For since leaving his home and work in Kansas City and coming in contact with some rough usage in the world-humbletasks, wretched rooms, no intimates to speak of, plus the compulsion to make his own way as best hemight -- he had developed a kind of self-reliance and smoothness of address such as one would scarcely havecredited him with three years before. There was about him now, although he was not nearly so smartly dressed aswhen he left Kansas City, a kind of conscious gentility of manner which pleased, even though it did not at firstarrest attention. Also, and this was considerably different from the Clyde who had crept away from Kansas Cityin a box car, he had much more of an air of caution and reserve.

 

For ever since he had fled from Kansas City, and by one humble³ device and another forced to make his way, he had been coming to the conclusion that on himself alone depended his future. His family, as he now definitely sensed, could do nothing for him. They were too impractical⁴ and too poor -- his mother, father, Esta, all of them.

 

At the same time, in spite of all their difficulties, he could not now help but feel drawn⁵ to them, his mother inparticular, and the old home life that had surrounded him as a boy -- his brother and sisters, Esta included, sinceshe, too, as he now saw it, had been brought no lower than he by circumstances over which she probably had nomore control. And often, his thoughts and mood had gone back with a definite and disconcerting pang⁶ because ofthe way in which he had treated his mother as well as the way in which his career in Kansas City had beensuddenly interrupted -- his loss of Hortense Briggs -- a severe blow; the troubles that had come to him since; the trouble that must have come to his mother and Esta because of him.

 

On reaching St. Louis two days later after his flight, and after having been most painfully bundled out into the snow a hundred miles from Kansas City in the gray of a winter morning, and at the same time relieved of hiswatch and overcoat by two brakemen who had found him hiding in the car, he had picked up a Kansas Citypaper -- The Star -- only to realize that his worst fear in regard to all that had occurred had come true. For there,under a two-column head, and with fully⁷ a column and a half of reading matter below, was the full story of allthat had happened: a little girl, the eleven-year-old daughter of a well-to-do Kansas City family, knocked downand almost instantly killed -- she had died an hour later; Sparser⁸ and Miss Sipe in a hospital and under arrest at thesame time, guarded by a policeman sitting in the hospital awaiting their recovery; a splendid car very seriouslydamaged; Sparser's father, in the absence of the owner of the car for whom he worked, at once incensed¹⁰ and made terribly unhappy by the folly¹¹ and seeming criminality and recklessness of his son.

 

But what was worse, the unfortunate Sparser had already been charged with larceny¹² and homicide, and wishing,no doubt, to minimize his own share in this grave catastrophe¹³, had not only revealed the names of all who werewith him in the car -- the youths in particular and their hotel address -- but had charged that they along with himwere equally guilty, since they had urged him to make speed at the time and against his will -- a claim which wastrue enough, as Clyde knew. And Mr. Squires¹⁴, on being interviewed at the hotel, had furnished the police and the newspapers with the names of their parents and their home addresses.

 

This last was the sharpest blow of all. For there followed disturbing pictures of how their respective parents orrelatives had taken it on being informed of their sins. Mrs. Ratterer, Tom's mother, had cried and declared herboy was a good boy, and had not meant to do any harm, she was sure. And Mrs. Hegglund -- Oscar's devoted¹⁵ but aged⁹ mother -- had said that there was not a more honest or generous soul and that he must have been drinking.

 

And at his own home -- The Star had described his mother as standing¹⁶, pale, very startled and very distressed¹⁷, clasping and unclasping her hands and looking as though she were scarcely able to grasp what was meant,unwilling to believe that her son had been one of the party and assuring all that he would most certainly return soon and explain all, and that there must be some mistake.

