Page 200
By Jack Joseph Smith
pantspocket. He took in the smoke, waited, and
then let it pass freely out through his nostrols.
"Would you care to smoke?" He asked this of
Marie holding the pipe in his left hand as if it
were in a paw. The match had remained burning in his
right hand, and when she replied that she would
not care to indulge, he blew the match out, and
placed the pipe on Joe's desk for the substance
to die or be picked up. He did not seem to care;
"So, it is time for you to recognize your bur-
don, is it not?" He spoke to her calmly, while
Marie seemed confused.
"But I have only just meet you in your passing
by my stoop. What can you know of my burdon?"
"I saw you as a weight; You burdon appears he-
avy, for it has sank from your hands to your he-
art."
"You are very young. What could you have seen?"
"It is more that I feel the lead. It is like
metal, and it is magnetic. So I approached you,
for I knew I could create an unknown you could
see."
"Can you tell me what it is?"
"No."
"Then what does this mean? What in God's name are
you saying?"