Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1910-12-08
HARPER u BRoTHeRs

ly. "She has helped me In a hun
bred ways. without her assistance I
could never have won through. That
cannery site would still be grown up
TO moss and trees. and | would still
be a disheartened dreamer"
ITS very nice OF you. Of course. TO
appreciate what she has done. But
she can't help you any more. You
surely don't intend to keep up your ac-
quaintance with her now" He made
no reply. and. taking his silence for
agreement, she went on: The trip
home will be terribly dull for me. I'm
Their ask you to go back with u.s."
But am right In the midst Of the
run. | can't leave the business"
"Oh. business! Do you care more
for business than for me? don't
think you realize how terribly hard for
me all this has been. I'm still fright.
ened. shall die Of with
out some one to talk to-"
ITS quite impossible! l-don't want
TO go back now"
Indeed! And no doubt 1t was I'm
possible for you to come out here last
night for the same reason"
" was. The fish struck in and l
could not leave"
"It was that woman who kept your
cried Mildred. 1T is because of her
that you refuse to leave this country
please don't" he said quietly. II
have never thought of her In that
way
Then come away from this wretch
ed place. | detest the whole country
the fisheries. the people. everything.
This isn't your proper sphere, Why
not come away now. at once. and be-
gin something new. something worth
while?"
do you realize the hopes. the heart.
aches. the vital effort | have put MO
this enterprisey' he questioned.
But she only said:
II don't like It. 1t isn't a nice bust
ness. Let father take the plant over.
IL you need money. ! have plenty
Waltz" he interrupted sharply. "Sit
down. want to talk to YOU" He
drew the wrap closer about her shout
ders and led her t a deck chair. The
change in him was becoming more APP
parent. He knew now that he had
never felt the same since his first meet
Ing with Mildred upon the arrival OF
the Grande Dame. Even then she had
repealed him by her lack Of sympathy.
She had shown no understanding of
his efforts, and now she revealed as
complete a failure to grasp his code Of
honor. 1t never occurred to her that
any loyalty of man to nan could Off
set her simple will. She did not see
that his desertion Of George would be
nothing short Of treachery.
Ii seemed to him all at once that
they had little In common. She was
wrapped completely In the web of her
own desires. She would make her preju-
dices "A law for him. Above all, she
could not respond TO the exultation of
his success. She had no conception of
the pride of accomplishment that Is the
wine of every true mans life. He had
waged a bitter fight that had Slapped
his very soul; he had made and won
the struggle that q a makes once In
a lifetime. and now. just when he had
proved himself strong and fair In the
sight OF bis fellows. she asked him to
forego 1t all. Engrossed In her own
egoism. she required of him a greater
sacrifice than any he had made. Now
that he had shown his strength she
wanted to load him down with golden
fetters-to make him a dependent Was
1t because she feared another girl?
She had tried to help him. be knew
In her way-and the thought of II
touched him. That was like the Mil
dred he had always known-to act
fearlessly. needless of what her father
might do or say. Somehow he had
never felt more convinced OF the sin
certify Of her love. but he found him
self thinking OF 1t as Of something of
the past. After all. what she sad done
had been little. considering hef power.
She had given carelessly out OF her
abundance. while Cherry He saw II
all now. and a sudden sense of loyalty
and devotion to the girl who had real
" shared his struggles swept over him
In q warm tide. Ii was most unlike
his distant worship Of Mildred. She
had been his dream. but the other was
bone Of his bone and flesh Of his flesh.
For q long time the two sat talking
while these thoughts took gradual
form IN the young mans mind, and.
although the deck was deserted. Miss
Wayiand had now nc need to curb her