Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-04-15

ing-1cquaiiteu tneul with the fact
that Mr.. Gene had been up from San
Luis Obispo" for two days, waiting for
their arrival. Even as he smoke a
masculine voice uttered a hail from
the floor above and a mans ae,re
appeared on the stairway and ran
quickly down Cannon gave care.
less look upward.
"Ah there. Gene" he observed, turn
ing to the servant who was belnirr
him of with his coat. Come IN 70
town for spell?"
The young man did not seem 10 no.
tice anything especially ungracious
in the greeting or probably was used
to It,
Yes. just up for look around and
to see how you and Rosey were. Got
showed in. didn't your" he said, look.
ing at his sister.
She kissed him aifectionately and
drew him 10 the light where she sub
jected him to sharp, exploring scru-
tiny Evidently the survey was sat.
isfactory, for she gave him a little
slap on the shoulder and said:
Good boy. Gene, San Luis is agree
ing with you. Yes, we were showed
in for nearly three weeks. Papa's been
half crazy. And you've been In town
two days, Prescott says. 1t must have
been dull here all alone"
''Oh, | haven't been dull I've been
going round seeing the boys and
his sisters sudden, uneasy look
checked him and he answered 1t with
quick reinsurance OF glance and tone
Everything strictly temperance. Don't
you get uneasy I've lived up to my
promises. The ranch is mine all right,
father"
He had high, rather throaty voice,
which, without seeing his face, would
have suggested weakness and lack of
purpose. Now as he looked at his
father with slight and somewhat
foolish air Of triumph, the old man
responded to his remark with a sound
which resembled grunt of scornful
incredulity.
Really, Gene" said his sister, her
manner Of fond qualification in
marked contrast to her fathers rough
ness, that's the best news I've heard
for year It's worth being showed
up to hear that when you come out.
OF course you'll get the ranch. l al
ways knew you would. l always knew
you could pull up and be as straight
as anybody if you tried
The old man, who had been kicking
off his rubbers. here raised his head
with a bull-like movement, and sud
denly roared at the retreating butler
who was vanishing toward the dining.
room
my cigars. Where In hell are they?
Why doesn't somebody attend here?
The servant, with start of alarm
and a murmured excuse, disappeared
for a moTdent, to reappear, hurrying
breathles3ly with a box of cigars
Cannon selected one and turned to
the stairway.
How long are you down for?" he
said to bis son as he began ascending
Il thought week, perhaps two,
answered the young man. "A Teller
gets darned lonely, down there in the
country
There was something apologize, al
most pleading in his words and way
theirs receding figure as if quite OBJ
livious to the ruGeness of the large
retiring back and the manner Of care
less scorn.
Make it three" said the Bonanza
King, turning his head slightly and
throwing the sentence over his shoul
der.
Gene Cannon was now twenty-nint
years of age and had drunk since his
eighteenth year. His mother had died
in ignorance Of his vice When his
father discovered it, it simply aug
mented the old mans impatienct
against the feeble youth who would
carry on his name and be one Of the
inheritors of his fortune Bill Can
non had never cared much for his
only SON. He had early seen the stuff
of which the boy was made. 'DOesn'
amount to hill of BEANS he would
say, throwing the words at his wife
over the bitten end of his cigar. He
could have forgiven the drinking, a!
he could other vices, If Gene had hat
some of his own force, some of tha
driving power which had carried hin
| triumphant over friend and foe. Blu
the boy had no initiative, no brains
no energy. How did / ever come t
have such a SOM" he queried some
times in an access of disgust in which
| the surprise was stronger than tht
| disgust. The question possessed {