Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1905-12-13

~ asked certain good friend Of
mine to come to see me when there
10 good reason to believe he didn't
want to come. = +. It'd. { @>s.
"What makes you think he didn't
want to Gomez" \ l.. r. :. 81 .=-:
''Why--1 don't know; did her, She.
had turned upon him swiftly with an
outflash of the playful daring which
had been one Of his major fetterings
In time past-the ecstatic charm that
goes with quick repartee and instant
and sympathetic apprehension. :
'You have never yet asked anything
Of him that he wasn't glad enough to
give" he rejoined, keeping up the
third person 1lgurative. =
"Is that saying very much-or very
little?" -
Every little, indeed. But It Is only
your askings that have been lacking
not his good WILL" -
'"That was said like the David Kent
I used to know. Are you really quite
the same?"
= II hope not he protested gravely.
'People used to say that I matured
late, and year by year as look back
I can see that it was a true saying.
I have done some desperately boyish
| things since was man Grown;
things that make me t1ngle when
recall them"
Like wasting a whole summer ex-
ploring Mount Croydon with IA
somebody who did not mature late?"
mo; wasn't counting that among
my lapses. An older man than I ever
hope to be might find excuses for the
Croydon summer. I meant in other
ways. For one thing I have craved
success as think few men have ever
craved it; and yet my plowings in
that field have been ill-timed and
boyish to a degree"
|. She shook her head.
! Il don't know how you measure sue
cess; it is word Of so many, many
meanings. But think you are your
own severest critic"
'"rhat may be; but the fact re-
mains. 1t is only within the past few
months that I have begun to get
true inkling Of things; to know, for
example, that opportunities are to be
cOmpelled-not waited for"
She was looking away from him
again.
II am not sure that like you bet
ter for your having discovered your
self. liked the other David Kent"
Somebody has said that for every
new point of view gained we have to
sacrifice all the treasures of the old
I am sorry If am disappointing you"
II don't know that you are. And
yet, when you were sitting at Miss Van
Brooks table the other evening tell
ing us about our experience with the
politicians, I kept saying to myself
that I didn't know you-that had new
er known you.''
II wish knew just how to take
that" he said obviously.
II wish knew how to make you
understand" she returned; and then:
Il could have. made the other David
Kent understand"
"You are in duty bound to try to
make this one understand, don't you
think? You spoke of a danger which
was not the violent kind, such as 10,
ring fears. What is it?'
"You have had two whole days."
she rejoined. Haven't you discovered
it," ~ 49,. =.
II haven't found anything to fear
but failure" was his reply.
"That is it; you have given it a
name-its only true name-failure."
But I am not going to fall
"You mean you are going to take our
railroad away from these men who
have stolen it?"'
THAT is what I mean"
"And you will do it by threatening
to expose them?"
II shall tell Governor Bucks what
know about the oil field deal, assur-
ing him that I shall publish the facts
If he doesn't let the law take its course
in ousting Judge MacFar1ane and the
receiver"
She rose and stood before him, lean
ing against one of the vine-clad porch
pillars with her hands behind her.
David Kent, are there any circum-
stances in which you would accept q
bribe?"
He answered her in all seriousness:
"They say every man has his price:
mine is higher than any bid they have
yet made-or can make, hope"
"Why don't you let them bride your
she asked coolly. ''Is it because it is
Observation-Disclosures there is more
success the other way"
He tried to emulate her GOODNESS and
made failure Of it.
'Have ever done anything to make
you think had thrown common hon
esty and self-respect overboard?" he
demanded.
Her answer was another question,
sharp-edged and well thrust home.
rs it any worse to take a bride
than it is to give one? You have just
admitted that you are going to buy the
governors neutrality, you know"
II don't see it in that light at ALL
"The other David Kent would have
seen it. He would: have said: These
men are public criminals. II I. can
not bring them to justice, can at
least expose them to the scorn Of all
good men. Therefore l have no right to
bargain with them" -
Kent was silent for q. long time.
When he spoke It was to say:
why have you done this, Elinor?''