Human Nature Unmasked
A CYNIC SEES THE TRUE CHARACTERS OF HIS FRIENDS REVEALED BY A SEARCHING TEST, THE LURE OF A MILLION DOLLARS
By Elisabeth Sanxay Holding
WILDER sprang off the train, jostled his way through the crowd on the platform, and dashed up the steps to the street, scowling with impatience; and yet, when he got there, he stopped short.
The trolley car that met the train was waiting in front of him, and there was a rush of commuters toward it. He had meant to get on that car, but he could not. He was too tired, too mortally sick and tired of his fellow creatures. He could not and would not be crowded in there. He wanted miles of uninhabited space about him. He felt that it was impossible to endure the sight of a human face or the sound of a human voice.
Then, just behind him, some one called out cheerily:
“Hello, Wilder!”
He pretended not to hear, and set off down the street, with that headlong gait of his.
“Let me alone!” he said to himself. “Oh, Lord! I’m so tired!”
All he asked was to be let alone, but he never was. At this moment Marian was waiting for him.
“Let her wait!” he thought.