River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1914-07-16

oiouShl tiiiS LOT you, KILL" she
said. Il know'd you would want
some. | got 5000 in the bank now and
there's 5000"
He hesitated about taking the
money.
You gotta take it, Pill. she said.
at will bring you back 70 me sooner
and you can pay it back in no time"
He took 800 of the money.
Boston Ed" tapped on the door and
then poked in his face.
"HoW's the old folks?" he asked.
Ihoy smiled at him in gratitude for
his kindness.
"fhe party breaking up?
Yes; you get Jennie home safe for
me. | gotta slope out of town." said
BILL
Husband and wife embraced and the
old probationer slipped from the room,
made his way through the geSticuat-
ing deaf and dumb patrons of the
saloon and disappeared into the night.
In his mountain refuge there were
hours of loneliness which beset John
Nelson He realized that the more he
achieved in life and the greater grew
his love for Molly Bryan the more ter
rible would be the reckoning for him
should the police ever corner him.
The oppreSSiveness of these hours be-
came such that he looked about for
mental occupation that would serve
TO drive from his thoughts the fear
that seemed to fasten on him with
tighter grip as the weeks passed.
In the Dark Corner he was the only
man with money and sufficient warmth
and food and shelter sound enough to
make actual physical existence bear
able in winter. The poverty OF the
mountain families was but little short
Of the poverty Of despair Many Of
them lived through the seasons with
their food from their patches of open
ground and their clothes by trading
The majority Of the people about him
could not read Some Of them had
never heard Of Christ AS he had turn
ed to the poor In the mill section OF
GERS of the Dark Corner With one OF
his negro servants he made excur-
sions from his castle, going from
cabin to cabin, finding out what was
needed most and giving freely, On
these Samaritan trips he carried a
pocket Bible. and when he could find
an excuse for SO doing he would read
to them the message that packs the
book from Genesis to Revelation that
the mercy of God shall endure forever
On the edge Of his estate he built
pine church with a tiny spire tipping
the tree line. Here he provided pull
pit for the mission priests and circuit
riders who travelled the mountain
paths Here he made place for the
word of God and not for the word Of
a diet or conference.
The snow Of the first winter I'm his
mountain home began to fly. and Mel
son made trip into the city to secure
the copies Of the Herald he had com
missioned newsdealer to save for
him. That night. before log fire in
his study. he spread the copies Of the
Herald on large table and arranged
them in order Of their issue. He dis
covered the reply Of Hawkins
Kid.-O X. December. Bill.
The old convict had managed in
some way to get his release from pris
on. He was coming to him. he Of all
the men who could help him, the only
man he could trust with his secret
Into Bill's hands he would give the
wealth he had acquired. give it freely,
gladly. that he might spend it in the
hunt for the man whose arrest and
conviction would take from him the
disgrace put upon him by the law that
had worked aDortiveIy
Hope that had practical reason back
Of 1t filed him. Molly was nearer to
him than she had ever been since the
heard her lovely voice. He felt as IL
be could go to her even then, for he
was filed with confidence newly born.
BY early spring he would finish his
most important invention, a new knit
ting machine that would replace those
already made. He would put up
knitting mill in conjunction with the
textile mills and have his own plant
He could bring Molly to his castle until
the day came when Bill would bring
In his quarry.
Molly and her father had made the
trip to his home and workshop once
during the previous summer. Nelson
had kept sacred the chair she had
used. A handkerchief she had left on
his working desk he allowed to remain
there undisturbed save when he would
pick it up and press it to his lips.
He was still holding the paper in his
hands and dreaming Of love and hap
piness and content when the telephone
rang. 1t was o'clock He picked up
the receiver eagerly.
YES" he said as he recognized her
voice.
ut is nearing Christmas time" she
told him, plaintive note In her voice.