Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1910-01-13
CHAPTER XIX.

~ Meantime Philip was passing
through moral as well as a physical
crisis. In his weakness and suffering,
in the long restless nights when his
mind wandered in incoherent mutter-
ings, in his days of increasing strength
and courage. In every moment OF
wakefulness or half wakefulness. there
was present before him. vaguely or
distinctly. this one thought that q
sudden and tremendous responsibility
had been placed upon him. What
course should he decide upon? Here
were dreams Of his eager youth in the
way of amazing realization.
And this stern. worldly san, dread
ed by thousands. envied by millions
this great lord of taskmasters in whose
hands lay all power over toiling multi
tudeS-here he was. this richest man
in America. Philips own father, ready
and eager TO please him with untold
benefactions, to do good instead Of
evil, to make amends for--for the past,
as he had vowed in tender. broken
words at that tortured bedside while
he waited and hoped and possibly
prayed df Haggleton could pray that
his sons life might be spared him.
He would tear down lung block"
and he would put aside several millions
for immediate steps toward solving that
problem and several millions more for
miscellaneous charities In which his
son might be Interested. In short,
Philip would have at least $1OOOO.OOO
at his disposal in a campaign of prac-
teal reform. Ten million dollars!
Margaret had nursed him with a sort
Of passionate intensity.
Philip assumed that the catastrophe
had wiped out the past. that the OBJ
stacle which had risen between them
had been leveled by 1t. Her evasive
answers when he spoke Of their COM
ing marriage worried him a little. but
her professional assertion that for the
present his mind must be set first of
all upon his recovery reassured him In
measure.
Her mind was fully made up. No,
she could not bring herself to marry
the son OF man who had destroyed
and in a way disgraced her father.
She loved Philip, loved him in spite
of this hateful relationship. She would
have married him joyfully as Philip
Ames, a man Of the people: she would
have married him in poverty. in OBJ
security, in sickness, in anything except
his present state.
Her relations with the old million
aire were difficult. He spoke to her as
little as possible. Yet 1t was unavoid-
able that time and again they should
stand side by side watching over the
patient when the fever rose and his
chances Of recovery seemed doubtful.
1t was then that they listened to-
| gether to his delirious mutterings In
which his love for her, his admiration
and affection for him, his reverence
for his mothers memory. his perplex-
/ ity over the wrong committed, were
intermingled.
She began to like Haggleton. to ad.
mire the unvarying readiness Of re.
source. the determination and efficiency
that always We're at his service In the
sickroom, as they had been in the
marts of men and in Moran's tene-
ment.
Haggleton was fighting his final bat
tie. He had conquered Philip, Gentle
Joe Caffrey, Jenny, Moran even. re
pentant in his cell awaiting trial. Now
he was seeking to conquer Margaret
Gentle had long since surrendered tC
the enemy. gone over to his camp, bag
and baggage. his almoner already. mar
yelling every day at the way Haggle
ton had of making every one of his
preliminary gifts to the poor yield Its
hundred per cent of benefit Jenny
had been provided for. Haggleton had
seen to this too.
And the bakery trust. forgotten now
fiourished. 1t was selling better bread
and cheaper bread to the whole cas-
side. Joe Caffrey had found himself
there. He was in temporary charge
Of the offices In Moran's transformed
rooms. IF you want to make a lazy
man hustle give him a job bossin,
somebody else" Haggleton had sale
laughingly to Gentle.
Thus three weeks passed, weeks Of
diminishing anxiety. Philip had beer
declared out Of danger and was t.
make his first appearance at the din
ner table that night. Margaret's serv
ice as nurse had come to an end
She must make her final choice.
Haggleton left her alone with him, Il
his usual mental attitude Of prepared
ness for whatever might happen. hop
ing that he had won her for Philip and
Philip for himself. yet doubtful and
ready to do battle to the very last.
uaggleton talked with Gentle in tn,
library. He turned to the large pic
ture of his wife and their infant so
over the mantelpiece and looked at It.
you have recovered your son. MI
Haggleton," Gentle said. with reas
surfing conviction. Philip answers
the call OF the blood, as you said b.
would. He loves you"