The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-01-11
'.HiIda. ! cannot" he said.

.HiIda, cannot he said
She stood very still for some seconds
why notg' she asked quietly.
Because ! have not time to cut
road through TO another bunch of pine.
It is this or nothing
"Why not nothing, then"
81 want the money this will bring
His choice of verb was unfortu-
nate.
"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
'sThe firm needs it in the business"
said he.
Her next question countered instan-
taneously.
Does the firm need the money more
than you do me?'
lence of the situation that had so sud-
denly developed as dust cloud springs
up on plain.
"You do not mean that, Hilda?" said
Thorpe quietly. 1T hardly comes to
that"
Indeed it Does she replied, every
nerve of her fine organization strung to
excitement Il 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, | cam"
she answered ut seems strange that
you won't grant my first request of
you merely because you need a little
money"
ut isn't 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 a time, blazed out 81 never
heard anything so ridiculous in my
lifer' she cried. Either you are not at
all the man l 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, Gin order to succeed. If we do
NJ Of ont licsv fof
IF | were a man." she said. and her
voice was tense-''if / 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 if loved. Harry,
don't let me think | 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
Gffair 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.
II cannot, Hilda," he answered stead
lily.
"You sell me for $4,000! l 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-
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. it is the last CHANGER
He was face to face with 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
" to the same end. There was no 9TH
er way out. In answer to Hilda's ques-
ton he merely inclined his head.
81 have seen a 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.
Eyes, one thing" said Thorpe-'the
duty of success
The man had stated his creed. the
woman hers.
She left him then and did not SCI
him again. Four days later the camp
ing party left. Thorpe sent Tim Shear
er over as his most efficient man to SCI
that they got off without difficulty. bu
| himself retired on some excuse t.
! Camp Four. Three weeks gone in Dc
tober he received marked newspape
announcing the engagement of Mis-
Hilda Farrand to Mr.. Hiidreth Morton
Of Chicago.
| CH pTFP XIV