The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1913-02-13
HIS RISE
POWER
By Henry Russell Miller,
Author Of
1.-THE Man Higher Up"
Copyright. M. BY ets oobbs.Aaenis
Company
Cs9ydght. M. By Tie oobss.Aleris
Compasy

III
Company
I'm needing friends to DO II. too. III
spite of that | made yOu an offer ir
good faith. II there's anything in YOU
I'd have given you the chance tc
prove 1t.
81" he concluded. and he spoke as OF
some divine edict. fixed and immutablP
~ rarely offer friendship to those
who fight me--never twice"
He went out.
The East ridge colony was gone.
scattering its charms broadcast from
Lakewood to Bar Harbor. Only thr
Hampdens We're left. and they were
soOu to depart Katherine and her
mother to 90 abroad for the latter
health which. to be sure, was so good
q to be worth preserving John and
Haig had arranged to make together
enc September evening their farewell
pilgrimage to the ridge. II ill.,
That evening John spent great deal
II care over his toilet. .'.'. .
He drove to the home of Silas Hicks,
where Haig. wisely avoiding the hos
pltality Of the hotel. had his rooms.
somewhat to his dismay. be was in
formed that Haig had discovered some
mysterious errand requiring his atten
don, had departed a half hour earlier
and had left word that he would later
meet John at their Mecca.
That's funny" muttered John as he
drove away. He strongly suspected
the validity Of Haig's errand and de-
hated seriously the advisability of turn
ing back and sending his farewells by
note. pleading as excuse for his non
appearance some unexpected business
natter He solemnly assured himself
that he was fool. both for having
1allied with unhappiness all summer
and for going now on journey that
could only intensity futile longings.
He sustained the Indictment by con-
tdnuing his journey. When he found
Katherine. they stroIled. Katherine
chatting unconccrnedly. to a seat in ii
retired corner Of the grounds-only the
fact would not have been significant to
JOhn-where she had sat so long after
her talk with Warren Blake.
She leaned back in one end Of the
seat. He sat ut the other. as far away
from her as he could. half facing her
She was not really beautiful-her fea-
lures were too firm for that-yet even
another than John might have been
excused for thinking her so in the
softening light Of the rising moon
Only her eyes. softly lustrous in the
pale light. marked her suppressed ex-
element. .s....s. ......... ..... ...Na.
DO you realize" she said, this is
he first time we've been alone this
summer? You have really managed it
vsfy awkwardly." As though she had
not done all the managing!
He had nothing to say -|
"Am l such an ogress, or have you
bseu afraid that I'd propose to you
sGainT'
Il haven't been fool enough to take
hat seriously" he said quickly. And
I'm old enough to know the danger OF
playing with fire. At least" he added.
II ought to have known it."
He could not help thinking Of the
Aonths to. come when. with less en-.
crossing tasks to take bis mind from
>Ae ache. ne must renew the loneliness,
grown more poignant. of the last win
Ter. He wondered now at his weak
ness in letting himself. despite bis
knowledge Of her and Of what she
meant to him. be drawn again within
the circuit Of her charm. #.a Il
He became aware that she was
speaking. with that amazing courage
which was always hers. r
Il am sorry" she said. But
haven't been fair to you. The things
tnther works for are what appeal to
me, not the things you dream Of
The prestige. the power, the knowl-
edge that belong to the men who are
e0nquer1ng. not dreams or ideals. count
With me. 1t isn't very pretty. is it.
kom your point Of view? But it's
tue. IL could wish 1t were different
Last summer it was different. was
trying to decide what | wanted. IL
eave always been more or less in love
with you ever since can remember.
And saw you were beginning to care.
l unsexed myself. pursued. to learn
whether you were what wanted.
t1fed to believe. to make you believe.
that could have you and the rest.
And don't greatly blame myself for
that. Because am woman must
~ passively by and wait for happi-
osss to come? was drifting between
Two ideals. but-struggling against e
u course toward you. Do you know
It's your fault didn't drift further7
You wouldn't take me- You made Z
mistake the night Of that rally, being
% fnical in your notions Of q poor
mans honor You ought to have taken
me in your arms and made me 60 to
you should have e-gladly-
faithfully too. But you wouldn't"
He listened unresponsive to her
words that. halting sometimes. fell In
w, measured tones with q curious,