The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1904-04-09

one una not ou1plcfOu or the eru0
seate q Affairs. @Isn't II lucky I spoke
Of IT. she exclaimed. you must 80
to II today. ncwr'
She sprang up impuIsiveiy and stood
waiting for him. He arose more slow !.
~.
"Hilda. cannot" he said.
She stood very still for some seconds.
"Why notf" she asked quietly.
Because have not time to cut a
road through to another bunch OF pine.
why not nothing, Them"
II want the money this will bring"
His choice OF verb was unfortu-
nate.
"Wlll 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 1t In the business"
said he.
Her next question countered instan-
taneously.
"Does the firm need the money moro
than you do me?"
They stared at each other In the ST.
lence OF the situation that had so sud-
denly developed as dust cloud springs
up on plain.
"You do not mean that, Hildar said
Thorpe quietly. 1T hardly comes to
that"
Indeed II does" she replied. every
nerve OF her fine organization strung to
excitement. IT should DO more to you
than any Arm"
Sometimes II Is necessary 10 look
after the bread and butter" Thorpe
reminded her gently, although he knew
that was not the real reason ut all.
"If your firm can't supply II. can"
she answered. 1T seems strange that
you won't grant my first request OF
you merely because you need little
money"
cit isn't little money" he objected.
catching manlike at the practical ques-
ton. You don't realize what an
amount a clump Of pine like this stands
for. Just In saw logs, before II is made
into lumber, II will be worth about
$4,000. There's $4,000 profit In It."
The girl, exasperated by cold details
at such a time. blazed out II never
heard anything so ridiculous In my
lifer' she cried. EITHER you are not at
all the man thought you. or you have
some better reason than you have CIV
en-. Tell mej Harry; tell me at once.
You don't know what you are doing"
The firm needs IL, Hilda," said
Thorpe. Gin order to succeed. II we do
not cut this pine we may fail"
"If were a man." she said. and her
voice was tense-"if I were a man and
loved a woman. 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 II loved. Harry.
don't let me think am mistaken. Let
this miserable firm Of yours fail. II fail
+, II must for lack OF my poor little tenn
pie OF dreams" She held out her hands
with a tender gesture OF appeal. The
affair had gone beyond the preservation
OF few trees. II 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.
II cannot, Hilda." he answered stead
lily.
"You sell me for S10,000l | cannot
believe IT. Harry, Harry, must put IL
TO you as choice? Don't you love me
enough 10 spare me thatT
He did not reply. As long as II re-
NAMED 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. II Is the last chancer
He was face TO face with vital de-
cision. lie experienced no conflict or
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
! ly to the same end. There was no 9TH
er way out. In answer 10 Hilda's ques-
ton he merely inclined his head.
81 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.