The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-10-14

hs reached the kentucky mstropeezs,
his nrst care was to assure the wheel
horse member Of the municipal pur-
chasing board that he was ready 70
TAX business on . modern business ba-
III.
Notwithstanding. he lost the contract.
otner people were growing desperate.
TOO. y appeared. and his bribe was not
great enough. One member OF the
committees stood by him and gave him
the facts a check had been passed,
ana u was q bigger check than Tom
could draw without trenching on the
balance left In the Iron City National
to meet the months payroll at Cor
donia.
You sent 9 boy to mill,. said the
loyal one And now it's all over I
don't mind telling you that you sent
him to the wrong mill. at that. Bullin-
gers hog
I'D like to do him up. said Tom,
vindictively.
Well. that might be done. too. But
It would cost you something"
Tom did not take the hint: he WA
not buying vengeance. But on the way
home he grew bitterer with every sub-
tracted mile. He could meet one more
payday, and possibly another: and
then the end would come. This one
contract would have saved the day. and
1t was lost
The homing train, rushing around
the boundary hills Of Paradise, set him
down at Gordonia late In the afternoon.
There was no one at the station to
meet him. but there was bad news IN
the air which needed no herald to pro-
claim It. Though 1t still wanted half
an hour OF quitting time. the big plant
was silent and deserted. Tom walked
out the pike and found his father on
the Woodlawn porch.
you needn't say 1t, son." was his
low greeting, when Tom had flung him.
self into chair. TT was In the South
Tredegar papers this morning
What was in the papers?"
About our losin' the Indiany con-
tract. I reckon 1t was what did the
business for us. though there were a.
plenty OF black looks and q storm
brewin' when we missed the payday
yesterday"
Missed the payday? why, I left
money In bank for 1t when went to
Louisville!"
yes. I know you did. When Dyck-
man didn't come out with the pay
rolls yesterday evening telephoned
him. He said Vint Farley. as treasur-
er Of the company. had made draft on
him and taken it ALL"
And the men?"
THE miners went out at 10 o'clock
IT, -
stood by US. but Ludlow's men drove
'em out-made 'em quit We're done.
Buddy"
Tom dashed his hat on the floor and
the Gordon rage, slow to fire and fierce
to scorch and burn when once it was
aflame, made for a moment yelling
maniac Of him. In the midst Of 1t he
turned. and the tempest OF imprecation
spent itself In gasp of dismay. His
mother was standing in the doorway.
thin, frail. with the sorrow In her eyes
that had been there since the long
night Of chastenings three years agone.
AS he looked he saw the growing
pallor in her face. the growing speech
out her hands as one cropping In dark
ness and fell before he could reach her.
1t was her stalwart son who carried
Martha Gordon to her room and laid
her gently on the bed. with the hus-
band to follow helplessly behind. Also.
1t was Tom, tender and loving now as
a woman. who sat upon the edge Of the
bed, chatting the bloodless hands and
striving as he could to revive her.
I'm afraid you've killed her for sure.
this time. son!" groaned the man.
But Tom saw the pale lips move and
bent low to catch their whisperings.
What he heard was only the echo OF
the despairing cry Of the broken heart:
Would God had died for thee. o Alb
SALON., my son!"
(To be continued.)