The Western outlook., 1915-04-10


mo. sir" answered Cupid, turning
white.
Dead, hey?" asked Joe Rogers.
mo. sir" said C6pid, looking
straight into Rogers's eyes. Some
how Joe Rogers found am excuse to
back away. He never questioned
Cupid after that.
Joe Rogers was at work in charge
of the men who were repairing the
big dam above Little Falls. 1t had
been called dangerous; people said
that IL ever it burst the food would
sweep away Little Falls as the flood
had destroyed Johnstown, and nobody
would have time to do anything but
pray, and pray fast Meanwhile the
dam was progressing toward compile
ton With the reinforced concrete
structure no one thought it would
break.
We used to hear gossip of the Cav
endish household from Emma, the
black maid. That was how we
learned that Henry Norman didn't
| like Cupid. In fact, 1t was said by
her that the first time the two men
met Mr.. Norman looked as though
he had seen ghost, while Cupid drew
himself up very stiff and looked at
Mr.. Norman in way that made her
blood run cold. However, Emma,
| faithful old soul that she was, was
fond of romancing. Still, we knew
that Mr. Norman had tried to per.
suade Miss Cavendish to get rid of
Cupid. Miss Cavendish refused. She
always had a will of her own. They
nearly quarreled over it till Mr.. Nor
man saw that it was case of yield
ing or losing Miss Cavendish-or her
| money.
That was the bitter part Joe Rog-
ers found out that Mr. Norman was
bankrupt. He had<hfdden away
enough of his property~to enable him
to dress like gentleman, and to
bring >Cavendish expensive flow
ers; but he wanted her cool fifty thou
sand, everybody knew. But nobody
I Is going to NEEDLE In such affairs.
Folks are cowardly In small towns
AS for Cupid, whatever he knew, he
kept quieter than ever. He worshiped
Miss Cavendish. That was easy to
see. But people said he wouldn't hold
his position long after the marriage,
which was only four weeks away
Now comes the astonishing part of
the story. Emma said she saw Cupid
foil 10 Mr. No txrr
were at the gate of Miss Cavendish's
house, and Norman was on his way
homeward after q call when Cupid
confronted him. What Emma was
doing there she did not pretend to
explain.
For the last time warn you to
leave Miss Cavendish alone" said
Cupid.
"You scoundrel!" Kissed Norman.
It'll have you arrested for blackmail. |
I'll"
1--WE know all about that, Mr.. Nor.
man." answered Cupid YEARLY you
are relying on my hot daring to bring
my wife's name into court. Maybe
you are right up to certain point,
but net when it comes to sacrificing a |
woman like Miss Cavendish."
Whas Norman answered Emma |
could not hear, but she saw Cupid |
elench his fists and Norman start |
away. And, as Cupid watched him
stink by there was queer look on |
the mans ugly face. 1t almost seemed |
as though he realized Norman was a |
coward and was meditating about it.
eff the dam don't burst tomorrow
she can't" Joe Rogers had said, and |
everyone repeated It, The key to the |
solid wall of masonry was to be
swung into position the next day
Some had said that the laying of the /
great blocks had disturbed the founda. \
lions of the old dam, but Joe ridi.
cufed that. After ten at night the /
following day the dam couldn't burst |
unless an earthquake struck it, hol
insisted. People grew little nerv4
Gus as the evening wore away. Black /
Emma had heard Miss Cavendish 4
laughingly tell Mr.. Norman, who was /
visiting her that evening, and she said
the man seemed scared when Miss
Cavendish told him their house stood
right in the line the torrent wouldI
take. &W |
Z Only Emma saw what happened at |
the house that night, and we have to |
rely on her. 1t seems that Norman |
was within half an hour of departing
kr-1
book together-when Cupid rushed
into the Hving-room without the pre-
liminary of knock.
'The dams burst% he yelled
There's just two minutes before the
flood catches u.s. Run for the hillside
or you'll be buried under a hundred
feet of wateri"
Emma screamed naturally. but she
was not so terrified as Norman. He
stared at Cupid with wild eyes for
the tenth of second. Then, with
yell, he was upon his feet, out through |
the glass of the window, which fell
in splinters all about him, and speed
ing with all his might for the hillside.
And just as Emma and Miss -Caven-
dish turned to run Cupid caught
them.
It's lie!" he cried There was a
look of triumph upon the fellows face.
The dam-the dam hasn't burst and
never will"
Emma said that for moment Miss
Cavendish stood still, watching his
face. Then suddenly she put her
hands to her own and burst into hys
terical tears and laughter. You see
she had been brought to "a realization
of Cupid's motive at last, and a thou.
SAND little traits In Norman which she