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Soapywalkedeastwardthroughastreetdamagedbyimprovements.Hehurledtheumbrellawrathfullyintoanexcavation.
Hemutteredagainstthemenwhowearhelmetsandcarryclubs.Becausehewantedtofallintotheirclutches,theyseemedtoregardhimasakingwhocoulddonowrong.
AtlengthSoapyreachedoneoftheavenuestotheeastwheretheglitterandturmoilwasbutfaint.
HesethisfacedownthistowardMadisonSquare,forthehominginstinctsurvivesevenwhenthehomeisaparkbench.
ButonanunusuallyquietcornerSoapycametoastandstill.Herewasanoldchurch,quaintandramblingandgabled.
Throughoneviolet-stainedwindowasoftlightglowed,where,nodoubt,theorganistloiteredoverthekeys,makingsureofhismasteryofthecomingSabbathanthem.
FortheredriftedouttoSoapy'searssweetmusicthatcaughtandheldhimtransfixedagainsttheconvolutionsoftheironfence.
Themoonwasabove,lustrousandserene;vehiclesandpedestrianswerefew;sparrowstwitteredsleepilyintheeaves--foralittlewhilethescenemighthavebeenacountrychurchyard.
AndtheanthemthattheorganistplayedcementedSoapytotheironfence,forhehadknownitwellinthedayswhenhislifecontainedsuchthingsasmothersandrosesandambitionsandfriendsandimmaculatethoughtsandcollars.
TheconjunctionofSoapy'sreceptivestateofmindandtheinfluencesabouttheoldchurchwroughtasuddenandwonderfulchangeinhissoul.
Heviewedwithswifthorrorthepitintowhichhehadtumbled,thedegradeddays,unworthydesires,deadhopes,wreckedfacultiesandbasemotivesthatmadeuphisexistence.
Andalsoinamomenthisheartrespondedthrillinglytothisnovelmood.Aninstantaneousandstrongimpulsemovedhimtobattlewithhisdesperatefate.
Hewouldpullhimselfoutofthemire;hewouldmakeamanofhimselfagain;hewouldconquertheevilthathadtakenpossessionofhim.
Therewastime;hewascomparativelyyoungyet;hewouldresurrecthisoldeagerambitionsandpursuethemwithoutfaltering.
Thosesolemnbutsweetorgannoteshadsetuparevolutioninhim.To-morrowhewouldgointotheroaringdowntowndistrictandfindwork.
Afurimporterhadonceofferedhimaplaceasdriver.Hewouldfindhimto-morrowandaskfortheposition.Hewouldbesomebodyintheworld.Hewould--
Soapyfeltahandlaidonhisarm.Helookedquicklyaroundintothebroadfaceofapoliceman.
"Whatareyoudoin'here?"askedtheofficer.
"Nothin',"saidSoapy.
"Thencomealong,"saidthepoliceman.
"ThreemonthsontheIsland,"saidtheMagistrateinthePoliceCourtthenextmorning.
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