 

However, he had not returned. Nor had he heard anything more after that. For, owing to his fear of the police, aswell as of his mother -- her sorrowful, hopeless eyes, he had not written for months, and then a letter to his motheronly to say that he was well and that she must not worry. He gave neither name nor address. Later, after that hehad wandered on, essaying one small job and another, in St. Louis, Peoria, Chicago, Milwaukee --  dishwashing ina restaurant, soda-clerking in a small outlying drug-store, attempting to learn to be a shoe clerk, a grocer's clerk,and what not; and being discharged and laid off and quitting because he did not like it. He had sent her tendollars once -- another time five, having, as he felt, that much to spare. After nearly a year and a half he had decided¹⁸ that the search must have lessened¹⁹, his own part in the crime being forgotten, possibly, or by then notdeemed sufficiently²⁰ important to pursue -- and when he was once more making a moderate living as the driver of adelivery wagon²¹ in Chicago, a job that paid him fifteen dollars a week, he resolved that he would write hismother, because now he could say that he had a decent place and had conducted himself respectably for a longtime, although not under his own name.#p#分页标题#e#

 

And so at that time, living in a hall bedroom on the West Side of Chicago -- Paulina Street -- he had written hismother the following letter:

 

DEAR MOTHER:

 

Are you still in Kansas City? I wish you would write and tell me. I would so like to hear from you again and towrite you again, too, if you really want me to. Honestly I do, Ma. I have been so lonely here. Only be careful anddon't let any one know where I am yet. It won't do any good and might do a lot of harm just when I am trying sohard to get a start again. I didn't do anything wrong that time, myself. Really I didn't, although the papers saidso -- just went along. But I was afraid they would punish me for something that I didn't do. I just couldn't comeback then. I wasn't to blame and then I was afraid of what you and father might think. But they invited me, Ma. Ididn't tell him to go any faster or to take that car like he said. He took it himself and invited me and the others togo along. Maybe we were all to blame for running down that little girl, but we didn't mean to. None of us. And Ihave been so terribly sorry ever since. Think of all the trouble I have caused you! And just at the time when youmost needed me. Gee²²! Mother, I hope you can forgive me. Can you?

 

I keep wondering how you are. And Esta and Julia and Frank and Father. I wish I knew where you are and whatyou are doing. You know how I feel about you, don't you, Ma? I've got a lot more sense now, anyhow, I seethings different than I used to. I want to do something in this world. I want to be successful. I have only a fairplace now, not as good as I had in K. C., but fair, and not in the same line. But I want something better, though Idon't want to go back in the hotel business either if I can help it. It's not so very good for a young man like me-toohigh-flying, I guess. You see I know a lot more than I did back there. They like me all right where I am, but Igot to get on in this world. Besides I am not really making more than my expenses here now, just my room andboard and clothes but I am trying to save a little in order to get into some line where I can work up and learnsomething. A person has to have a line of some kind these days. I see that now.

 

Won't you write me and tell me how you all are and what you are doing? I'd like to know. Give my love to Frank and Julia and Father and Esta, if they are all still there. I love you just the same and I guess you care for me alittle, anyhow, don't you? I won't sign my real name, because it may be dangerous yet (I haven't been using itsince I left K. C.) But I'll give you my other one, which I'm going to leave off pretty soon and take up my oldone. Wish I could do it now, but I'm afraid to yet. You can address me, if you will, asHARRY TENET,General Delivery, ChicagoI'll call for it in a few days. I sign this way so as not to cause you or me any more trouble, see? But as soon as Ifeel more sure that this other thing has blown over, I'll use my own name again sure.

 

Lovingly,YOUR SON.

 

He drew a line where his real name should be and underneath²⁴ wrote "you know" and mailed the letter.

 

Following that, because his mother had been anxious about him all this time and wondering where he was, hesoon received a letter, postmarked Denver, which surprised him very much, for he had expected to hear from heras still in Kansas City.

 

DEAR SON:

 

I was surprised and so glad to get my boy's letter and to know that you were alive and safe. I had hoped andprayed that you would return to the straight and narrow path -- the only path that will ever lead you to success andhappiness of any kind, and that God would let me hear from you as safe and well and working somewhere anddoing well. And now he has rewarded my prayers. I knew he would. Blessed be His holy name.

 

Not that I blame you altogether for all that terrible trouble you got into and bringing so much suffering anddisgrace on yourself and us -- for well I know how the devil tempts²⁵ and pursues all of us mortals and particularlyjust such a child as you. Oh, my son, if you only knew how you must be on your guard to avoid these pitfalls²⁶.

