Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-09-10

You sympathetic fellow!" he would
say to Tom. and sympathy bred SYM
patty as it always will. "You must
marry yourself, Thomas he would
add "and you and your wife must live
with me and mine, and we'll go into
partnership together up the country
somewhere and all four live happy
ever after"
To all Of which the servant would
shake his head, but continue to enter
Into the masters happiness with un-
lbated sympathy and enthusiasm.
Nor was this conscious merit in
Tom; it made him think no better of
himself. He knew how much was in
spired by gratitude and how much
more by the selfish relief of sinking
his own woes in the hopes and fears
and raptures of his friend. He was
not even aware Of the essential fine
ness of nature capable of this kind
of comfort. Eternal dissatisfaction
with his own feelings kept his opinion
Of himself at zero still. And if the
new bond between Tom and his bene-
factor had done no more than provide
them with common ground on which
they might meet and be at one in all
sincerity, even SO it would have done
much for Toms peace of mind.
When Daintree spoke of his beloved
his dark face shone, the darker eyes
softened, and the rich voice quivered
with no common passion. 1t was pos
sible to agree and to applaud without
hypocrisy, which was not possible
when the puny poet stood in the strong
mans shoes. OF his poetry enough has
been said, but about his passion there
was no mistake. The one was gen.
uine; the other was not. 1t was a
mans passion, selfish passion, but
the sheer masterful strength Of it was
patent to Tom from the first. Some
times it made him fear for the girl
and despair Of himself. Gratitude
apart, 1t was as though his spoiled and
petty spirit was incapable of an hon
est, whole hearted, ungrudging adj
miration and regard.
In all their talks the only name Tom
heard was Clarinda. 1t was character
istic of his state that he never inquir-
ed the other. His sympathy and his
interest We're confined to his friend !;
real curiosity he had none. He asked
no questions, but crooked answer
was ready for him If he had.
"You must let me tell her all owe
to you," Tom said once. at will be q
pleasure to her and relief to me-"
Perhaps you owe as much to her.
SELF"
It had slipped out, but Tom was not
at all excited.
"You mean that she believed in me.
too?" he asked with mild sort Of in
credulity, and he saw from the others
face that she had not; .a,, aIpon my my
leve in myself, especially since I've
done as bad out here and perhaps not
heard the last of it yetw
Daintree wondered why he shudder-
ed in the sun. 1t was because his one
true and fierce emotion was the base
fear Of further tortures He despised
himself for that most OF all,
| Meanwhile the cork ship with the pa
per sails was creeping slowly, but
| surely, across the great white south
Atlantic Of the chart and the wall on
which 1t hung had been repapered, and
the whole bungalow smelt of paint. 1t
was a fair sized house Of two stories,
with yeranda encircling the one and
q balcony the other. Very pretty it
looked in its new coat Of paint for the
summer, a white coat with yellow trim
mings, which stood out delightfully."- OH
the blue waters edge The garden
lawn merged into narrow strand that
slid straight under the wavelets them
selves. AS summer set in the trees
behind the house broke out in every
gay and gorgeous color; it was the
plumage of the parrots that now came
and perched In focks among the
branches.
Tom gave up his room, as two ladies'
and maid were expected 1t was re-
papered for the maid. a room was
found for Tom in the pretty little sta
bles amid the trees, where he helped
Fawcett with the horses and the cur
ricle, which was In Sydney on some
errand every day. Generally the mas
ter went alone. Once he took Tom
| with him. 1t was on the occasion of
his cashing check to meet the run
ming expenses Of these elaborate prem
arations.
They We're on their way home at
dusk when Dalntree pulled up on the
outskirts of the town ana hailed a dis.
| consulate, soldierly figure with one arm
in sling.
"Why, Harryp' cried Daintree. "That's
never your
II wish 1t wasn't, SIR"
you've left the force7''
"These six months. 1t was my arm.
| Look there, sir!"
An emaciated hand came through
the sling. The thumb and forefnger
were uninjured. but half the middle
finger and both the other two were HE
dead, distorted branches on living
tree.
"What did tit"
"A bullet; caught me on the funny
bone and paralyzed half my hand. My
right hand too. It's set me on the shelf
ut thirty three"
"An accident Harry n
Tom held his breath.
"Qulte." said Harry bitterly. ''It was
meant for my heart. You would hear
Of the bushrangers at DR.. Sullivan's
last summer--that's when It was-and
the one that did it was the only one
to get away"
Toms clothes We're sticking to him.