The Western outlook. [volume] (San Francisco, Cal.) 1894-1928, 1915-09-25

Yes, he was going East, and going
back to Marion. For a moment the
old life came rushing over hin, with
its memories, It's thousand allure
ments. And the new life meant moth
ing.
He mounted his horse and rode
slowly down the valley. He had nc
destination in mind. but suddenly he
realized that he was approaching the
homesteader's house. And at the door
stood Norma. in her sunbonnet.
She greeted him. Wont you come
In and take some tear" she asked
Il hear you are going East, Mr.
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
as in the great world2 And what did
it matter to her?
Eyes, I am going East, Norma" he
answered, taking her hands in his.
Il congratulate you," she an
swered quietly. But he saw the tears
in her eyes.
you have meant 30 much to me,
he said impulsively. II hate the
thought Of going. And yeti is my
duty, l suppose"
Then you must 60" said the girl
softly. She was smiling very bravely
at him. Wont you come in?"
"No-I can't now" he said crudely
Norma, ! SHALL shall see you again
before co."
She nodded, and he knew the mean,
ing of her silence. The girl cared fol
him, and In her unsophisticated way
was incapable of concealment He
saw her walk back quickly into the
cabin.
Marion's train was to arrive the fol
lowing morning. Will rode down to
the depot with heavy heart. The
old and the new were tugging 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 food OF
sunlight. How he had loved Marion!
She had tacitly released him by heI
silence, and yet doubtless she would
explain that. He would follow heI
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 oil
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 halt. He walked its
length. Marion was not there. Had
she missed her train?
Still dreaming, WIFI" asked 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
flnd," she said. We'll! When are
you coming homer"
The hardness Of her tones struck
him like a blow. Surely he had
changed out of all recognition If 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.
II think 1t was very wrong Of you
not to write to me for so long" she
continued. "But forgive you, Will
We can forgive a 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 a millionaire
He was Will Thorpe of Harvard and
Boston!
Perhaps Marion shrewdly OWNED
the change that had occurred In him
LOT she drew MIN ISSUE.
"Will, I 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, Will, and lei
me explain. have always cared fol
you just as much, but I couldn't be
engaged to 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"
VIII 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
fidently imagined he was still?
$50 when are you coming home
WHIP" 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 chanted
chorus.
He flung himself from his horse at
the cabin door which hid at that mo.