Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1906-08-07


He was only working man, his clothes
were common, his hands sunburned and
rough, but his voice was like music in her
ears, and the expression in his eyes seem
ed TO carry her back TO her lost youth.
Forgive me-, said Ben again, not quite
steadily. 'Mayhap you don't remember
me, Liz. It's many a year. my lass, since
we stood face to face When | look at
seems to me as if time must have gone
back. You look so like what you used to
be-"
Sylvia put out her hand.
Ben" she said, dear friend Ben
Ben Coop took her hand and pressed
1t between his two big ones. She had the
same sensation upon her as if she were
child who had found a protector.
LET us sit down here awhile, she said
You must tell me all about yourself,
Ben. saw you few mornings ago. You
were in the park, speaking with a beauti-
full girl. Perhaps / should not have rec
ognized you, only that she spoke your
name, and then l seemed 10 see your old
self"
They seated themselves upon the other
side Of the leather couch upon which
Gerald Tenby was sitting. Sylvia had for
gotten all about him. She forgot every
thing at this moment, save the strange
fact hat she, who, for so many years,
had done her best to put the seal OF Sc
crecy upon her beginning, who had work
ed diligently to separate herself from all
the old people in the North, should find
it not only possible but even a happiness
to be with Ben.
MY life's not worth the telling, lass,
Ben said. as he seated himself, awkward
iy enough. beside her graceful figure. 1T
was just one simple round of daily work
and manys the time, Liz, that I've longed
TO know how things were with you. |
came back TO the old country, Liz, not for
my own sake, but for the sake of a lad
who came into my life by chance. He
was one of the old family, and my heart
went out to him the first moment l looked
upon him. Though he wore a prison
dress, and had chains about his feet,
knew him to be what his father was be-
fore him-noble at heart, simple and
good
Are you speaking of that young Ten
by who went wrong a few years ago"
asked Sylvia.
Ben nodded his head.
Then he did not die Benz
He was alive week ago. cried Ben.
with the anguish that lived in his heart
breaking out in his voice. What have
they done with him, my poor lad -
Tell me more Ben" said Sylvia faint
ly.
She felt as if she were suffocating
Light seemed to be springing in upon the
problem about which she had puzzled so
much these last few days.
Ben gave her Hubert's story briefly.
He wasted no words in describing all he
feared; he mentioned no name, but Sylvia
knew what was in his heart, and her own
was filed with sudden fear also
IT'LL last night" said Ben, Il had not
a clew TO go upon but fate was kind to
me, and chance was given to me to meet
with one who may lead at last to the
truth. Last night also l saw you with a
man outside the theater. You sent him
from you as though he had no right to
be with you. This man. Liz, is the man
who is constanyt with Gerald Tenby
What can you tell me about him?"
Everything, and yet nothing" answer
ed Sylvia. George Stanton is in one
sense stranger to me, in another he
stands closer to me than any living crea-
ture at this moment. l have promised
TO be his wife"
You love him, Liz?'
II think l hate him." she said, under
her breath. Il have been free for so
many years that / cannot easily realize
that any man has the right to call him
self my master, and that is what George
Stanton can do now"
There was such bitterness in her voice
that Ben could say nothing for a mo-
ment or two; but after she had said so
much it seemed TO Sylvia a kind of relief
TO say more.
It'll now" she said. II have been
teaching myself one thing, which was
that there was only one thing in the
world worth living for, and that was
money. oh, / am changed since the days
you knew me, Ben! l sometimes wonder
IL l am really the same Liz who used to
live in that little tumbledown cottage,
and so to meet you at the pits mouth.
There is such a world of difference be-
tween the girl 1 was and the woman
am. Yes, l have said to myself all these
years that honey was the only thing |
cared about And money has come to
me" Sylvia said, with almost ruthless
candor. Had l but imagined that Stan
ton would ever find the means of making
me keep my word, ] would have bitten
out my tongue before l would have spok-
en- as l did,
There was a wildneSs In her manner
and her voice that gave Ben new pain.
He put his big hand softly on her arm.
Nay, lass he said. enderly, don't
hurt yourself by telling me any more"
1T does not hurt me-" Sylvia answered.
"It does me good. Ben, this man used
to be a kind OF slave. he followed me
wherever l went. ] did not give him so
much as kind word. Yet he would not
leave me. And one day he came to me
with wild story that he was going TO
make his fortune. / laughed at him. vet
! listened, for l saw that there might
come a dsy when l should need some pro-
vision, and ne seemed TO be in earnest l
told him that the day he brought me one
hundred thousand pounds I would prom
Use to be his wife.
And he brought ron this meney:"
asked. slowly.
Yes" she said. ''he brought me this
money, and he claimed my promise.
made him swear 10 me that the money
had come 10 him honestly, and he swore
Il. But sine then, Ben, l have had no
peace, no rest. Something seems to have
been awakened in me that cried aloud
against this money. Only last night
Sylvia said. sgitstedly, Il dreamed
dream. ! thought l was counting out
this money, and great hand was placed
upon il. and voice cried in my ear: 1T
Is the price OF blood" l swoke with
scream"
Sylvis's voice was hushed all at once.
for some one had risen from the other
side of the couch and had seemed TO stun
bic against IL, and. looking around her
eyes had looked into Gerald Tenby's, and
the expression on the mans face sileneed
her lips.
CHAPTER NNII.
Gerald Tenby went out into the sun