The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1916-05-06

confirmed the suspicious
nd fears that had been In Bruce's
mind for months. Therefore. when he
aid quietly to Banule. You'd better
70 up the hill!y there was that in his
dice and eyes which made that per-
on take his departure with only q
title less celebrity than Smaltx had
aiken his.
At last everything was done and
'orcupine Jim. who had stayed on q
lay or 30 to help. was waiting for
3ruce to finish his letter to Helen
dunbar, 30 he could take It up the
ill.
There was nothing for Il but the
aunt truth to tell Helen. 80 Bruce
wrote:
Sprudell boosted that ne would
down me. and he has. Villainy,
tncompetency and carelessness
have been too strong a combina-
ton for my experience to beat.
I've failed. I'm broke. I've
spent $4,000 and have nothing to
show for II but a burned out
plant Of an obsolete type.
You are the beginning and end
OF everything with me. All my
hopes. my ambitions. my life IT.
self have come to centre in YOU.
1t was the thought that 1t was for
You that kept me going when I
have been so tired doing two
mems work that l could scarcely
drag one foot after the other. n
made me take risks | might 9TH
erwise never have dared 70 take.
II kept mo plodding on when one
failure after another smashed me
IN the face so fast that I could
not see for the blackness,
never dreamed that love was
like this-that II was such a spur
such an incentive-or that II
could add so TO the bitterness Of
failure. For do love you, Helen;
] see now that I have loved you
from the time I saw you with
Sprudell-further back than that,
from the time I shook your pic
ture out Of that old envelope.
love you. Helen, truly, COM
pletely; am sure there will
never be any one else for me. II
only for this reason. won't YOU
write to mo sometimes? for your
letters will mean so much In the
days that are ahead Of me.
When he had finished Bruce gave
lin the letter and paid him on witt
he check that took the last of hi,
Valance in the bank.
When Helen read the letter sh,
sat at her desk for a long time
mechanically drawing little design,
upon a blotter. Wild impulses, i'm
practical plans, followed each othe
n quick succession. They crystal
lied finally into q definite resolve
md her lips set in line Of determine
lion.
1t was not such a difficult matte
~ Helen had thought to get from tn
investors a thirty days option upol
their stock. In tho first place the,
we're frankly amused and interes.e,
by her request: and, In the second
while Sprudell had succeeded IN shak
ing their confidence in Bruce he ha,
not inspired any liking for himself
he had not been able TO con
real his eagerness and they felt tina
his offer would keep.
When It was secure and she ma.
obtained leave Of absence from the of
lice, Helen felt that the hardest par
of the task she had assigned hersel
was done. To acquaint Bruce's fathe
with Sprudelrs plot and enlist him o.
Bruce's side seemed altogether tn
easiest part OF her plan.
Therefore on the monotonous jour
ney west her nerves relaxed and witt
4 comfortable feeling OF security sh
rehearsed her case as she meant t
present II. which was to conclud
with an eloquent plea for help.
But she was reckoning wtthou'
John Burt. Reasoning that woul
apply to nearly any other man di
not at all fit Bruce's father. Hele
had the sensation of having run a
Pull speed against a stone wall whe
Burt came toward her slowly, leadin
his saddle horse through one of tn
rorrals near the unpretentious ranch
house. which she had reached after
long drive.
Helen grasped something Of hi
character In her swift appraisement
Briefly, she told her story. The man
only Immediate reply was:
"Oh, he's in trouble" His voic
had an acid edge. He wants me I
help him out"
'He has had such odds to hght!
she faltered. "And"--
II don't care what he's had TO figh'
I'd Just as soon put my money in tn
stove as put It in mining schem'
two things ] never do, youn
lady. and that's speculate and go o
peoples notes"
I'm sorry II i've bored you, and
shan't infict you any more. Pleas
that Bruce knew nothin
OF my coming. I Came upon my ow
But his success mean
so much to him-to me that II
She choked and turned away abrupt
ly. She dared not oven say goodby.
John Burt had queer feeling G
willing, crumbling tnsid
OF him, something hard and cold civ
ing way around his heart. He coul
not have explained II. II was not HI
way to try, but he took an impulsiv
step toward her and called out;
wait n minute! Go on in IN
house till I put up my horse. L
hear what you have to say