River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-05-22


ter than he had tasted on the trip.
Bivens was still In an ugly mood and
refused to leave his stateroom or al
low any one but the doctor TO enter.
He was suffering intense pain from
his frostbitten fingers and toes and
ears and still cherished his grudge
against Stuart. He had carefully con-
cealed from both the doctor and Nan
just what had occurred between them
on the trip that day.
On the second morning after the
freeze a light dawned on the little
mans sulking spirits. During the
night the ice softened, and a strong
southerly breeze had swept every piece
Of it to sea.
It was just O'Clock, and Nan was
busy humming a song and setting the
table for breakfast when Stuart heard
the distant drumbeat of tenders en-
CINE The guide was returning from
the shore or the lost tender had come.
If it were the guide he would proba-
bly, bring news of the other men. Stu
art called:
"A tender is coming, Nan. Don't
come on deck until l tell you"
In a moment he came back down
tones
'Tts just as 1 expected. They are
both dead. The guide found them on
the marsh over there, frozen"
1.-THE marsh you and Cal were onY'
she asked breathlessly.
Eyes Both of them were kneelng.
They died with their hands clasped
In prayer"
"And you saved Cal from that?"
she gasped and, turning, fed into her
staterOOm.
He went in to change his clothes
and help lift the bodies on deck.
Through the paneled wall he heard
Nan softly sobbing.
Bivens refused at first to believe
He hurriedIy dressed, came on deck
and for five minutes stood staring into
the white, dead faces.
Without word he went below and
asked the doctor to call Stuart.
When his old friend entered he took
his hand quietly, and for once in his
life the little, black. piercing eyes
were swimming in tears as he spoke.
You're a great man, jim, and,
what's bigger, you're good one. If
God will forgive me for the foolish
things l said and did I'll try to make
it up to you, old boy. Is it all right?'
Stuarts answer was nod, smile
and a pressure Of the hand.
When they were back in New York
the stirring scenes of Virginia brought
Stuart more and more into intimate
personal relations with Bivens, and
he had taken advantage of the fact to
draw away from his wife. He ceased
to see Nan alone Bivens' increasing
devotion made this easy, and on Har-
riet's return from Europe with an en-
gagement as understudy in grand
opera his life settled down once more
to the steady development of his
ideal of service to the common people.
Scarcely a day passed without bring
ing to the young lawyer some remind
er of Bivens' friendship. Two great
lawsuits involving the principles on
which the structure of the modern
business world rested were begun in
the federal courts At the financier's
secret suggestion the more important
of these was placed in Stuart's hands.
Bivens hoped to beat the government
In this suit, but in case the people
should win be wanted Stuart to have
the honor.
Stuart could scarcely credit his ears
when Bivens said to him with a
chuckle:
"How's your big suit to dissolve the
American Chemical company coming
on, Jim?"
"We're going to win, beyond the shad-
ow of a doubt!' was the enthusiastic
reply.
"If you do, want you to know, old
boy. that l threw that job into your
hands,
What a funny mixture of the devil
and the human you are after all, Cal!