Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-01-27

ness. Let father take the plant over
II you need money l have plenty
Wait" he interrupted sharply "Sjt
! down. want to talk to you" He
drew the wrap closer about her Shout
ders and led her to u deck chair The
change in him was becoming more ap
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repealed him by her lack of sympathy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 u failure to grasp his code of
honor. 1t never occurred to her that
any loyalty Of man to man could OFF,
set her simple will. She did not see
that his desertion of George would b."
nothing short of treachcry.
1t seemed to him all at once that
they had little III common. She was
wrapped completely in the web Of her
own desires. She would make her prciu
dices 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 bitter fight that had Slapped
his very soul: he had made and won
the struggle that n man makes once in
a lifetime. and now. just when he hnd
proved himself strong and fair in tn"
sight of his fellows. she asked him to
forego 1t all. Engrossed In her own
egoism. she required of him 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 dependent. Was
1t because she feared another girl?
She had tried to help him. he knew
in her way-and the thought of 1t
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 it as Of something Of
the past. After all. what she had done
had been little. considering her power.
She had given carelessly out Of her
abundance. while Cherry He saw it
all now, and a sudden sense Of loyalty
and devotion to the girl who had real
~ shared his struggles swept over him
In warm tide. 1t 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 long time the two sat talking
while these thoughts took gradual
form In the young mans mind, and.
although the deck was deserted. Miss
Wayland had now no need to curb her
once headstrong wooer.
He could not put into words the
change that was working in him, but
she saw 1t. and. grasping its meaning
at last. she began to battle like a
a mother for her child. His awaken.
ing had been slow. and hers was even
slower. but once she found her power
over him waning her sense Of loss
grew and grew as he failed to answer
to her half spoken appeal.
WOmanlike. she capitulatcd ut last
What matter If he stayed here where
his hopes were centered? This life in
the north had claimed him. and she
would wait until he came for her. But
still he did not respond. and 1t was not
long until she had persuaded herself
that his battle With the wilderness had
put red blood into his veins and his
conduct had been no worse than that
Of other men. Finally she tried to
voice these thoughts. but she only led
him to stiff denial Of the charges she
wished to forgive. AS she saw him
slipping further away from her she
summoned all her arts to rekindle the
flame which had burned so steadily.
and when these failed she surrendered
every prejudice. 1t was his love she
wanted. All else was secondary. AT
last she knew herself. She could have
cried Mt the sudden realization that he
had not kissed her since their parting
in Chicago. and when she saw he had
no will to do so the memory Of his last
embrace arose to torture her. She was
almost glad when launch bringing
her father came from the shore and
the old man Joined them.
The two men bore themselves with
unbending formality. unable as yet to
forget their mutual wrongs The in
corruption gave Boyd the opportunity
he had not been brave enough to make,
and he babe them both goodby. for the
tide was ut its flood. and the hour Of
their departure was at hand
There were a meaningless exchange
Of words and handshakc In the glare
from the cabin light that showed Mil
dred's pallid lips and frightened eyes.
Then Emerson went over the side. and
the darkness swallowed him up.
The girl clutched ut her fathers
arm. standing as II frozen while the
creak of rowlocks grew fainter and
fainter and died away. Then she
turned.
You see. he came!" she said.
The old man saw the agony that
y .