Mower County transcript., 1904-06-08


heart song of the violin and, uttering
it, had bestowed love. But he had that
day lost what he cared for most in all
the world-his friend.
Little Phil disappeared utterly, TAX
ing with him his violin, but leaving his
this day. The lumberman caused
search and inquiry on all sides. The
cripple was never heard of again.
II saw you long ago." said Hilda to
Thorpe-"long, long ago, when I was
quite young girl. I had been visit
ing in Detroit and 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 a weather beaten
old coat and weather beaten old moe
casins, and such a proud, clear, un-
daunted look on your face. I 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 it.
In the last days Of the month of de-
light Thorpe received a second letter
from his partner, which to some extent
awakened him to the realities:
MY dear Harry" it ran, II have
made a startling discovery. The other
fellow is Morrison. have been a blind,
stupid dolt and am caugA nicely. You
can't call me any more<,mes than
have already called myself. Morrison
has been in it 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. Pm 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. I have ample margin
to cover any more declines they may be
able to bring about. Don't fret about
that Just as sure as you can pay that
100000, just so sure We'll be ahead of
the game at this time next year. For
heavens sake, get 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 60 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 Eve 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
tial spirit. Now at last the mystery
surrounding Morrison & Days unnat-
ural complaisance was riven. It had
come to grapples again. He was glad
Of it. 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. 1t 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 muffsed beat i
ing OF a heart. Gradually it had insist
ed on the attention.
"What is it?' she asked. Il
Thorpe listened. Then his face III
nightly with! with the Joy OF hatt'c2