Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-06-17

From the start i'll fortune attended
him. He was unable 20 find employ
ment for which he was fitted, and his
small income went only Il short way in
London. Matters grew worse and worse
until they We're compelled to take one
room in a cheap lodging house.
One night Thornton went home stag
gering under Il blow harder than any
he had been called upon to bear. The
little %clerkship that they a depended
on, even for their meager living, was
to be taken from him in a month be-
cause of Il reduction in the office force,
and simultaneously he had been called
upon to bear arms in South Africa.
His face was pale and haggard as he
entered the little room, which was al
most in darkness. AS he hesitated on
| the threshold Il hearty voice from the
| gloom cut him to the heart.
Hello, Paul, old man! I've tracked
YOU at last. Thought you could shake
me, didn't you:'
1t was Trelawney, and before Thorn
ton realized it he was sobbing k a
child on his friends shoulder.
arthur, God bless you! 1 hoped
you would never know how far down
hill 1 have been sliding"
"That fool pride of yours. / know.
Well, 1 meant to find you, and l have.
! Now, the only thing for a man to do
who is sliding down hill is to dig his
toes in deep and begin to climb back
again"
But l slipped pretty close to the
bottom-today," replied Thornton, and
then be told Trelawney and his wife OF
the untoward events of the day. Gretch-
en- gave a sharp cry and buried her
face in her hands. Trelawney turned
to her quickly, his lips setting into a
hard line. He sat silent while the wo-
man wept softly, and then, shaking
himself as if aroused from a dream, he
said:
Come, I see q way clearly out Of
this. We will lay it all over until to-
morrow"
The next night Trelawney was in
high spirits when he entered Thorn
tons room.
Congratulate me, Paul and Crotch
en- he cried. Il am going to South
Africa"
Husband and wife stared at Trelaw-
ney in Amusement, and finally Paul
said:
Going to South Africa! Why, YOU
said nothing about this last night. You
surely had no such intention yesterday.
What is the meaning of this sudden
impulse, for such it seems to be-"
We'll. YES: it is q sudden impulse,
and as to its meaning you will learn
that later on
NO. Be frank. ~Trelawney; tell me
its meaning now
We'll, Paul, it simply means that
you can remain with your Wife
"Trelawney, do YOU mean that you
have enlisted as my substitute and
without my c~onscnt:' said Paul.
"Substitute: No, Paul, it will never
be said that Paul Thornton sent anoth-
or to the front for him, for know You
would not have it so"
J what is this enigma"' asked Paul.
Let me introduce myself-Pau]
Thornton of Her Majesty's Ninth vol
unteers. Now, listen to me, Paul.
am making no sacrifice. 1t all fits il
perfectly with my plans for the fu
ture.'
q But l shall stop you. I shall go t.
the war Office and
THAT will be useless. The war of
:, fee will not be open until tomorrow
and by midnight l shall be out of Lon
don. Paul. nothing can be more to III,
a liking. Pray DO not try to block
plan which will give me more pleaSur
than perhaps l shall ever enjoy agail
n in my life. l have no ties. no responsi
* bilities.
'"Take now your W case: Wha
AZ would Gretchen do in a range couI
try without friends or means Of SUI
port while you were away: Instead q
that, it p!eases me-and you must nc
Il try to rob me of this gratiication-tha
Mr.. and Mrs. Arthur Trelawney sa
III within the week for .Anerica-in fac
IS their passage is already booked on til
n Lucania. The agent sent them til
ID tickets by me"
Trelawncy took IL envelope from h
y )OcktL anu kJi'itcd 1 y oA JIG l'tpiS' WI
u tinuing before Thornton could int
u rupt him:
And Trelawney's solicitor has bee
In instructed to send to him in .AmeriC
4 only Il portion of his income. and |
It has obtained Il letter of credit and Il
III necessary credentials"
N Trelawney placed another %enveloI
n on the table.
mt arthur, I say you shall not do this
ut broke out Thornton.
paul" he said slowly, surely yt
will not deny me the great happine
rd I shall take in doing this thing for-f
en- Gretchen"
10 They both looked into his eyes al
lie saw the pleading, and they both kne
'eu that it was for the woman he low
IL u that he wished to make the sacrifice.
They came to America. where t
" new Trelawney sank under the inf
III ence Of drink and morphine.