The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-09-05
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 ttWhat, m'sieur3'
 Unless I lose everything-but her"
 Jan's fingers trembled as they sought Thornton's hand.
 And everything is-is-nothing when you give it for love and happiness,'' he urged. tHThe great God, know
 Everything cried Thornton. Don't you understand? I said everything!'' He turned almost fiercely upon his companion. "Id give up my name for her. I'd bury myself back there in the forests and never go out of them for her. I'd give up fortune, friends, lose myself forever-for her. But can't. Good God, don't you under stand?'
 Jan stared. His eyes grew large and dark.
 "Ive spent ten years of worse than hell down there with a woman," went on Thornton. '.It happens among us frequently, this sort of hell. I came
 up here to get out of it for time.
 You know now. There is a woman
 down there who-who is my wife.
 She would be glad if I never returned.
 She is happy now when I am away,
 and I have been happy for time.
 know what love is. I have felt 1t. I
 
 am almost tempted to go back to her!"
 He stopped at the change which had
 come in Jan, who stood as straight
 and as still as the blank spruce be-
 hind them, with only his eyes show
 ing that there was life in him. Those
 eyes held Thornton's. They burned
 upon him through the gray gloom as
 he had never seen human eyes burn
 before. He waited, half startled, and
 Jan spoke. Tn his voice there was nothing of that which Thornton saw
 in his eyes. ' - 1 It was low and soft, and, though it
 had that which rang like steel. Thorn ton could not have understood or fear ed it more.
 ..Msieur, how far have you gone with her9'
 Thornton understood and advanced with his hands reaching out to Jan "Only as far as one might go with
 the purest thing on earth" he said. "I have sinned in loving her and in let
 ting her love me. but that is all, Jan
 Thoreau I swear that is a1l!' t<And you are going back into the
 sotth?'
 "Yes, I am going back into the | south''
 The next day Thornton did not go.
 He made no sign of going on the sec ond day. So it was with the third, the fourth and the fifth. On each of these days Jan went once, in the after noon, to the office of the subcommis- sioner, and Thornton always accompa- nied him. At times when Jan was not looking there was hungry light in his eyes as he followed the others move ments, and once or twice Jan caught what was left of this look when he turned unexpectedly. He knew what was in Thornton's mind, and he pitied him, grieved with him in his own heart until his own secret almost wrung it.
 self from his lips
 The ninth day was the last day for Jan Thoreau. In a dazed sort of way he listened as the subcommiSsioner told him that the work was ended. They shook hands. It was dark when Jan came out from the companys of
 fees, dark with a pale gloom through
 which the stars were beginning to glow with a ghostly gloom, frightened still more in the north with the rising fires of the northern lights. Alone Jan stood | for a few moments close down to the river. Across from him was the for est, silent, black, reaching to the end {, of the earth, and over it, like a signal light, beekoning him back to his world, | the aurora sent out it's shafts of red | and gold. And as he listened there came to him faintly a distant wailing sound that he knew was the voice froms that world, and at the sound the | hair rose along Kazan's spine, and he 1 whined deep down in his throat. Jan's breath grew quicker, his blood warmer. Over there-acrosS the river-his world i was calling to him, and he, Jan Tho 1 reau, was now free to go. This very 1 night he would bury himself in the for est again and when he lay down to l sleep it would be with his beloved stars | above him, and the winds whispering | sympathy and brotherhood to him in 1 ehe spruce tops. He would go-now. He | would say goodby to Thornton and go. He found himself running, and Ka- gan ran beside him. He was breath | less when he came to the one lighted | street of the town. He hurried to the 1 hotel and found Thornton sitting where i he had left him.
 ttIt is ended m'sieur,'' he cried in a ] low voice 'rIt is over and I am going. i I am going tonight
 l Thornton rose. Tonight" he re- l peated.
 i "Yes, tonight-new. I am going to 1 pick up my things. Will you come?' l He went ahead of Thornton to the 1 bare little room in which he had slept l while at the hotel He did not notice l the change in Thornton until he had 1 lighted a lamp. Thornton was Iook- ing at him doggedly. There was an l unpleasant look in his face. | D.