Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-12-20

wish almost an intention. % stunning
In its audacity that he all but reeled
under the shock. It seemed 10 him
that the thing must have been germin-
ated in his mind without his knowl-
edge; 1t had lain there, gathering forcs
while he rested, now to burst forth and
dazzle him with its shine. All that
undimmed freshness Of longing he had
felt the day before--all the unnamed,
unidentified, nameless desires-had
flooded back upon him, but now no
longer aimless. They were acutely
definite. He wanted Avice Milbrey-.
wanted her with an intensity as un-
reasoning as 1t was resistless. This
was the new world he had watched
swimming out of the chaos in his
mind, taking its allotted orbit in a
planetary system of possible, rational,
matter-of-course proceedings.
And Avice Milbrey was to marry
Shepler, the triumphant money king.
He sat down by the roadside, well
nigh helpless, surrendering all his
forces to the want.
Then there came upon him to rein
force this want burning sense of de-
feat. He remembered Uncle Pc g. s
first warnings in the mine about cup
board love-" the gossip Of Higbee: III
you were broke, she'd have about as
much use for you" all the talk he
had listened to so long about marriage
for money; and, at the last, Shepler's
words to Uncle Peter: II was uncar-
tain until copper went to 81" Those
were three wise old men who had
talked, men who knew something CT
women and much of the world. And
they were so irritating In their GER
tainty. What fine play to fool them
all!
/ The sense of defeat burned into HIM
more deeply. He had been vanquished,
cheated, scorned, shamefully fiouted
The money was gone-all of Uncle
Peters complaints and biting sarcasms
came back to him with renewed bitter
ness; but his revenge on Uncle Peter
would be in showing him big MAJ
at work, with no nonsense about h m.
But Shepler, who was now certain,
and Higbee, who had always been GER
tain-especially Shepler, with his easy
sense of superiority with a woman
over any poor man. That was diff.
ferent matter. There was a thing to
think about. And he wanted Avic;
Milbrey. He could not, he decided, 60
back without her.
The great wild wish narrowed itse!i
into q definite plan. He recalled the
story Uncle Peter had told at the Cd.
akers about the woman and her hair.
A woman could be coerced If a maj
knew her weakness. He could coerce
her. he knew it instinctlvely; and the
instructive belief rallied to its support
a thousand little looks from her, littla
intonations of her voice, little turn
ings of her head when they had been
together. In spite of her calculations,
in spite of her love of money, he could
make her feel her weakness. He was
man with the power.
1t was heady wine for the morning
He described himself briefly as a lu-
natic, and walked on again. But the
crazy notion would not be gone. The
day before he had been passive. Now
ne was active, acutely aware Of him
self and all his wants. He walked a
mile trying to dismiss the idea. He
sat down again, and 1t flooded back
upon him with new force.
Her people were gone. She had ever
intimated wish to talk with him
again. 1t could be done quickly. He
knew. He felt the primitive superior.
ity of mans mere brute force over
woman. He gloried in his kno TED
muscles and the crushing power of his
desires.
Afterward, she would reproach him
bitterly. They would both be unhap-
by. 1t was no matter. 1t was the
present, the time when he should be
living. He would have her, and Shep
ler-Shepler might have had the Or
Girl mine-but this girl, never!
He crossed the ferry and went to
the hotel, where he shaved and fresh
ened himself. He found Grant, the
porter, waiting for him when he went
downstairs, and gave him written di'
rections to the railroad people 10 have
the car attached to the Chicago EXPIRE $
leaving at eight the next morning; also
instructions about his baggage.
81 expect there will be two Of us,
Grant; see that the car is well stock d;
and here, take this; go to a rists
and get about four dozen pink roses
La FRANCISCAN you remember ?-pilk
don't take any other color, and b.
sure they're fresh. Have breakfas;
ready by the time the train starts"
Eyes, Mistah Puhs'val!" sad Grant,
and added to himself: "Yo' sutticy dc
cay yosef mighty handsome, Mista.
Mani"
Going out of the hotel, he met Laun-
ton Oldaker, with whom he chat ed a
few moments. and then babe goo LILY,
Oldaker, with sensitive regard
the decencies, refrained from EXPIRE s.
ing the hearty sympathy he felt for a
man who would henceforth be COM
PEELED to live out of the world.
Percival walked out to Broadway, re
volving his plan. He saw 1t was SIX
O'Clock. He could do nothing fer at
least an hour. When he roted this he
became conscious of his hunger. He
had eaten nothing since morning. HI
turned into a restaurant on Madison
square and ordered dinner. When ha
had eaten, he sat with his coffee 70:
final smoke of delibe alton. HI,