 

And you have such a long road ahead of you. Will you be ever watchful²⁷ and try always to cling to the teachingsof our Saviour²⁸ that your mother has always tried to impress upon the minds and hearts of all you dear children?

 

Will you stop and listen to the voice of our Lord that is ever with us, guiding our footsteps safely up the rockypath that leads to a heaven more beautiful than we can ever imagine here? Promise me, my child, that you willhold fast to all your early teachings and always bear in mind that "right is might," and my boy, never, never, takea drink of any kind no matter who offers it to you. There is where the devil reigns²⁹ in all his glory and is everready to triumph over the weak one. Remember always what I have told you so often "Strong drink is raging andwine is a mocker," and it is my earnest prayer that these words will ring in your ears every time you aretempted -- for I am sure now that that was perhaps the real cause of that terrible accident.#p#分页标题#e#

 

I suffered terribly over that, Clyde, and just at the time when I had such a dreadful ordeal³⁰ to face with Esta. Ialmost lost her. She had such an awful time. The poor child paid dearly for her sin. We had to go in debt so deep and it took so long to work it out -- but finally we did and now things are not as bad as they were, quite.

 

As you see, we are now in Denver. We have a mission of our own here now with housing quarters for all of us.

 

Besides we have a few rooms to rent which Esta, and you know she is now Mrs. Nixon, of course, takes care of.

 

She has a fine little boy who reminds your father and me of you so much when you were a baby. He does littlethings that are you all over again so many times that we almost feel that you are with us again -- as you were. It iscomforting, too, sometimes.

 

Frank and Julie have grown so and are quite a help to me. Frank has a paper route and earns a little money whichhelps. Esta wants to keep them in school just as long as we can.

 

Your father is not very well, but of course, he is getting older, and he does the best he can.

 

I am awful glad, Clyde, that you are trying so hard to better yourself in every way and last night your father wassaying again that your uncle, Samuel Griffiths, of Lycurgus, is so rich and successful and I thought that maybe ifyou wrote him and asked him to give you something there so that you could learn the business, perhaps hewould. I don't see why he wouldn't. After all you are his nephew. You know he has a great collar business therein Lycurgus and he is very rich, so they say. Why don't you write him and see? Somehow I feel that perhaps hewould find a place for you and then you would have something sure to work for. Let me know if you do andwhat he says.

 

I want to hear from you often, Clyde. Please write and let us know all about you and how you are getting along.

 

Won't you? Of course we love you as much as ever, and will do our best always to try to guide you right. Wewant you to succeed more than you know, but we also want you to be a good boy, and live a clean, righteous life,for, my son, what matter it if a man gaineth the whole world and loseth his own soul?

 

Write your mother, Clyde, and bear in mind that her love is always with you -- guiding you -- pleading with you todo right in the name of the Lord.

 

Affectionately,MOTHER.

 

And so it was that Clyde had begun to think of his uncle Samuel and his great business long before heencountered him. He had also experienced an enormous relief in learning that his parents were no longer in thesame financial difficulties they were when he left, and safely housed in a hotel, or at least a lodging³¹ house,probably connected with this new mission.

 

Then two months after he had received his mother's first letter and while he was deciding almost every day thathe must do something, and that forthwith, he chanced one day to deliver to the Union League Club on JacksonBoulevard a package of ties and handkerchiefs which some visitor to Chicago had purchased at the store, forwhich he worked. Upon entering, who should he come in contact with but Ratterer in the uniform of a clubemployee. He was in charge of inquiry³³ and packages at the door. Although neither he nor Ratterer quite graspedimmediately the fact that they were confronting one another again, after a moment Ratterer had exclaimed:

 

"Clyde!" And then seizing him by an arm, he added enthusiastically and yet cautiously in a very low tone: "Well,of all things! The devil! Whaddya know? Put 'er there. Where do you come from anyhow?" And Clyde, equallyexcited, exclaimed, "Well, by jing, if it ain't Tom. Whaddya know? You working here?"Ratterer, who (like Clyde) had for the moment quite forgotten the troublesome secret which lay between them,added: "That's right. Surest thing you know. Been here for nearly a year, now." Then with a sudden pull atClyde's arm, as much as to say, "Silence!" he drew Clyde to one side, out of the hearing of the youth to whom hehad been talking as Clyde came in, and added: "Ssh! I'm working here under my own name, but I'd rather not let'em know I'm from K. C., see. I'm supposed to be from Cleveland."And with that he once more pressed Clyde's arm genially³⁵ and looked him over. And Clyde, equally moved,added: "Sure. That's all right. I'm glad you were able to connect. My name's Tenet, Harry²³ Tenet. Don't forgetthat." And both were radiantly happy because of old times' sake.

