Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1907-06-26

H''a 4. Ii s 81
Under the 1h6ek. t seemed to hin
that the thing must Have Been gerrntn-
ated IL his mind Without his knowl-
edge; 1t had lain there, gathering force
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 it was resistless. This
was the new world he had watched
swimming out of the chaos in his
mind, taking its allotted orbit in
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, we'll
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 Peters
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 uncer-
tain until copper went to ST." Those
were three wise old men who had
| talked, men who knew something of
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 fouted.
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 a big man
at work, with no nonsense about him.
But Shepler, who was now certain,
and Higbee, who had always been GER
tain-especially shepler, with his easy
sense of superiority with woman
over any poor man. That was diff
ferent matter. There was a thing to
think about. And he wanted Avice
Milbrey. He could not, he decided, go
back without her.
The great wild wish narrowed itself
into a definite plan. He recalled the
story Uncle Peter had told at the Old
akers' about the woman and her hair.
A woman could be coerced if man
knew her weakness He could coerce
her. He knew it instinctively; and the
instructive belief rallied to it's support
a thousand little looks from her, little
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.
It was heady wine for the morning.
He described himself briefly as lu-
matte, and walked on again. But the
crazy notion would not be gone. The
day before he had been passive. Now
he 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.
Har~people were gone. She had even
49, n%nA r;oh toll
again. It 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-
Ply. 1t was no matter. 1t was the
present, the time when he should be
living. He would have her, and Shep-
ler7Shepler might have had the One
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 to have
the car attached to the Chicago express
leaving at eight the next morning; also
instructions about his baggage.
II expect there will be two Of US,
Grant; see that the car is we'll stocked;
and here, take this; 60 to florists
and get about four dozen pink roses
La FRANCISCAN you remember?-pink<
don't take any other color, and b.
sure they're fresh. Have breakfast
ready by the time the train starts"
eyes, Mistah Puhs'val!" said Grant,
and added to himself: "Yo'ssuttiny do
cay yo'se'f mighty han'some, Mistah
Mani"
Going out of the hotel, he met Laun-
ton Oldaker, with whom he chatted a,
few moments, and then babe good-by.
Oldaker, with sensitive regard fer
the decencies, refrained from express
ing the hearty sympathy he felt for q
man who would henceforth be COM
PEELED to live out of the world. !
Percival walked out to Broadway, re.
volving his plan. He saw it was six
o'clock. He could do nothing for at.
least an hour. When he noted this he
became conscious of his hunger. He;