The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1915-07-29


The clerk, a rotund little man
with promising bald spot and per-
manent smile, had appraised his latest
guest in the moment of book-signing,
and the result was small triumph for
the Olive street furnishing house. Next
to the genuinely tailor-made stands
the quality of verisimilitude; and the
keynote of the clerks greeting was
respectful affability.
"Glad to have you with us, Mr.. Girls
void. Would you like room, or a
suite?"
Neither; if have time to get my
supper and catch train. Have you a
railway guide?"
There is one in the writing room
But possibly l can tell you what you
wish to know Which way are you
going?"
Without stopping to think of the
critical happenings which had inter-
vened since the forming of the i'm
pulstve resolution fixing his destina-
ton, Griswold named the chosen field
for the hazard of fresh fortunes, and
its direction.
North; to town in Minnesota
called Wahaska. Do you happen to
know the place."
The clerk smiled and shook his
head.
PLENTY of time, is there?" Griswold
asked.
"Oh, yes. Your train leaves the ter
minal at eleven-thirty; but you can
get into the sleeper any time after
eight o'clock"
Seated at well-appointed table in
the Chouteau cafe, Griswold had ample
time to overtake himself in the race
recOnstructive, and for the moment the
point Of view became frankly Philis-
tine. The luxurious hotel, with it's
air of invincible responsibility: the
snowy napery, the cut glass, the
shaded lights, the deferential service;
all these appealed irresistibly to the
epicurean In him. It was as if he had
come suddenly to his own again after
an undeserved season of deprivation,
and the effect of it was to push the
hardships and perils of the preceding
weeks and months into a far-awat
past
He ordered his supper deliberately,
and while he waited for it's serving,
imagination cleared the stage and set
the scenes for the drama of the future
That future, with all it's opportunities
for the realizing of ideals, was now
safely assured. He could go whittier
he pleased and do what seemed right
in his own eyes, and there was none
to say him nay.
In this minor city of his hasty selec-
ton he would find the environment
most favorable for a rewriting of his
book and for renewal of his studies.
Here, too, he might hope to become by
transformations degrees the beneficent
god-in-the-car of his worthier ambition
raising the fallen, succoring the help.
less and fighting the battles Of the
oppressed.
Further along, when she should have
quite forgotten the Belle jules deck
hand, he would meet Miss Farnham
on an equal social footing; and the
conclusion Of the whole matter should
be triumphant demonstration to her
by their irrefutable logic Of good deeds
and a life Well-lived that in his case,
at least, the end justified the means
The train of reflective thought was
broken abruptly by the seating of two
other supper guests at his table;
big-framed man in the grizzled fifties,
and a young woman who looked as If
she might have stepped the moment
before out of the fitting rooms of the
most famous of Partisan dressmakers
Griswold's supper was served, and
for a time he made shift to ignore the
couple at the other end of the table,
Then an overheard word, the name of
the town which he had chosen as his
future abiding place, made him sud-
denly observant
1t was the young woman who had
named Wahaska, and he saw now
that his first impression had been at
fault; she was not overdressed. Also
he saw that she was piquantly pretty;
a bravura type, slightly suggesting the
Rialto at it's best, perhaps, but equally
suggestive Of sophistication, travel and
a serene disregard of chaperonage.
The young womans companion was
undeniably her father Gray, heavy
browed, and with a face that was a
life-mask of crude strength and ele-
mental shrewdness, the man had be-
queathed no single feature to the alert
ly beautiful daughter; yet the resem-
b}ance was unmistakable Griswold
did not listen designedly, but he could
not help overhearing much of the talk
at the other end of the table. From
1t he gathered that the young woman
was lately returned from some Flori-
da winter resort; that her father had
met her by appointment in St. Louis;
and that the two were going on to-
gether; perhaps to Wahaska, since
that was the place name oftenest on
the lips of the daughter.
1t was at this point that the apex Of
Philistine contentment was passed and