

that there was still a deeper depth which was yet unplumbed, a

and that in daylight, it was not singular that it eluded him in the night; but it was surely the very irony of chance which led him to slip the envelope under the front door of a hou

little from sheer weariness as he went, but finding comfort in the thought that there w

instinct of self-preservation which might assert itself at the last moment? Probably, since he was weak from fasting, and would be encumbered with his clothing. Then another suggestion came to torment him: If he should tie the brick to his feet, as h

y's sake. It was not meet that a thinking being should go out of life like the brutes that perish; without a thought for the past with its lacks and havings, or the future with its untried possibilities. But the

stars burned steadily overhead, and there was a soft light abroad which seemed to be a part of the atmosphere. Over in the west the black bulk of the range rose up to meet the sky; and poised above one of the

ith its annals. And there was still the present, with its soft light and its dim hemisphere of sky; its balmy air and its vague and shadowy horizon

uder came straight on, as if in no doubt as to his purpose, and sitting down on the end of the plank bridge, proceeded to fill and light h

pardner. Hope I

ght suggest that the night is fine and the world large, and

nce for a full minute before

middlin' quick; but I've been fool enough to tramp somewheres nigh ten mile behind you to-night

ng the narrowing margin betwee

slow; it ain't none o' your business. When a man takes a mill-run o' hisself and finds out the claim ain't worth workin' no longer, w'y, it's his funeral, and none o' yourn.' And

reply, and the i

isten at what I'm goin' to say, and then if you want to go ahead, w'y, all right, do it; and I'

" said

ardner. It's gettin' pretty late in the season, and you won't stand no kind of a chance goin' alone.' 'Right you are,' says I,' and I'll pick up some feller on the range as I go in.' 'Good enough,' says he. 'I'll make this here

ad of sky between the star and the peak. Then he said:

und that he had no match, and asked the miner to give him one. Garvin

's heads," he announced g

d stretched hi

he commented. "What

e been obliged to ask you to lend me your pistol. Let's go back to town and g