The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-12-08

So she wrote him note. telling
him he must not come--a note man.
like in its conciseness, and yet most
womanly in it's failure to give even
the remotest hint of the new and bind.
ing reason why he must not come.
And just before luncheon an obliging
Cousin Billy was prevailed upon to
undertake it's delivery.
When he had found Winton at the
shale-slide. and had given him Miss
Carteret's mandate. the Reverend Bill.
ly did not return directly to the Rose.
mary. On the contrary, he extended
his tramp westward. stumbling on
aimlessly UP the canyon over the un.
surfaced embankment of the new line
Truth to tell. Virginia's messenger
was not unwilling to spend littls
time alone with the immensities. To
put 1t badly. he was beginning to be
desperately cloyed with the sweets OF
a day-long Miss Bessie, ennuye on the
one hand and Respondent on the other.
Why could not the Cousin Bessies
see. without being told in so many
words, that the heart Of a man may
have been given in times long past
to another woman:-to a Cousin Vir.
ginia, let us say. And why must the
Cousin Virginias, passing by the life,
long devotion of kinsman lover,
throw themselves-if one must put It
thus brutally-fairly at the head of an
acquaintance Of a day?
So questioning the immensities, the
Reverend Billy came out after some
little time in a small upland valley
where the two lines, old and new, ran
parallel at the same level. with low
entertainments less than hundred
yards apart.
Midway Of the valley the hundred
yard interspace was bridged by a
hastily constructed spur track start
ing from a switch on the Colorado and
Grand river main line, and crossing
the Utah right of way at a broad an.
gle. On this spur, at it's point of in
tersectlon with the new line. stood a
heavy locomotive, steam up, and
manned in every inch Of its standing.
room by armed guards.
The situation explained itself, even
to Reverend Billy. The Rajah had
not been idle during the interval of
dinner-givings and social divagations.
He had acquired the right of way
across the Utah's line for his block
aiding spur; had taken advantage of
Winton's inalertness to construct the
track: and was now prepared to hold
the crossing with live engine and
such show of force as might be need.
full
Calvert turned back from the en-
trance of the valley. and was minded,
in spirit Of fairness, to pass the
word concerning the new obstruction
on to the man who was most vitality
concerned. But alas! even Rev.
erend Billy may not always rise ST.
perior to his happenings as man and
a lover. Here was defeat possible
nay say rather defeat probable, for a
rival, with the probability increasing
with each hour of delay. Calvert
fought it out by length and by breadth
Q dozen times before he came in sight
Of the track force toiling at the shale.
slide. Should he tell Winton. and so.
indirectly, help to Illustrate Mr.. OAR
rains well-laid plan? Or should he
hold his peace and thus. Indirectly
again. help to defeat the Utah com.
pany?
He put it that way in decent self
respect. Also he assured himself that
the personal equation as between two
lovers Of one and the same woman
was entirely eliminated. But who
can tell which motive it was that
prompted him to turn aside before he
came to the army of toilers at the
slide; to turn and cross the stream
and make as wide a detour as the
nature Of the ground would permit,
passing we'll beyond call from the
other side of the canyon?
The detour took him past the slide
In silent safety. but it did not take
him Immediately back to the Rose
mary. Instead Of keeping on down
the canyon on the G. G. r. side. he
turned up the gulct at the back OF
Argentine and spent the better half
of the afternoon tramping beneath the
solemn frs ON the mountain. What
the hours of solitude brought him In
the way OF decision let him declare
as he sets his face finally towards the
station and the private car
II can't do it. I can't turn traitor
to the kinsman whose bread I eat.
And that is what it would come to in
plain English. Beyond that I have
no fight to. go: 1t is not for me to
pass upon the Justice of this petty
war between rival corporations
All, William Calvert! is there no
word then of that other and far
subtler temptation? When you have
reached your goal, if reach it you
may, will there be no remorse-
full looking back to this milestone
where a word from you might have
taken the fly from your pot of pre-
cious ointment?
The short winter day was darkening
to its close when he returned to the
Rosemary. By dint of judicit1ls ma