And such service from such men as himself he knew to be the only
vital necessity in a nation's life. But the one vital necessity in a
man's spiritual life he had missed. If he had had this, he told
himself, life's bludgeons, however searching, however devastating, he
could have laughed at. A man must have the thought of some good
woman's love to sustain him. But for Enoch, the thought of any woman's
love, Luigi had tainted at its source. He had neither mother nor mate,
and until he had evolved some philosophy which would reconcile him to
doing without both, his days must be feverish and at the mercy of the
mob.
Pablo broke into a canter and Enoch roused himself to observe a glow of
fire far ahead on the trail. His first impulse was to pull the horse
in. He did not want either to be identified or to mingle with human
beings. Then he smiled ruefully as he recalled the poverty of his
outfit and he gave Pablo his way again. In a short time Pablo had
reached a spring at a little distance from the fire. As the horse
buried his nose in the water, a man came up. Enoch judged by the long
hair that he was an Indian.
"Good evening," said Enoch. "Can you tell me where I can buy some
food?"
"What kind of grub?" asked the Indian.
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