Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-24

T A
 through mist the solemn aIoof forest
 began to show to the consciousness of
 the two. They sought each others eyes
 gently smiling. The music was very
 soft and dim and sad. They leaned to
 each other, with a sob; their lips met 1 the music ceased. l And over behind the trees, out of the
 light and the love and the beauty, lit.
 tie Phil huddled, his great shaggy head | bowed in his arms. Beside him lay his
 violin and beside that his bow, broken. He had snapped it across his knee. ! That day he had heard at last the 1 heart song or the violin and, uttering
 it, had bestowed love. But he had that | day lost what he cared for most in all 1 the world-his friend.
 Little Phil disappeared utterly, talk ing with him his violin, but leaving his broken bow. Thorpe has it even to this day. The lumberman caused
 search and inquiry on all sides. The cripple was never heard of again. ''I oaw you long ago." said Hilda to Thorpe-'long, long ago, when was quite a young girl. I had been visit Ing in Detroit anu was on my way all alone to catch an early train. You stood on the corner thinking, tall and straight and brown, with a weather beaten old hat and weather beaten old coat and weather beaten old moc- casins, and such a proud, clear, un- daunted look on your face. l have re- membered you ever since"
 And then he told her of the race to the land office, while her eyes grew brighter and brighter with the epic splendor of the story. She told him that she had loved him from that mo- ment, and believed her telling, while he, the unsentimental leader of men, persuaded himself and her that he had always in some mysterious manner carried her image prophetically in his. heart. So much for the love of 1t.
 Tn the last days of the month of de- light Thorpe received second letter from his partner, which to some extent awakened him to the realities.
 My dear Harry" it ran, .I have made startling discovery. The other fellow is Morrison. have been blind, stupid dolt and am caught nicely. You can't call me any more names than I have already called myself. Morrison has been in 1t from the start. By an ac- cident learned he was behind the fel- low who induced me to invest, and it is he who had been hammering the stock down ever since. They couldn't lick you at your game, so they tackled me at mine. I'm not the man you are, Harry, and I've made mess of it. Of course their scheme is plain enough on the face of it. They're going to involve me so deeply that will drag the firm down with me.
 If you can fix it to meet those notes, they can't do it. have ample margin to cover any more declines they hay be able to bring about. Don't fret about that. Just as sure as you can pay that $6O,O0O, just so sure we'll be ahead of the game at this time next year. For heavens sake, get a move on you, old man. If you don't, the firm I'll bust because she can't pay I'll bust because I'll have to let my stock go on margins. It'll be an awful smash. But you'll get there, so we needn't worry. I've been an awful fool, and I've no right to do the getting into trouble and leave you to the hard work of getting out again. But as partner I'm going to insist on your having salary" etc.
 The news aroused all Thorpe's mar 9 tial spirit. Now at last the mystery surrounding Morrison & Daly's unnat- ural complaisance was riyen. It had come to grapples again. He was glad of 1t. He thrust the letter in his pocket and walked buoyantly to the pines.
 The two lovers sat there all the after noon drinking in half sadly the joy of the forest and of being near each other. In week the camping party would be breaking up, and Hilda must return to the city. It was uncertain when they would be able to see each other again.
 Suddenly the girl broke off and ,put her fingers to her lips. For some time dimly an intermittent and faint sound had been felt rather than actually heard, like the irregular muff1ed beat ing of heart. Gradually it had insist ed on the attention.
 What is it?' she asked.
 Thorpe listened. Then his face lit nightly with the joy of battle.
 My aNmen," he cried. "They are cutting the road'
 A faint call echoed. Then without warning nearer at hand, and the sharp ring of an ax sounded through the for est.
 fro BE CoNTTNUED.l