Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1914-01-20

mont?" asked Gloria. seeking to salts
fy her own curiosity now that she had
told him something about herself
Only month or So
II think it's the queerest thing in
the world that we should meet mere
of all places. What are you doing
here?"
And then Wright lied He did not
have time to consider what might be
the ethics OF the case. He listened to
his heart, which may have made hlni a
traitor to himself, and answered
promptly:
i've been doing some magazine
writing and an occasional bit OF Jews
paper and similar work"
Had he been asked he could not
have explained why he had not replied
just as promptly that he was the own
er of the Belmont News What the
real reason was he could not even ex-
plain to himself Earlier in the eve
ming he had talked glibly of Jews
paper and its duty, and here an hour
later he was denying his own Under
the fire of pair of laughing eyes
Gloria. whose ideas of business we're
as vague as her notions of politics or
esoteric Buddhism, accepted his oxpla-
nation as adequate; especially since
she recalled that when in Europe he
had been writing some magazine ar
tictes about the tariff. Since she never
thought about the matter at all she
never thought it strange that Belmont
should be the place for such Iabors.
Have you ever been TO Locust
Lawn?" was her next question
Il have that pleasure in store for
me"
This pleased her Even before he
came there were many little things
she could do to make the house appear
to better advantage Although he had
not yet made explanation of his fail.
ure to come to Paris. she found her
self anxious to have him once more
on the old footing OF intimate friend
ship.
Are you the same as in tbs mad
old. glad old Paris days?" he asked.
She parried the question with an
other
Are your"
In some respects-ouly more SO"
That's a riddle, ! hate riddles."
As he made no reply to this. she went
on after the pause Of which he had not
taken advantage Il hope we meet
accidentally as often as you met our
party abroad"
Was it accident" he made bold to
ask.
Wasn't it? You pretended it was"
Then the miscellaneous little spirit that
ruled her tongue forced her to say, Il
don't blame YOU; | think Aanabel
Hitchcock is beautiful girl Ne all
know you were crazy about her"
WAS II" Rising infection
Weren't you?" Also rising infiec-
ton.
I'm admit / followed your party"
he conceded.
Now we're getting at the truth of
the matter, she replied triumplantly
She felt she was teasing him and she
Gu IT. nut WHY h&dii gOtt NOIit
on to Paris as you promised us? I'd
like to know why we suddenly lost
you. Was it another girl even pre:tier
than Annabel?"
He did not join her when she
laughed at the picture she had painted.
All the light joyousness. the first
which had been his since he had come
to Belmont. died out OF his face as he
answered:
After the Rhine had hoped to
meet you in Paris again looked
forward to it as the beginning OF an
other happy time. And then. in Lon
don. received a cable-my mother
was dying"
NO" protested the girl, her eyes
wide with pity
Il had just time to catch the express
for Liverpool that would nut me
aboard liner an hour before she
sailed Miss Kerr, know | Thought OF
Paris. but things all seemed blurred
to me. and so the message had
planned To you-not to Miss Hitchcock
was never sent"
My poor friend
Il reached America too late"
I'm so sorry" she sighed,
He had told the whole story. There
was nothing more 10 say.
Both sat gazing into the open FIRE.
busy with the thoughts OF life and
death. At last Gloria said quietly,
..-s.h - ,,>or., ,,nvnDapt Tho If har
thoughts had of themselves become
vocal:
Tell me OF your mother. | never
knew my mother, and so | eavy YOU.
You loved herr"
I loved her" he began. Oh his
own affairs he seldom spoke, yet here
was one who by her very presence
made him glad to tell his story and
glad that Il was q story he could tell
with pride. Son never loved mother
more And never did son owe a
mother more than | owed mine.
never knew my father. He was good
man. but not provident. When he died,
mother found she had 10 support her
self and me. an only child. o Miss
Kerr. ii you knew the bitterness of
that struggle as l know il your heart
would ache. too, at thought Of it."
He paused, but something clutehed
az Gloris's throat She could not
speak
IF mother could have fault. il
was her pride OF me- | SUPPOSE when
all the things she had planned for her
self came 10 uaught at my fathers
death she centered everything on me.
1t wasn't right, OF course, because
wasn't worth it, but l tried. always
tried to be worthy OF that p.de. And
when she came TO die-she wrote"
l. -.