The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1905-01-11


heart song of the violin and, uttering
it, had bestowed love. But he had that
day lost what be cared for most in all
the world-his friend.
Little Phil disappeared utterly, tax
ing with him his violin, but leaving his
broken bow. Thorpe has it even to
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 1 was
quite a young girl. / 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 weather
beaten old hat and a weather beaten
old coat and weather beaten old moe
casins, and such proud, clear, I'M
daunted look on your face. | 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, Il have
made startling discovery. The other
fellow is Morrison. l have been blind,
stupid dolt and am caught nicely. You
can't call me any more names than |
have already called myself. Morrison
has been in it from the start. By an ac-
cident | learned he was behind the fell
low who induced me to invest, and 1T 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. I'm 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.
eff you can fix it to meet those notes
they can't do it. 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. Fol
heavens sake, get move on you, ole
man. If you don't, the firm III bust
because she can't pay. I'll bust because
I'll havesto let my stock go on margins
| It'll be an awful smash. But you'll ge
there, SO we needn't worry. I've beer
an awful fool, and I've no right to dt
the getting into trouble and leave yol
to the hard work of getting out again
But as partner I'm going to insist OF
your having salary" etc.
The news aroused all Thorpe's mar
| tial spirit. Now at last the mystery
surrounding Morrison & Days unnat
ural compIaisance was riven. 1t has
come to grapples again. He was glat
of it. He thrust the letter in his poke
and walked buoyantly to the pines.
! The two lovers sat there all the after
noon drinking in half sadly the joy o
the forest and of being near each other
In a week the camping party would b
breaking up, and Hilda must return t,
the city. 1t was uncertain when the.
would be able to see each other again.
Suddenly the girl broke of and pu
her fingers to her lips. For some tim
dimly an intermittent and faint soun'
had been felt rather than actuall,
heard, like the irregular muffled beat
ing of heart. Gradually it had insist