Mower County transcript., 1904-06-08
His choice OF a verp was unrorru

Ills CHOICE O1* VerD was unfOrtu-
nate. sIs;s jt ,z 1, s:
"Will you tell me for what you want
the money!" she asked.
The young man caught the note of
distrust. At once, instinctively. his
own confidence vanished. He drew
within himself again the power Of
justifying himself with the needed
word.
"The firm needs it in the business
said he. - - ~ I, 49, .=s5#}zia
Her: next question countered instan-
taneously. .". ... :. V.s5:: l.
"Does the firm need the money more
than you do me?'
They stared at each other in the 81
lence Of the situation that had SO sud.
denly developed as a dust cloud springs
up on aplain! d. i Hj 60 .,., !. S:4z<.
"You do not mean that, Hilda?'' said
Thorpe quietly. TT hardly comes to
that" ''''' ."' .''' -. ~ A4"7''
Indeed It does," she replied, every
nerve of her fine organization strung to
excitement. II should be more to YOU
than any firm"
sometimes it is necessary to look
after the bread and butter" Thorpe
reminded her gently, although he knew
that was not the real reason at all.
IF your firm can't supply it, can,"
she answered. "lt seems strange that
you won't grant my first request of
you merely because you need a little
money"
ut isn't a little money" he objected.
catching manlike at the practical ques-
ton. "You don't realize what an
amount clump of pine like this stands
for. Just in saw logs, before it is made
into lumber, it will be worth about
$4,000. There's $4,000 profit in it,
The girl, exasperated by cold details
at such time, blazed out. "I never
heard anything so ridiculous in my
life" she cried. "Either you are not at
all the man I thought you, or you have
some better reason than you have Civ
en-. Tell me, Harry; tell me at once.
You don't know what you are doing"
"The firm needs it, Hilda," said
Thorpe, 'in order to succeed. If we do
not cut this pine we may fail"
IF were man," she said, and her
voice was tense-"if I were a man and
loved a woman, I would be ready to
give up everything for her. My riches,
my pride, my life, my honor, my soul
even, they would be as nothing, as less
than nothing, to me if loved. Harry,
don't let me think I am mistaken. Let
this miserable firm Of yours fail, if fail
it must for lack of my poor little tenn
pie of Dreams" She held out her hands
with tender gesture Of appeal. The
affair had gone beyond the preservation
of a few trees. 1t had become the ques-
ton Of an ideal. Gradually, in spite of
herself, the conviction was forcing it.
self upon her that the man she had
loved was so different from the rest
that the greed Of the dollar had cor
rupted him too. BY the mere yielding
to her wishes she wanted to prove the
suspicion wrong.
~ cannot, Hilda," he answered stead
lily.
"You sell me for $4,000! I cannot
believe it! Harry, Harry, must put it
to you as choice? Don't you love me
enough to spare me that?'
He did not reply. AS long as it re-
mained dilemma he would not reply.
he was in the right.
DO you need the money more than
you do me, more than you do lover"
she begged, her soul in her eyes, for she
was begging also for herself. ''Think,
Harry. it is the last chancev'
He was face to face with a vital de-
cision. He experienced no conflict of
mind, no hesitation, for the moment
no regret. During all his woods life
he had been following diligently the
trail he had blazed for his conduct
Now his feet carried him unconscious
1y to the same end. There was no 9TH
er way out. In answer to Hilda's Ques-
ton he merely inclined his head.
Il have seen vision," said she sim
ply, and lowered her head to conceal
her eyes. Then she looked at him
again. There can be nothing better
than love-" she said.
Yes, one thing" said Thorpe-'the
duty Of success
The man had stated his creed, the
woman hers.
She left him then and did not see
him again. -Four days later the camp
ing party left. Thorpe sent Tim Shear
er over as his most efficient man to see
that they got off without difficulty, but
himself retired on some excuse to
Camp -Four. Three weeks gone in Oc-
tober he received marked newspaper
announcing the engagement of Miss
Hilda Farrand to Mr.. Hildreth Morton
6: 6 C:::-::: CC:::=:::S=:
To be Continued.