Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-01-08
HAPTE vIII-lcontinued).

1H-
Il told her to 90 on. seize all the best
In 1t. She is q grand little girl, some
way. You know I've lived south
know her temperament know all
she's had to fight, too, cut at Lind
strom's. Know and sympathize with
Il don't suppose another person in all
the town could know or care!"
Il don't imagine" Janet knew Wiley
Curran. Somehow, II there was q
homeless old soldier. or a destitute
family in the county, they always
came to Wiley's attention-he was ever
knowing and caring, helplessly In his
penniless struggle with News.
for herr" .
- don't know. Only befriend her
All the towns laughing over her win
ming a beauty prize. No one evel
noticed her, except Sc was considered
pretty and eccentric. The big fat
heads!" he cried breathlessly. docs
any one suppose they'd see that mar.
and all that odd quality Of her mind
n soul"
"wiley?' Miss Vance sat back. he,
lips frightened.
"Oh, / know! scold me-say / can't
afford 1t! That It's aroused q lot OF
rot in town, and / shouldn't be in 1t!
But she came to me-said she / wae
almost her only friend In Rome. And
with all this notoriety-Aurelie, bewil-
dered, Observation-Disclosures protection
a-frtend!"
you consider yourself a.
Don't laugh. l tell you she woke
me up!"
What possibly could she have to dc
with your awakening?
w had a long talk. A splendid
talk, Janet. I saw the hopeIessness OF
her Afe II she stayed here. There's
nothing for her here. And now. who
can tell? Why, I'll bet she gets pro-
posals of marriage by the dozen
artists will want to paint her, mana
gers will want her to go on the stage
everything is possible with her! And
she left 1t to me-. Janet-and 1 told her
go-seize all the good in life. anyhow
anyway-live. live!'
And you?" Janet pursued pitilessly,
"Ah. well! That little girl-suffer-
Ing SO. And only I know how she is
suffering! | told you it fired me. She
grew so wide-eyed and big with 1t, and
determined to be somebody! And j
though of myself-the years I'd wasted,
you, child! II you can / cant l don't
know how 1t was. but I felt my old fire
again-my old ambition! That's why
I promised you, Janet, to make this
fight"
Yes" Janet answered slowly. "Til
help YOU. Wiley"
He could not see her face. She was
watching her brother bring the rig
across the street. But the splendor
seemed to have died for her; IN its
stead was the old shrewd patience cf
n successful touched now
with pathos Of some haunting defeat,
Yes. III help you. Wiley" she added
and arose to 20.
Wiley watched them drive away. Al
the end Of the street the gray OF the
autumn country began: the lonely
the home fires were burning. So they
thought something of him out there?
Curran OF the News-the heart In
exile. h man without place and
honor? They believed In him, the
brown-armed quiet men; they had
watched him fiEht. heard his incessant
cutlery against every wrong. every
privilege OF class whether In the OBJ
" countrywide. or u In the great
world? He could not tell. It had
seemed az Il he spoke alone, champion
Ing valiant but hollow theories against
their complacent incredultty. He had
enyied. at times. che prosperous town
tradesmcn. professional men. tho best
people-thoy had not spent their hearts
acryinR out Tor new things-and the
county had enriched them.
But nov out Of his long and hidden
despair Of himself q great vision came;
the farm home lights were beacon fires
lighted Tor m eternal struggle, await
Ing tho coming leaders. And his heart
cried out that he would be one 10
answer: he understood at last what
Arne meant. He heard the traps OF the
young men UP the hill.
SEN1rrA1a