Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1910-12-20


tory of his pilgrimage into the north.
"Yes," he replied; "as miner am
a very wretched failure"
She shrugged her shoulders in dis
approval.
Don't use that termw she cried.
There is no word so hateful to me
as 'failure'-l suppose because father
has never failed In anything. Let us
say that your success has been de-
layed."
Every well. That suits me better
also, but you see I've forgotten how
to choose nice words"
| They were seated in the library,
where for two hours they had remain
ed undisturbed, Emerson talking rap
idly, almost incOherently.
"And YOU did all that for me-" she
mused. 81 wonder If any other man
l know would take those risks just for
me"
"Of course. Why, the risk, l mean
the physical peril and hardship and
discomfort, don't amount to-that." He
snapped his fingers. 1T was only the
unending desolation that hurt; 1t was
the separation from you that punished
me-the thought that some luckier fel-
| low might
"Nonsensew Mildred was really IN
dignant. II told you to fix your own
time, and l promised to wait. Even If
l had not-cared for you ! would have
kept my word. That Is a Wayland
principle. AS 1t is. 1t was-compara-
lively easy"
Then you do love me. my ladyT'
He leaned eagerly toward her.
do you need to ask?" she whisper
ed from the shelter Of his arms. ut
| ls the same old fascination Of our girl
and boy days. Do you remember how
completely lost my head about you"
She laughed softly. 81 used to think
you wore football suit better than
anybody in the world Sometimes |
suspect that 1t is merely that same
girlish hero worship and can't last.
But 1t has lasted-so far. Three years
Is q long time for a girl like me to
wait. isn't it?"
81 know. knoww be returned jeal-
ously.
"But legions Of men are counting you.
Oh, know. Haven't devOured So
ciety columns by the yard? The pa
pers were six months old. to be sure,
when got them. but every mention
Of you was just like knife stab to
me. | used to torture my lonely soul
with pictures OF you. You were never
out Of mind for an hour. Ny days
were given to you. and | used to pray
that my dreams might hold nothing
but you. You have been my fetish
from the first day met you. and my
worship has grown binder every hour.
Mildred. Oh. my lady. how beautiful
you are!"
And indeed she was, for her face, or
dinarily SO imperious. was now softly
alight; her eyes. which other men
found cold. were kindled with rare
warmth Of understanding: her smile
was almost wistfully sweet.
He recalled how excited he had been
in that faraway time when he had
first learned her identity. for the name
Of Wayland was spoken soundingly In
the middle west In the early stages
of their acquaintance he had looked
upon her aloofness as an afectat1on.
but a close intimacy had compelled a
recognition Of 1t as something wholly
natural. He found her as truly pa
trician rs Wayne Wayland. her father.
could wish. The old mans domain was
greater than that Of many princes. and
his power more absolute His only
daughter he spoiled as thoroughly as
he ruled his part Of the financial world.
and willful Mildred, once she had taken
an interest In the young college man so
evidently ready to be numbered among
her lovers. did not pause half way.
but made her preference patent to all
and opened to him realm Of dazzling
possibilities.
And when he had graduated how
proud of her he had been! How little
he had realized the gulf that separated
them, and how quick had been his
awakening!
1t was Wayne Wayland who had
shown him his folly. He had talked
to the young engineer kindly, il firmly.
being too shrewd an old diplomat to
fan the fame of headstrong love
with vigorous opposition.
Mildred is rich GIRL" the old
financier had told Boyd, "a very rich
girl. one Of the richest girls in this
part of the world, while you, my boy
what have you to offer"
"Nothlng! But you were not always
what you are now." Emerson had re-
piled. Every man has to make
start. When you married you were
as poor as am"
Granted! But l married poor
girl from my own station in life. For
tunately she had the latent power to
develop with me as grew. so that we
kept even and I never outdistanced
her. But Mildred is spoiled to begin
with. spoiled her purposely to pre-
vent just this sort Of thing She is
bred to luxury. her friends are rich.
and she doesn't know any other kind
| of life."
And so it was that Boyd Emerson
had gone to Alaska, to the Klondike,
to win a fortune and thus to win the
girl he loved. He fixed his own time
for returning. and 80 1t was that NIL
dred Wayland had awaited him.
If today. after three years of depri'
yation, she seemed to him more beau
tiful than ever--tne interval having
served merely to enhance her charm
and strengthen the yearnlng OF his
heart-she seemed In the same view
still further removed from his sphere
His story finished. Boyd went on to
tell her vaguely of his future plans
and at last he asked her, with some
thing less than an accepted lovers
confidence:
"Will you wait another year?'
She laughed lightly. "You dear boy
| l am not up for auction. This is not
the third and last CALL l am not sure
| could induce anybody to take me
even II l desired"
81 read the rumor Of your engage
ment In a San Francisco paper"
She mentioned a number OF names
counting them of on her finger tips