Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-08-18
3Y THOMAS DIXON
Copyright, 1911, by Thomas Dixon.
Pub. BY Doubleday, Page & Co., N. Y.
sSsE5g1gIg5eg5D9D d6 Gg5SE5E9s1E1s(s
BOOK III-THE FLOWER.
CHAPTER VII-Continued.

pdSSlOll, ILlC SOohA hAAAo SPR
voice were more than he could resist.
A wave of desperate longing convulsed
his being. He seized her hand with
cruel force.
Look into my eyes, Mani" he cried,
"and let me see the bottom of your
SOUL"
She lifted her dark lustrous eyes, de-
vouring him with love.
You'll find only your image there,
jim"
He looked at her sternly.
Before 1 take you into my arms
and smother you with Kisses" he whis-
pered fiercely, there mustn't be any
mistake this time. I've got to know
that your love for me is the biggest
thing in your life-the only thing in
your life!"
II swear it," she gasped.
you've got to prove it.; I'm going to
put you to the test"
ANY test!" she broke in quickly.
II warn you," he went on, with in
creasing seriousness, "the test will be
a real one. You and I, Nan, could
never be happy with the shadow OF
Bivens's fortune over u.s."
But, it's shadow can't be over US!
It's going to be yours. He has given
it to me-his death is only a question
of a year or two-and I'm going to
give it all to YOU"
The strong jaws closed with sudden
energy.
There's not dollar of his millions
that isn't smirched. I'd sooner wear
the rags Of a leper than soil my hands
with it."
Then I'll have to hold it in trust
for you," she laughed.
There's where the test comes-you
can't do it. If you love me you will
have to give up these millions"
Jim, you're not serious?"
Never more serious in my life"
Nan gazed at him in astonishment
and broke into low laugh.
"Of course you're teasing me. You
can't be in earnest in such an absurd
dime-novel idea! Give away this
enormous fortune, this power equal to
the sway of kings which you can WELD
with a strength and dignity the man
who made it never knew? You can't
be in earnest?"
Il am" was the firm answer.
The woman placed her hand tenderly
in his and nestled close to his side.
Come, Jim, dear, this is & practical
world, you have some common sense
even if you are a man of genius; you're
not insane!"
Il think not" he answered, soberly.
You can not make this absurd de-
mand on me-" she repeated slowly,
knowing the awful price l paid for
these millions?"
Its because I know it that make
the demand" he went on, passionate
ly. I'VE are face to face now, you and
l, with all the little subterfuges and
lies of life torn from our eyes. The
fact that the price at which he bought
you was high-say hundred millions
does not change the fact. I refuse
to share with the woman I love the
price for which she sold herself, wheth-
er the sum be a hundred dollars or a
hundred millions! 1 can forgive and
have forgiven the wrong you've done
me, but could never share its con-
scious degradation"
A flush of anger overspread Mans
face.
Jim, this is stupid pride, the stu
pidest of all pride, the vainest and the
meanest, the pride Of the poor man.
It's detestable. I thought you were
greater. There's some excuse for the
pride of wealth, but there's none for
the pride Of poverty"
It's a question of character" was
the firm answer. TT cuts to the deep
est issues of life between us. There
can be no compromise"
Nan looked at him in despair, her
eyes suddenly clouding with tears.
What do you mean when you say
give up these millions?"
Just what 1 say" he answered
quickly.
But llIO" iIIeO SAA>
street, what would do with them?"
You can give them back to the peo-
pie, the public, from whom they were
taken; the people whose labor created
their value. That's what an honest
man does when he finds he has wrong
ed his neighbor The things we possess
come at last to possess us. In very
deep and real sense they give to us
their character. An ermine robe tha
covers a leper does not make him
king, but the royal robe at las
breathes leprosy. You can't separate
money from the process of its making
1t has no value in itself. It is only
symbol, and always takes soul IRON
the hand of it's creator. There's not
stone in your palaces whose cemen
was not mixed in human tears. Tn'
thread of your carpets, rugs and cur
tains. Your magnificent paintings, youl
gorgeous furniture, your beds OF ebon!
and carved ivory-do you think thes'
things possess no soul? Do you thinl
they could not laugh at me?''
Surely, you are not such a weak
lingl" Nan cried, with a flush OF con
tempt.
IF to hold honor dearer than lif'
is the creed of a weakling, am one
But you are talking like a mat
anarchist His money was made as al
great fortunes are made"
so much the worse for our hnah
ciers. Civilization must rest at leas
on justice or it can't endure"
But, Jim, no matter what your the
ories of life or your ambitions, thes
millions will make them more power
full"
It's not true. Not a single grea
man whose words have moulded tn
world was rich. The combined for
tunes of Darwin, Mozart, Shakespeare
Raphael, Aristotle, Socrates, Moham
med. and Buddha weren't equal to tn