Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1916-04-19
CHAPTER XXI.
The Price of Peace.

The Price OF Peace.
Important events have a way of
striking from ambush, without warn
ing. So did the telegram which found
Sandry idling among these women, so
strangely mixed up with his life, who
held together for his sake though
vide apart as the poles 1t said sim
ply Come at once Mr. Wilton San
dry failing rapidly" and was signed by
the famous specialist
When the young man read it his
face went white as swooning wom-
ans and the hands that held the vel
low paper shook uncontrollably.
His lips set with a deadly illness
and he stared unseeingiy out across
the slough
The incentive!" trfumphed Poppy
0fdway. bur oh, why must it take him
from me just now! hate i'll" and
sHi'en anger and disappointment Jared
for an unguarded moment in her eyes
But the face of Siletz between its
braids had suddenly fallen into the
mold OF grief. faithful reflection of
FGran 10 step softly. unconsciously
near With her hands clasped in dis
tTuss
An hour later the owner of the Dill
hngworth gave a hand to Poppy and
6lietz simultaneously. looked from one
face to the other saw Love in the
black eyes and the blue and felt a
pain at his heart that he could hot
ayn'ain
Ma put a mOtherly touch on his
shoulder and said word that was
simple and earnest and tender as her
great heart John took his last bur
RED orders. and Sandry was of In the
rig he had telephoned for TO Toledt.
Weak and sad and torn by emo
tons, he watched for two whole days
the great West slide by his Pullman
VinGow-that wondrous West whose
subtle charm had laid abiding hold
upon his soul.
90 at last he reached New York
looked with odd unfamiiiarity upon its
gayety and life, and hurried to the
great old house in Riverside drive,
GREATNESS, weak. scarce able TO
stand for the strain on his right limb
Sandry paused with Higgins lowering
auoringly around him in the dusky.
draped hall before the magnificent
room Of the worries and browns.
There was the ache of tears In his
throat, a terrible horror of what lay
behind the closed doors. an unendur-
able anguish of abnormal love, but he
squared Y shoulders. lifted his head
with his /, iaunty air and entered
he even called a smile to his lips.
In the high-canopied, copper-posted
bed lay the old fnancier. The fine.
old face with it's pleasant tracery was
marked by the hand of the Last Ac-
countant, but 1t was still the face OF
a great and good man. still held Its
benignitv its kindliness and courtli-
ness.
Now. with Sandry's step mighty
gladness fell upon it. light of JOY
that was discriminating.
"Walter!" he cried out in voice
OF momentary strength. "Oh. my SON.
My son!"
And with a shudder to the boy
ears came an echo. "Absalom!'
He dropped beside the bed' gain
cred the white head in his arms. ana
rocked to and fro as women rock III
anguish
Presently Mr. Wilton Sandry pusneo
his son from him with failing nanos
aud gazed upon his face with the
starved eyes of long-denied affection
My boy!" he whispered brokeniy'
my LIES crown. the point OF my
Fhole successi"
The long. white hands quivereo Oh
St7dry's shoulders. The bright Diue
ayes began to light marvelousiy
I SIN AT the eid of my journey