The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-16
THE SALT LAKE HERALD: SUNDAY, JUNE 1s, 1907


her now. That was the way life should
always have been. That was what she
had expected when she had married
Powell She had loved Kim then-loved
him still. but love was such a feeble
warmth for the freezing winter of pow
erty-and such sordid povertyI And
she was so weak. So weak. She scrib-
bled a brief note for Powell TO find at
her side-just a goodbye, pathetic in
its simple tenderness-and opened the
box. Her marriage certificate, her love
let's. the baby'S photograph and the
tiny curl of hair tied with the bow of
baby ribbon she fOndled lovingly one
by one and kissed them, then she
clasped them to her bosom and lay
upon the bed. the little bottle with the
red label in her right hand. Her brows
were still contracted. but suddenly they
cleared and she smiled slightly. She
could remember that two-step now
from beginning to end. Strange that
she should ever have forgotten it. She
put The bottle to her lips and drained
it.
Powell, still dazed, was led by I'm
derwood across the swarming yards to
the Office where fremont awaited him.
Powell mechanically put his hand to
his face and drew ii away bloOdstained.
The cut on his cheek was still bleeding
bathed and covered with court plaster.
The sense of his overwhelming calam-
ity was still too strong upon Powell
TO let him answer d simple question
put to him by Underwood. The vivid
picture Of that great sledge landing in
the heart of his machine blotted cut
every other impression. and he re-
manned tongue-tied until Underwood
ushered him into the office.
TH~pr TD-xx eli
battered condition. He had already
heard of the fight over the broken
model.
4 suppose you intend to walk out
with the other men?" he asked.
Yes. sir" replied Powell
Naturally" fremont agreed. Il
don't know that / can blame you. I'm
| sorry. though that I can't have you
here for the installation of the ma
chimes"
''The-what machines"
Your machines. I'm going to set up
six of them this week"
Powell looked so ludicrous in his as
tonishment that fremont lay back in
his chair and laughed like boy.
You see, Powell, | gagged you cor
rectly," fremont explained. While
you mOOned along. enjoying yourself
with putting minor improvements into
shape, l got to work. The day I signed
a contract with you I ordered a rush
machine made from tTacings of your
drawings. 1t stood the test, and / or
| dered a dozen. Six Of them are locked
up in the storeroOm, ready to set up.
The other six will be delivered next
week Another dozen are under way.
l am very glad to tell you that they
are all YOU dared 10 hope; much more
than 1 had expected. 1 can fight the
trust with them, and win"
1t was too much for Powell. The sus-
pense of the past weeks, the apparent
humiliation of his plans and now this
wonderful and unexpected good fortune
broke him down. He buried his face
i'm his hands, and great sobs tore at his
throat. fremont tOyed neTvOusly with
a paper weight for a while, and then
tiptOed from the room, awkward and
| embarrassed When ne ventured back
Powell has mastered himself.
81 don't know what to say" began
| Powell. 'Tm-Tm flOored by it. Of
course I'm thankful-yOU cannot tell
how much-but 1 want to get home to
| my wife. I'm worried about her"
I'll only detain you for moment
Mr.. Powell" and fremont handed him
q slip of paper. Take this home to
your wife with my cOmpliments-and
| yours"
Powell was dumfounded. It was a
check for $4,000
THE amount is not really due until
we get the machines up and running"
fremont explained, but under the cir
cCmstances I'm glad to be able to pay
you a day or so in advance. I will mail
you checks for the others as they are
set up. Royalties will be paid you
quarterly as per contract. Allow me
to congratulate you" and he cordially
extended his hand.
Powell went out in an incredulous
ecstacy. There was no bar now TO his
happiness. Even his conscience as a
good union man was clear by reason of
the contract that had been made long
before the strike was planned, and that
was now out of his power to revoke,
even If he would.
The barren and yellow street seemed
of an interminable length before he
reached his own gate, raced around the
house and dashed into the kitchen. His
wife was not there. With quick intui-
ton he hurried into the front room, and
there he found her,
With closed eyes she was lying on the
bed, her pitiful treasures clutched to
her bosom. and she was breathing
heavily.
"Bess" he, cried 1--WE win. and no
strike can ever bother us again. We're
rich, girl fremont has just paid me
for the first six machir es. He had them
made without my knowing it, and they
work great. Bess, Bess, dear, We're
richr'
He was down on his knees beside her
now, and had slipped his arm under
her head. Her eyes opened. glazing in
terror.
TOO late. too latew she moaned.
ooh, Jim, it's too late! I was a coward.
Jim, and selfish, and | couldn't wait
any longer, l drank poison not five
minutes ago. Save me, Jim. save me!
don't want to die, Oh. I don't want
to die!
"Oh fudge he retorted, laughing
happily. Il monkeyed with that little
bottle a long time ago. | was afraid
that if I took it away you would get
another one, so l emptied it and filed
it with water. But look at this check.
Bess! Six thousand dollars, and there's
more to come. That buys a house with
a little experimental shop on the back
lot for me, and a wagonlOad of new
dresses, and-Hello there, girl Bessl
Bessr'
He jumped up and ran for some
water. His wife had tainted in his
arms.