The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-11-25

It began to rain and Martin looked
in vain for shelter. He got mired in
the road several times. Disgruntled,
morose, at odds with all the world. in
his unnatural frame of mind, nurtured
for over twenty-four hours, he struck
out for a distant light beyond rocky
reach of land.
His progress led him to an old stone
building built out from a kind Of bluff.
Apparently it had been used as a
tool house at some time or other. It's
door was open, light showed beyond
long hall 1t was dismal, forbidding'
looking, but Martin was glad to get
out of the chilling blast.
He looked around him in a puzzled
way as he stood in the room where the
light was. In one corner of the uni
furnished room was a motley heap OF
harnesses, wagon robes and such &C.
coutrements In another all kinds OF
garden tools showed He was trying
to figure out what kind of strange
place he had stumbled upon, when
three men came in from the front.
Aha! what's this?" spoke their
leader, and his beetling brows knit
the more darkly as he made out the in.
truder. AI~s
All three of the men began to en-
circle Martin with sinister, suspicious
faces. Before he could resist he was
seized and pulled into an adjoining
room. A door was opened. 1t showed
steps leading into the cellar OF the
structure. Martin was pushed fOrcibly
down the stairs. He picked himself
up, bruised and alarmed 1t was dark
and damp all about him. Four un.
broken walls of rock held him close
prisoner.
The door above was relocked, barred
and he heard a chain jangle, as it still
further enforced the strength OF the
barrier. 1t was evident that he had
unwisely wandered into the secret der
of a gang of farm thieves. They prob
ably believed him to be a spy, de
tective Perhaps even now they were
that could prevent their betrayal anc
disruption!
1t was hours later when two of his
captors descended the stairs and con
fronted him. One bore lantern. Fol
nearly an hour they questioned him.
"See here" spoke one OF them
you've put your foot in it and mus
pay the penalty. We don't doubt youl
story, but we can't set you free. Yot
have guessed Alright what we are. Ii
two weeks we are going to abandon
this place. Until then you'll have te
put up with the best we can give you.
The best was an old mattress, two
coarse meals a day, a candle every
two days, and solitude. What rar'
contrasts with the free and easy life
of his past the suffering exile realized
in that fetid under room, he shudderee
to tell later!
Bruce Martin had time for reflection
He began to value Cherry, and ever
her eccentric father. He soberly Wen
over his many past shortcomings. His
u0UduCS, ulo Ndl pms hoeuA ~ hhS MO
and lofty false dignity-gone, all gone
Oh, that day of freedom-it came al
last! He ran, he leaped, he drank IL
the sweet, fresh air with the glac
laugh of a boy. He appeared at the
Dortle home that evening, after such
a renovation that he felt like new
being.
And there was Cherry, i'll with griev
ing, and the old man actually cried
over him! Warm hearts, true hearts
how precious!
Where had he been? Lamely he
spoke of an involuntary detention
Business" had to be attended to. He
never told of his real awakening and
renovation.
And after he had kissed Cherry gooo
night. Bruce Martin stole across the
front garden, uprooted the weeping
tree and flung it into the first ditch
he came to.
"TIl bring the biggest, finest rose
bush | can find to take it's place" he
declared. I'm sure of them. No more
gruesome weepers in my life-roses
all smiles, all sunshine, all sweet
ness!"