The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-08-05

DdCk W M0IlOu TUT mOmeut tue
old life came rushing over him, with
its memories, its thousand allure
ments. And the neville meant moth
ing.
He mounted his horse and rode
slowly down the valley. He had NO
destination in mind. but suddenly he
realized that he was approaching the
homesteader's house. And at the door
stood Norma, in her snnbonnet.
She greeted him. Wont you come
in and take some tear" she asked.
Il hear you are going East, MI.
Thorpe"
He ,dismounted, and now he saw
that her lips were trembling. How
had she known he was going East!
Did news fly as fast In this settlement
rs In the great world? And what did
It matter to her?
Yes, am going East. Norma" he
answered. taking her hands in his.
II congratulate you." she an.
swered quietly. Eut he saw the tears
In her eyes.
You have meant 90 much to me-"
he said impulsively. Il hate the
thought of going. And yeti is my
duty, suppose"
Then you must Co." said the girl
softly. She was smiling very bravely
at him. Won't you come in?'
Mo- can't now" he said crudely.
Norma, l SHALL shall see you again
before l CO."
She nodded, and he knew the mean.
ing Of her silence. The girl cared for
him, and in her unsophisticated way
was incapable Of eonceaiment. He
saw her walk back quickly into the
cabin.
Marion's train was to arrive the fol.
lowing morning. viii rode down to
the depot with a heavy heart. The
old and the new were Juggling at it,
and he did not know which pulled him
the harder. There were SO many
memories here-yet the thought of
Marion came to him like a flood of
sunlight. How he had loved Marion!
She had tacitly released him by her
silence, and yet doubtless she would
explain that. He would follow her
soon. He saw the old life wildly,
their marriage, the quiet home in Bos.
ton.
The train was pulling in. He had
stood on the platform in a sort of
daze. Now he awakened suddenly,
and he felt his heart beating hard in
anticipation. The men about the plat
form were watching him curiously. He
looked into the carriages Of the train
as It came to q halt. He walked it's
length. Marion was not there. Had
she missed her train?
Still dreaming. WIFI" asked a hard
voice over his shoulder.
He started round, to see Marion,
with party Of girl friends, dressed in
the height of fashion, looking at him
with smile.
Dear me, ! must be very hard to
find" she said. We'll! When are
you coming homer"
The hardness Of her tones struck
him like 4 blow. Surely he had
changed out Of all recognition II he
had ever thought Marion's voice beau.
tiful. The girl whom he had loved
to the point of infatuation stood re-
vealed to him as an artificial, hard
young woman, without the slightest
charm.
i think 1t was very wrong Of you
not to write to me for so long" she
continued. But I forgive you, VIII.
We can forgive q man with millions
anything. can't we. Dora?"
The girl addressed as Dora muir
INJURED something. The whole party
was taken aback, not to say shocked,
at the sight of this man in the cowboy
clothes. And he was q millionaire!
He was Will Thorpe of Harvard and
Boston!
Perhaps Marion shrewdly OWNED
the change that had occurred in him,
for she drew him aside.
VIII. l know I ought to have been
more serious" she said, But you
can't think how startling and ridicu.
lous you look, dressed like one of
these natives. Listen, VIII, and let
me explain. I have always cared for
you Just as much, but I couldn't be
engaged to q beggar. You see that
for youself. don't you? And every
body understood that your father was
going to cut you out of his will, in.
stead of leaving you the sole heir.
am just as fond Of you, WILL"
Will Thorpe looked at her with slow.
ly rising anger. She did not realize
what she was saying. Had he ever
been like that? Was that the kind Of
man that he had been. that she so con-
fdently imagined he was still?
$50 when are you coming home,
WIFI" she continued. when are you
coming home to me?" she added
softly.
The train conductor blew his whis-
tie. VIII looked her full in the face.
Never" he answered roughly.
The party was moving toward the
train. VIII saw the look of amazed
indignation upon Marion's face. He
broke from her. He mounted the
horse that was tethered to a post out.
side the depot. The train was start
ing. But Will was riding for the
mountain slopes, and his never" rang
In his ears like the sound Of q chanted
chorus.
He flung himself from his horse at
the cabin door which hid at that mo-
mert all that life held most precious
for him.
Normal" he shouted, hammering
with his knuckles.