 

But Ratterer, noticing Clyde's delivery uniform, observed: "Driving a delivery, eh? Gee, that's funny. Youdriving a delivery. Imagine. That kills me. What do you want to do that for?" Then seeing from Clyde'sexpression that his reference to his present position might not be the most pleasing thing in the world, sinceClyde at once observed: "Well, I've been up against it, sorta," he added: "But say, I want to see you. Where areyou living?" (Clyde told him.) "That's all right. I get off here at six. Why not drop around after you're throughwork. Or, I'll tell you -- suppose we meet at -- well, how about Henrici's on Randolph Street? Is that all right? Atseven, say. I get off at six and I can be over there by then if you can."Clyde, who was happy to the point of ecstasy³⁶ in meeting Ratterer again, nodded a cheerful assent³⁷.#p#分页标题#e#

 

He boarded his wagon and continued his deliveries, yet for the rest of the afternoon his mind was on thisapproaching meeting with Ratterer. And at five-thirty he hurried to his barn and then to his boarding house onthe west side, where he donned his street clothes, then hastened to Henrici's. He had not been standing on thecorner a minute before Ratterer appeared, very genial³⁴ and friendly and dressed, if anything, more neatly³⁸ thanever.

 

"Gee, it's good to have a look at you, old socks!" he began. "Do you know you're the only one of that bunch thatI've seen since I left K. C.? That's right. My sister wrote me after we left home that no one seemed to know whatbecame of either Higby or Heggie, or you, either. They sent that fellow Sparser up for a year -- did you hear that?

 

Tough, eh? But not so much for killing³⁹ the little girl, but for taking the car and running it without a license⁴⁰ andnot stopping when signaled. That's what they got him for. But say," -- he lowered his voice most significantly atthis point -- "we'da got that if they'd got us. Oh, gee, I was scared. And run?" And once more he began to laugh,but rather hysterically⁴¹ at that. "What a wallop, eh? An' us leavin' him and that girl in the car. Oh, say. Tough,what? Just what else could a fellow do, though? No need of all of us going up, eh? What was her name? LauraSipe. An' you cut out before I saw you, even. And that little Briggs girl of yours did, too. Did you go home withher?"Clyde shook his head negatively.

 

"I should say I didn't," he exclaimed.

 

"Well, where did you go then?" he asked.

 

Clyde told him. And after he had set forth³² a full picture of his own wayfarings, Ratterer returned with: "Gee, youdidn't know that that little Briggs girl left with a guy from out there for New York right after that, did you? Somefellow who worked in a cigar store, so Louise told me. She saw her afterwards just before she left with a new furcoat and all." (Clyde winced⁴² sadly.) "Gee, but you were a sucker to fool around with her. She didn't care for youor nobody. But you was pretty much gone on her, I guess, eh?" And he grinned at Clyde amusedly, and chuckedhim under the arm, in his old teasing way.

 

But in regard to himself, he proceeded to unfold a tale of only modest adventure, which was very different fromthe one Clyde had narrated⁴³, a tale which had less of nerves and worry and more of a sturdy courage and faith inhis own luck and possibilities. And finally he had "caught on" to this, because, as he phrased it, "you can alwaysget something in Chi."And here he had been ever since -- "very quiet, of course," but no one had ever said a word to him.

 

And forthwith, he began to explain that just at present there wasn't anything in the Union League, but that hewould talk to Mr. Haley who was superintendent⁴⁴ of the club -- and that if Clyde wanted to, and Mr. Haley knew ofanything, he would try and find out if there was an opening anywhere, or likely to be, and if so, Clyde could slipinto it.

