"Good-bye."
And Morrison walked away. It was so dark that in a few moments his form became invisible. Only his footsteps could still be heard. They grew fainter and fainter. The tall, lean man stared after his friend into the blackness of the night. His eyes grew dim.
A few rain drops fell on his face and hands. "I hope it won"t rain," he murmured, "it might make dying more difficult, but no--the sky is clear." Then he slightly bent forward and listened eagerly. Everything was calm, motionless, as in suspense. n.o.body pa.s.sed through the avenue.
Only in the adjoining side streets pedestrians flitted by like ghosts.
So this was the end! After having struggled bravely for years, after living up to high ideals as well as one could, to go down a long, dark avenue--a falling star flashed across the tree tops.
The tall, lean man pressed his hand to his heart, although he was not certain of having heard a report, he felt, that his friend had arrived at the goal of his life"s journey. The game was up!