Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1913-05-27

The question seemed to touch a
nerve that startled and then ssiffened
him. He answered it with his head
turned toward her. .he eyebrows Eft
ed, a combative note in his voice:
Il don't whether she does or
not" He stopped and then said. with
his face flushing. NO, l don't think
she does"
How can you leave her, them"
You expect too much of weak hu-
man nature" he said.
No." she answered, II don't. /
only expect what you can do
He turned and looked at her.
Then I'm to live for the rest of
my life with a wife don't care for,
separated from the woman | love-?
What is there in that to keep mans
heart alive?"
THE knowledge that we love each
other. That's good deal, l think"
1t was the first time she had said
in words that she loved him. There
was no trace Of embarrassment or
consciousness on her face; instead she
seemed singularly calm and steadfast,
much less moved than he. Her words
shook him to the soul. He turned his
eyes from her face and grasping for
her hand, clasped it. and pressed 1t
to his heart, and to his lips, then
loosed it and rose to his feet, saying
to himself:
Yes, that's a good deal"
Her eyes followed him, and then
brought up on the schooner bearing
away on its long tack, strained and ca
reening in the breeze that. down there
in the open, blew fresh and strong
from the great Pacific.
Its a schooner" she said absently.
Where do you suppose it's going?"
81 don't know. Somewhere long
way off, l hope. Ny devils are sailing
away on it."
They stood side by side. gazing
down at it till she moved away with
sudden "Good-by."
"Gcod-by," he answered. and
stretched out his hand.
Berry had been turning over in her
mind the advantages of accepting the
money-had been letting herself dwell
upon the delights of possible posses
sion-when at the Sunday dinner that
afternoon Josh McCrae threw her
back into the state of incensed rejec-
ton with which she had met the first
offer With his face wreathed in joy
Gus grins. he had apprised her of the
fact that only an hour earlier, while
walking on Telegraph Hill. he had
seen Dominick there talking with Miss
Cannon.
She was quiet for the rest of the
afternoon, but it was not till she had
reached her own home, silent in its
untenanted desertion, that she had
an opportunity to turn the full vigor
of her mind on what she had heard.
She put from her mind all intention
of ever taking the money. She want
ed it desperately, terribly.
She knew that the interview for
which Bill Cannon had asked was for
last, deciding conversation. He was
to make his final offer 1t was a mo-
ment Of torture to her when she won
dered what it would be, and her mind
lowered in distracted temptation over
the certain two hundred thousand dol
lars and the possible quarter of a
million.
She was in this state of feverish dis
tractedness when she went to Bill
Cannon's Office.
Nothing could be more disarmingly
friendly than the old mans greeting.
What asked you to come here for
today was to talk about this matter,
to talk further, to thresh 1t out some
more. I've seen Mrs. Ryan since our
last meeting. She doubles her offer
to you. She'll give you two hundred
thousand dollars to leave her son."
Well / won't" said Berry, drawing
herself TO the edge of the chair. "She
can keep her two hundred thousand
dollars"
Don't be in such hurry; I've not
finished yet. This is just between
you and me-" he went on slowly, his
voice lowered, dropped to the key of
condolences. III give you another
hundred thousand. I'll put it with
Mrs. Ryan's pile, and it'll run your
fortune up well past a quarter OF
million"
You think that l don't know why
you're offering me this money. Well,
old man, l do. You want to get my
husband for your own daughter. Rose
Cannon"
1t was Cannons turn to be speech
less. He had not for years received
so unexpected and violent a blow. He
sat in the same attitude, not moving
or uttering sound, and looking at
Berry with pair of eyes that each
second grew colder and more steely-
Come" he said with sudden author
ity, 81 can't waste my time this way.
Are you going to take the money or
not?"
His manner, as if by magic, had
changed. Every suggestion of defer
ence or consideration had gone from
1t.
viii you take the money!"
mol" she said loudly. Don't ask
me that again!"
"All right" he answered quietly,
that ends our business. Do you know
your way out, or shall l ring for Gran
ger to see you to the door,"
1t was late, almost dark, that eve
ming when Cannon left his Office. As
ne walked down Montgomery Street
to the car, he pondered on Berry,
wonderingly and with a sort of be-
grudging, astonished admiration of a
courage that he could not but admire.
How she had found out about Rose
he could not imagine. only it was very
engaging that she should have done
so. 1t was the last, and most detest-
able fact in the whole disagreeable