The Seventh Noon

Blac

ight t

sprawled in one corner of the laboratory, held the test-tube, which he had been studying abstractedly, up to the light. The flickering gas was not good for delicate work, and it was only lately that Barstow, spur

too cleverly for me. But I know you 're dead wrong-even if your confounded old theo

"you are too good a scientist to reas

nt to be wasted in a scheme where not so much as an atom is lost. Bah, your liver is

similar in my life, Barstow," Donaldson denied

the devil d

n have a few theories withou

n a man begins to talk of finding no use for life, he 's eit

he couch tur

tubborn and narrow as an old w

difficulty is simple-clear; I haven't the material means to get out of life what I want. I 'll admit that I might get it by working longer, but I should have to work so many years i

tting not

nces-no one is dependent upon me either directly or indirectly. I have no relatives-few fr

eautiful nonsense,

enhaue

pessimists and all

ed a trifle co

sound deduction? And yet, if I said you don't know what r

face that checked Donaldson,-a

sserted earnestly, "beca

the shelves before him. They paused over a small vial containing a

is?" he

nodded ind

and learned that I had innocently produced a vicious and unheard-of poison. The stuff is of no use. It is one of those things a man occasionally stumbles upon in t

even this discovery ought to have some

ically, "perhaps it has; it makes

ow

t-tube, relieved that the conv

h stubbornly retains it all this while. It is impossible to eliminate it from the body once it is swallowed. It produce

dson

n?" he i

on

a calendar on the wall. Th

ee for yourself how it works. I am making

overture of friendship at Donaldson's low shoes. Then wagging his feeble tail he lifted his head and patiently blinked moist eyes awaiting a verdict. The young man stooped and scratched behind its ears, the dog holding his head sideways and pressing

sympathetically leaning forward with hi

up according to you; within an hou

ea

as seven days ago to-nigh

snuggled with brute confidence closer to his master. Donaldson snapped his fingers coaxingly, leaning far over towards him. Reluctantly, at a nod from Barstow, the dog crept belly to the ground

ng thought and the smile cast a pleasant softness over features which at rest appeared rather angular and decidedly intense. The mouth was large and the irregular teeth were white as a hound's. His black hair was cut short

harmless a creature as you, Barstow, should stumb

have my name coupled with it in these days of newspap

t in silence, exhaling the smoke thoughtfully with his eyes towards the ceiling. The dog, his neck outstretched on Donaldson's knee, blinked sleepily across the room at his master. The gas, blown about by

ns to society, we should pay those, too,-just as we pay our poll tax. But life is a straight business proposition-pay in some form for what you get out of it. There are no individuals in my life, as I sai

usy with his wor

sisted. "You don't seem to get at the

an took a l

ontent much longer to play the galley slave in it. To live is to be free. I love the blue sky above until I ache to madness that I cannot live under it; I love the trees and grasses, the oceans, the forests and the denizens of the forests; I love men and women; I love the press of crowds, the clamor of men; I love silks and beauti

keep after them?" de

get those things honestly in time to enjoy them, in one generation. You can't get them at all, unless you sell the best part of you

face as of a man who presses back a little. For a

dreams now,

ms that fit into things as they are instead of demanding things as they should be? You sle

ne there. Don't-

apped away h

. That damned Barnum, 'Society,' shall not c

wn back a little, rubbing behind th

come out all right by the time I 'm fifty, but I shall then be fifty. I 'd like a taste of the jungle now-a week or two of roaming free, of sprawling in the sunshine, of drinking at

ested Barstow, "

might forget there

to sell something of

nd there you are. Y

ed a moment an

d in the law school, where on a coolie diet I did a man's work. But even you don't know how cl

an to say you

I did n't mind so much. And always I thought it would be better next year, but it was n't. None of the things that come to some men fell to me; it continued the same old pitiless grind until I began to expect it. Then I said to myself that

arstow, "why did n't y

you neared or retreated from the closet where you kept that cake. I 'll admit that this condition was a good deal my fault,-I had a cursed false pride that

dson

ing you,

n. But if I h

rpose of exciting sympathy. I don't deserve sympathy; I went my own gait and cheerfully paid the cost, content with my dreams of the fu

omoting syndicate. I took a room and waited. It has been a long wait, Barstow, a bitter long wait. Four barren years have gone. I have been hungry again; I have gone on wearing second-hand clothes; I have slept in second-class surroundings; my life has resembled life about as much as the naked trees in the Fall resemble those in June. I have existed after a fashion and learned that

don't

nues to tick forces that upon you. There is only one way-one way to dod

d t

heart tick on; t

. The little fellow struck upon his side but instantly regained his feet, blinking sleepily

master, but instantly toppled over on his side. Donaldson reached for him. That which

emist with evident satisfac

he is

ea

ndy! Poo

sponsive lift of the head, no contented wagging of the tail, but that was the only difference. A moment

dy had his week; beefsteak, bre

an being still alive,-

s he picked up the body and carried it in

to thrust this into his pocket and reseat himself before Barstow returned. At the same moment there was a firm but decidedly feminine knock upon the outer door. The chemist

ou, Miss

ou, Miss

t that if I hurried I might possibly find you here. I am all out

onded heartily. "If you will sit

r features, as is sometimes true when the soul grows out of proportion to the years. Her hair was of a reddish brown; brown in the shadows, a golden red as she stood beneath the gas-jet. She was a little below medium height, rather slight, and was dressed in a dark blue pongee suit, the coat of which reached to her ankles. One might exp

said he could not remember a minute afterwards; something of the night, something of the brilliant reflections of the gas-light in the

Barstow inquired, when he

lightened

answered, "

to be out alone at night. Have n't there been a good

have

newsboys and not hear that. The last one

om read the papers. T

adly escor

ested, starting at once for the door. "I 'm in

smile to both m

self prepared

ardon me for boring you so long. It is bad taste I know for

to the country. Loaf a little in the sunshine.

lea

days, possibly

and a pleasan

's hand. The latter gazed at hi

hing that includes the sunshine and everything else worth while in life. I have hesitated about mentioni

ve changed. Bu

ov

a generi

was here. I wish you knew her. She 'd be good for you; sh

on turn

ough, but we move in different worlds. It is n't in me to lov

's your nature. You 've got into the Slough of Despond, and the only thing that

n shook

d, "but the things which content you

re to drop in agai

eet. Once he swung abruptly on his heel and stared at the pavement behind h