Show THE MEETING RE s 1 B by y R V it R 1 5 L E B Y e Q Ba Esi s Copy copyright richt ly by J C D lippincott co conic como in ho he exclaimed irritably turning on tho the bed the door opened and a black robed priest entered slowly poach Po Lle aco he be said 1 I was in the hotel I 1 heard that you were III alone I 1 thought that I 1 might be of some service v fee thanks the man on the bed responded dryly 1 I am dying that Is all sit down and let us havo have a sociable chat about it tho the priest approached the window 1 I will raise the shade ho he murmured it Is dark here yes the sick man replied it seemed more fitting but yet no raise it the shade ran up with a slat and a scurry the afternoon sunlight streamed into the room outside the promenade by th the eMain Maln was gay with crowds and cair carriages lages frankfort was enjoying its fashionable hour bour the priest turned from the window and for the first time lie saw the face of the nan man in the bed frederick you Son derli eihausen ausen lie whispered tile the sick man chuckled yes lie he replied you are wilhelm Willi elm von vorst I 1 knew your voice twenty five years I 1 Is it not T the he priest leaned on the fool ot of the bed iio put his land hand to his forehead iiii his lips seemed to be muttering a prayer well father chuckled the sick man so we re meet dear me re ile meetings are seldom anything but disappointing but perhaps la in our case there has been little idealization of each other tn in absence it Is warm I 1 would thank you for that glass at your elbow the priest handed banded it 11 to him silently thanks said the sick man sit down shall we talk you came to otter offer mo me consolation I 1 suppose or the 0 ther other thing why I 1 dont need it j I 1 she loved youl am I 1 not mot a count and rich richa a man of understanding and reputation what more do I 1 want tho the world calls me happy and the world la Is wise sit down dying you say to yourself youra elt elf dahl dab well the priest seated himself in a big armchair and gazed at von with his chin on his flat fist ills HI eyes glowered glow erod erad at last lie he muttered von smiled so you wear that livery he said reflectively tho the priest flushed you brought to me tho the sorrow that indices Ind iced me he muttered bitterly mun ills head sank but I 1 came to pray pi ay ho he whispered to pray inquired von really I 1 have no time for P rayer prayer I 1 have hardly time for remembrance brance now dodou do you think that your piety can excuse me into heaven tho the priest raised his hand hush Illus hl I 1 he said you are about to sleep von interrupted or wake again ue pe sank back on the bed there was silence in the room then lie he said quietly well wll helm I 1 married berl her the priest started to his feet profane lie he began in a voice of thunder sit flowna von eihausen exclaimed lie he chuckled the priest sank bank into the chair yes von went a 0 1 I married her and you you stil love her I 1 suppose I 1 the priests eyo eye flashed alc chest chast heaved ills hla brow then it grow grew smooth ile he passed hla his hand over his eyes 1 I am a priest ho he muttered muttered we were happy boys boya together annd von and then her love corne come between us ua ali ahi how trite it fal Is do you remember that afternoon an afternoon like this wll belm when we first mot met tier her wo were at heidelberg Hejde lberg together and my aunt what was her intro deuced us ua to her after the band con i cart and then von went on n do you kou remember eye evening ming when wo 6 tole into her mo mother therla gar den and talked nonsense watlo the girl laughed at att tho the two of us she laughed he began to chuckle dut a racking cough seized him and he broke off the glass glasa 1 lie he gasped the priest handed it to him and do you remember von soh der hausen went on that everling the priest leaped to his bis feet feat 1 oh god ho he exclaimed and stood quivering von looked at him banteringly 1 eli eh he said i why do you hate me exclaimed exclaim ad the priest you had all you fieri and I 1 he touched his cassock why replied yon von 1 I 1 will tell you she loyed loved youl 1 the priest sprang towards him devil lie he shouted shouted I 1 hush 11 sald said von ausen you blaspheme you broke roy my life tho the priest hissed 1 I loved her as aa the saints love 1 I a man I 1 the passion of mindora my adora tion was poured out at tier her feet her laughter seemed to me ma more holy than a prayer all that she had touched was sacred to me my spirit swerved to her in an ecstasy of down bending ali ah god I 1 ali ah you I 1 you came my my friend oh pity beyond tears oh shame von sint smiled led and now tile the priest continued tell me of her von i reflected effected quick the priest panted quick she Is living in parts said yon voa slowly with her her lover she left me tier her reputation ls la not a good one her lover 7 stop the priest whispered ile raised ills his head and the afternoon sun light streaming in rom the window fell on hla his face it was waa of the dead slowly the minutes passed the sick man lay with his eyes closed at last the priest arlest turned an and d looked at him lie he noted the wrinkles ks of the brow the lines about tho the mouth the white hair straggling over over the pillow A strange feeling camo came into his heart for this old man who had once b been ills his friend the feeling grew I 1 they sat in silence tho the light faded the roar of the carriages outside lee lessened arp you ou quite alone asked the priest at last 61 yes yea replied von van 1 I have traveled for some years he added 1 I was taken III here the physician began the priest lie ile will come back tonight to night mur dured the dying man again tho the silence fell it will be too late muttered von at last hla his mind wandering back to the subject the priest made a gesture no said von let us ua remain as aa we are it Is nearly dusk i then his mind began to wander and people called me a reasonably happy man he muttered irrelevantly because I 1 laughed Laug laughed hedl life la Is not worthwhile I 1 am tred just tired that Is all the fool reverences reveren ces women for what they are not the tha wise man for what hat they might be the disappointed man what a nuisance it all Is hat eat drink and be merry for tomorrow to morrow we die yes yea but have babe we the heart to do itt it truly death Is whimsical why should wo we tear fear it rather fear lafell tha light sank the priest sat in silence holding the dying mans hand band suddenly von rose up in n bed 1 I see herl he gasped the tha priest shuddered and tried to nal him huah lie he whispered repented repeated von bonder st ii 5 la Is coming through the dusk her ayea aro are turned on me ma with pity and eyel in indifference If ference but she glances past nie iris with a strange look t as it I 1 she saw a dream the sick man remained bof tl a moment with his arm outstretched then s it full to his side his eyes grew blank she la Is gone I 1 he muttered his head sinking on an his chest slowly the light faded when the room was very dark von voa hausea raised himself again it comes he muttered 1 I will die laughing he gasped after a moment then he whispered to the priest 1 I have hata one thing to say to you and I 1 knowl it to la this athla do not car care I 1 the last light faded out the dying roan mar raised hla his chin the room WELS very sull still well he whispered in the SUII nesa mesa 1 I do not tar you are ready death I 1 aliens Allon sl t A auckley rose in hla his throat it stopped the priest lall laid him down gently then fell on his knees |