Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-15

l Louis Is sue WltH nelly. WuHl "
see you because things have happened
| to me. Come, must see you alone"
They moved off up the path toward
the overlook, and, notwithstanding her
brave words, the girl wavered in the
| gust Of this mans overmasterng eN
| element The mist closed round them
all signs Of other human presence dis
| appeared and they soon stood alone in
world Of gray light wherein neither
sky nor horizon line appeared All
| that remained of the earth was little
strip of ground beneath their feet.
Raymond stopped at last and held
toward Ann IL small. irregular piece OF
rock. 'Do you see that?" he hoarsely
inquired.
She took it wonderingly. us it ore?'
"Yes, and it's heavy with gold. KEEL
| Tvs luck has won again. We've open
| ed a vein that will make us both rich
| There was no tremor or doubt in his
tone.
ooh, I'm so glad" she cried ont, with
| unaffected pleasure Now Mrs. Kelly
| can go to live in the valley"
Never mind the Kellys now" he
cried out impatiently. II have great
deal to say to you, and want to say
| it here. I'm going to try and win you"
] His manner was exultant, his voice
1 tense with passion. II am bold to reck-
lessness today"
He had never been humble. Now he
rose above her, masterful, an avowed
lover, and his eyes burning down into
hers made her shrink and shiver as II
from cold.
He misread the movement. care you
warm enough?" he asked tenderly. Il
hope you are, for want to tell you
explain to you-why l am here. Let
us sit here" He indicated fiat rock
''This is our only opportunity. No one
will know-no one can see us. Will
you listen?'
81 will listen" she said quietly and
took a seat, drawing her cloak about
her.
He took seat little in front, so
that he could see her face, which was
radiant as rose in the mist "I've
been trying to write you letter ever
since you came. I wanted to set my
self right with you on Louis account.
: l love the lad, and / wanted you to
know that I was trying to do him
| good"
81 know that. l trust you now"
"That assurance is sweet to me, but
want to tell you now that the only
mystery in my life is this: l am a
| West Point Cadet mean, was"-
"Were you, really?" She looked at
him with such unmistakable relief and
gladness that he faltered.
"Wait. l was only there two years.
I was court martialed for breach Of
discipline and gross INSTRUMENTATION at
the beginning Of my third year"
He fastened on. "You mustn't Judge
me hastily. 1t came on my return aft
er furlough. That's the time when the
I routine and discipline pinch hardest
I. on the men. After two years Of grind
that hated l had visit home-a de-
licious free time-and to get back into
school, back into those cold, gray bar
racks, was like going into strait
| jacket The first few weeks after the
vacation are times Of disorder, period
of boyish deviltry, and took my share
in it. My breach of discipline was
nothing more than boys frolic. l
should have been punished for it, and
that would have ended it, but hated
one of the officers, the disciplinarian,
and when he rounded me up he rasped
me till lost my head. Being a quick
tempered youth, answered him. He
abused me shamefully, and l struck
him in the face, and that ended my
stay at West Point"
ooh, how foolish! How wrong"
mo, it was not wrong. l would do
] it again. The small sneak used tone
| in addressing me which no man has a
| right to use to another You wouldn't
suppose tone could hurt, but it did.
1t cut like lash. Well, that ended
| my career as soldier. My home was
on the Ohio river, not far from Cincin-
natl, and my family still lives there
Our whole country is rich in traditions
of General Grant, and my father had
selected me out of all his sons to be
the soldier of his family. You know
how some men try to map their sons
careers. Don't you see, couldn't go
homer"
Eyes, can see it was hard for your
father. Was your mother living?"
"Yes, she's living yet. write her
every week, but not one word has
passed between my father and me
since my dismissal. Naturally enough,
I drifted west and into cattle ranching.
1 liked the excitement of it, and I'd
been trained to ride and to shoot.
gradually became COW boss and fore
man, and so you found me, with few
thousand dollars saved up Your COM
ing changed every current in my life.
1 became ambitious to do something.
to be rich. l came here, l bought this
mine, and there shines nay gold" He
held it toward her again. "Now can
go home My court martial becomes a
joke Don't you see? My father is
! human. He would not receive me poor
and disgraced. With a big mine behind
me the case will be different
"Are we all purchasable with gold"
she asked.
His high mood sank a little. Don't
misjudge me- It's not SO clear in my