Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-02-07
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Victorious Sacrifice
(cOpyrighs 1911. by Associated Literary Press.)


IT shall be out of the city when you
receive this. It will be better for US
both. God bless you, my dear, sweet
girl. Do not worry about me. In
few years l shall return and look 10
see you happy in your marriage
Fifteen minutes after this letter had
disappeared in the remorseless jaw Oh
letter box, Owen Cuthbert was on
a train bound for New York and
message speeding ahead of him over
the wires was ordering a stateroom IN
a liner due to sail next day.
Events move swiftly in the be-wired
and be-railed world in these days. me
sun had set only a hundred times on
Mr. owen Cuthbert when 1t rose
again on a person who looked won
drously different from the conven-
tionally arrayed, luxurious, easy-go1ng
Mr.. owen Cuthbert Of the clubs.
This one hundredth and one sun
rose on a Cuthbert in rags that once
had been khaki. Instead of a monot-
onous avenue with solemn houses,
there was a monotonous desert with
solemn rocks.
nigh ONSInSdQ d fultu1V was SSN~'
ing. The ragged person looked at 1t
and made a gesture of helpless dis
gust that was nearer horror. Then
he took a drink 1t was not pleas
ant, cool, fragrant mixture brought in,
a frosted glass by a trained cluDe
servant. 1t was stale water gulped
from a dusty, canvas-covered canteen.
Mr. Owen Cuthbern would not have
objected to that alone. He had ar
rived at point where stale water
tasted pretty good. What bothered
him was that it was the last drop.
WELL" said he, deliberately address
ing himself, big game hunting is all
right until a fellow becomes the big
game in his own person"
Owen Cuthbert's humorous words
belied his real feelings. He was not
in merry mood and his testing self
communion was sardonic. High above
him, the vulture, patiently circling.
gave the joke an unpleasant point.
He did not deceive himself into any
| belief that he could escape from his
predicament alive, although he knew
that the Uganda railroad lay only
days march distant across the Afri-
can plain. The spear-thrust in his leg
would not permit him to crawl even
to the shade of the scrub a hundred
| feet away. He was as helpless as a
fettered man. Soon burning thirst as
sailed him, but he could only long for
water The dreaded wound-fever grew.
He began to see wild visions in the
quivering heat-waves. Now he saw
his treacherous native guides rushing
at him. He went through the minutes
while he held them off with his rife.
Again he saw the broad-bladed spear
flashing zig-zag CLEANS as 1t hurtled
at him.
He called to them again and again,
as he had called when they ran of
with his plumber, first threatening,
then beseeching. He had intervals of
Inconsistencies now when all was
blessedly blank and cool and dark.
Suddenly he dreamed of a spring.
He heard It's splash from moist. spray
freshened rocks. He stopped, and the
glorious liquid touched his lips.
"Oh, owen, Owen, Owen!" he heard
voice say close to his face. It was
a voice broken by sobs.
Something was pressed to his lips
something bitter that made pain
and knowledge pass away.
In a little village of little from
houses, Owen Cuthbert came back to
his knowledge of himself again He
was lying on a cool. white cot. Over
his face fan was moving gently The
49, L1II 20
white. But what held his eye was
that on one finger shone a ring-aud
1t was the ring that he had pressed
on Mar1orie's finger on the night of
! their engagement!
Owen, my dear, dear, brave. kind
darling!" said voice. It was Mar
jorie's.
You great, noble old goose" said
she, little later. when received
your letter. couldn't understand r.
and couldn't reach you, though faith
er and George Kingdom and I wrote
and sent kilograms to every place we
could think of. But when Anderson
wrote to George about the donation
from an unknown patron, we nut two
and two together quickly enough
since we knew that he was your law
yer. We realized then that you mnst
have discovered our conspiracy
against you"
Owen Cuthbert looked at her. won
deringly and with a delighted hone IN
her eyes.
Come here, Mr.. and Mrs George
Kingdon!" called Marjorie. clapping
her hands and laughing with joy
VIII you forgive me. Cuthbert9"
said Kingdom. advancing with Owen,s
sister Florence. I'VE were afratd
that you would not consent tn o,-
marriage on account of-on accorn+
Of my well-known poverty, you know
So we conspired to elope."
'Yes!" cried Marjorie. "And sr
mhan we realized what 49, ~