 

"But can that worry stuff," he said to Clyde toward the end of the evening. "It don't get you nothing."And then only two days after this most encouraging conversation, and while Clyde was still debating whether hewould resign his job, resume his true name and canvass⁴⁵ the various hotels in search of work, a note came to hisroom, brought by one of the bell-boys of the Union League which read: "See Mr. Lightall at the Great Northernbefore noon to-morrow. There's a vacancy⁴⁶ over there. It ain't the very best, but it'll get you something betterlater."And accordingly Clyde, after telephoning his department manager that he was ill and would not be able to workthat day, made his way to this hotel in his very best clothes. And on the strength of what references he couldgive, was allowed to go to work; and much to his relief under his own name. Also, to his gratification, his salarywas fixed⁴⁷ at twenty dollars a month, meals included. But the tips, as he now learned, aggregated⁴⁸ not more thanten a week -- yet that, counting meals was far more than he was now getting as he comforted himself; and somuch easier work, even if it did take him back into the old line, where he still feared to be seen and arrested.

 

It was not so very long after this -- not more than three months -- before a vacancy occurred in the Union Leaguestaff. Ratterer, having some time before established himself as day assistant to the club staff captain, and beingon good terms with him, was able to say to the latter that he knew exactly the man for the place -- ClydeGriffiths -- then employed at the Great Northern. And accordingly, Clyde was sent for, and being carefullycoached beforehand by Ratterer as to how to approach his new superior, and what to say, he was given the place.#p#分页标题#e#

 

And here, very different from the Great Northern and superior from a social and material point of view, as Clydesaw it, to even the Green-Davidson, he was able once more to view at close range a type of life that mostaffected, unfortunately, his bump of position and distinction. For to this club from day to day came or went sucha company of seemingly mentally and socially worldly elect as he had never seen anywhere before, the self-integrated and self-centered from not only all of the states of his native land but from all countries andcontinents. American politicians from the north, south, east, west -- the principal politicians and bosses, or allegedstatesmen of their particular regions -- surgeons, scientists, arrived physicians, generals, literary and social figures,not only from America but from the world over.

 

Here also, a fact which impressed and even startled his sense of curiosity and awe⁴⁹, even -- there was no faintesttrace of that sex element which had characterized most of the phases of life to be seen in the Green-Davidson,and more recently the Great Northern. In fact, in so far as he could remember, had seemed to run through andmotivate nearly, if not quite all of the phases of life that he had thus far contacted. But here was no sex -- no traceof it. No women were admitted to this club. These various distinguished⁵⁰ individuals came and went, singly as arule, and with the noiseless vigor⁵¹ and reserve that characterizes the ultra successful. They often ate alone,conferred in pairs and groups, noiselessly -- read their papers or books, or went here and there in swiftly driven automobiles⁵² -- but for the most part seemed to be unaware⁵³ of, or at least unaffected by, that element of passion,which, to his immature⁵⁴ mind up to this time, had seemed to propel and disarrange so many things in those lesserworlds with which up to now he had been identified.

 

Probably one could not attain⁵⁵ to or retain one's place in so remarkable⁵⁶ a world as this unless one were indifferentto sex, a disgraceful passion, of course. And hence in the presence or under the eyes of such people one had toact and seem as though such thoughts as from time to time swayed one were far from one's mind.

 

After he had worked here a little while, under the influence of this organization and various personalities⁵⁷ whocame here, he had taken on a most gentlemanly and reserved air. When he was within the precincts of the clubitself, he felt himself different from what he really was -- more subdued⁵⁸, less romantic, more practical, certain thatif he tried now, imitated the soberer people of the world, and those only, that some day he might succeed, if notgreatly, at least much better than he had thus far. And who knows? What if he worked very steadily⁵⁹ and madeonly the right sort of contacts and conducted himself with the greatest care here, one of these very remarkable men whom he saw entering or departing from here might take a fancy to him and offer him a connection withsomething important somewhere, such as he had never had before, and that might lift him into a world such as hehad never known.

 

For to say the truth, Clyde had a soul that was not destined⁶⁰ to grow up. He lacked decidedly that mental clarityand inner directing application that in so many permits them to sort out from the facts and avenues of life theparticular thing or things that make for their direct advancement⁶¹.

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