Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-02-25
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6be BIQzed:
By STEWART
TAzA ~ EDWARD
WHITE
Coeyrishs. 1902. 81 |'s~a-s EdUard wbhs
C~APTER ENXY.


1t was then about 6 o'clock in the
morning. Thorpe passed the board
ing house. the store and the office. to
take himself as far as the little open
shed that served as railway station.
There LIE set the semaphore to flag the
east bound train from Duluth. At G:36,
the train happening on time, he climb
ed aboard. He dropped heavily into a
seat and stared straight in front of
him until the conductor had spoken TO
him twice.
where to. NIr. Thorpe?" he asked.
ON MaclSinaw City"
Thorpe descended at Mackinaw City
TO find that the noon train had gone.
lie ate lunch at the hotel. borrowed
500 from the agent of Louis Sands, Il
lumberrnan of his acquaintance, and
seated himself rigdly in the little wait
juS room, there To remain until the 800
HAT night. When the cars were acked
down from the siding he boarded the
sleeper. In the doorway stood Il disap-
proving colored porter
"YO'l fin the smokin' cab up fo'wu'd
sah," SAID the latter, firmly barring the
way.
ITS generally forward" answered
Thorpe.
This yeah's the slcepah." protested
the functionary. "Yo pays extry.'
II am aware of it," replied Thorpe
curly. Give me a lower
Eyes. sab" acqulesced the darby.
giving way, but still in doubt. He fol-
,rhDy,,o in+
the smoking room on him from time to
time. A little after T. his patience
gave out. The stolid, gloomy man of
lower seemed to intend sitting up all
night
"Yo' berth is ready. sah," he delicate
ly suggested
Thorpe arose obediently walked to
lower and without undressing threw
himself on the bed Afterward the
porter in conscientious discharge of his
duty looked diligently beneath the seat
for boots to polish. Happening to glance
up after fruitless search he discovered
the bootN still adjoining the feet Of their
owner.
well. for the lands sake" eiaculat-
ed the scandaizod negro beating n
hasty retreat
Thorpe de scended at Twelfth street
in Chicago W ithout any clear notion of
where he was going. For moment he
faced the long parklike expanse of the
lake front, then turned sharp to his left
and picked his way south up the inter-
lninable reaches of Michigan avenue
Block after block he clicked along the
caks of his boots striking fire from the
pavement.
After an interval he seemed to have
left the smoke and dirt behind. The
street became quieter; boarding houses
md talors shops ceased; here and
there app Jared bit of lawn. shrub
Lery and flowers. Bv and By he came
TO himself to find that he was staring
MT the deep carved lettering in stone
horse block before a large dwelling.
His mind took the letters r one after
the other pcrceiving ia plnS.s be-
fore it accorded them recoS Ntion. FL
nally he had completed the word Far
rand" He whirled sharp on his heei,
mounted the broad white stone steps
md rang the bell.
1t was answered almost Immediately
by clean shaved portly and dignified
man with the most impressive counte-
nance in the world. This man looked
upon Thorpe with lofty disapprOval
as Miss Hilda Farrand at home?" he
asked.
Il cannot say" replied the man. 'If
you will step to the back door I will
ascertain"
THE flowers will do. Now see that
the south room Is ready, Annie" float
I'd a voice from within.
Without n word, but with n deadly
parnestness, Thorpe reached forward
seized the astonishcd servant by the
collar yanked him bodily outside the
door, stepped inside and strobe across
the hall toward closed portiere whence
had come the voice. The river mans
long spikes cut little triangular pieces
from the hardwood floor. Thorpe did
not notice that lie thrust aside the
porticre.
Before him he saw Il young and beau
tifu girl. She was seated, and her laI
was filed with flowers At his suddcr
apparition her hands few to her heart
and her lips slightly parted. For {
second the two stood looking at cncl
other, just as nearly year before thcil
eyes had crossed over the old pole trail
TO Thorpe the girl seemed more beau
tiful than ever. The rcd Of this vic
lent unexpected encounter rushed f
her face her bosom rose and fell in
futtcring catch for breath but he
rycs were steady ana nquiring.
Then the butler bounced on Thorp
from behind with tie intent to do grea
bodily harm.
Morris" commanded Hilda sharply
"what are you doing"
The man cut short his heroism Il
confusion.
"You may CO." concluded Hilda.
Thorpe stood straight and unwinEin
by the portiere. After a moment h
spoke.
81 have come to tell you that 20
were right and | was wrong" said h
steadily. you told me there could b
nathing better than love. In the prid
Of my strength told you this was nc
so. l was wrong"
He stood for another instant lookin
directly at her, then turned sharpl
lI,A tl.av