The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1916-01-28
CHAPTER XIII.


Gall Flrsti
Allison. springing forward with a
jerk as he left Jim Sargents house,
headed his long, low runabont up the !,
avenue, He raced into the park. and
| glanced up at the lookout house as
he sped on past: but II VAS only
ieetlng look. He needed no reminder
OF Gall As he passed Roseleaf inu.
he slowed down. The roadhouse may
have given him, and probably did, an
other reminder OF Gail. in such q man
ner as to concrete him into logical
thought, for he slowed down the ter
rifle speed which had been the accom-.
paniment OF his unreasonins emotion.
The driving required too much con.
centraton for specific thought,
With this turning OF his mental atti-
tude. even the SLOW running OF the car
seemed to disturb him, and, about
half mile past Roseleaf inn, he came
slowly 10 q stop. sitting at the wheel.
with his head bent slightly forward.
and staring At the spot where the road.
way had ceased to roll beneath his
machine. Presently he became aware
OF the cold. and running his car TO ths
side OF the road. he stepped out. and.
bu,toning his coat around him. crossed
fence and walked through the mar
row strip OF trees to the river bank.
where no stood for moment looking
out upon the misty Hudson, sparkling
under the moonlight He began to
walk up and down the bank presently.
the turf sinking spongily under his
feet. and II was noticeable that his
pace grew more and more rapid. until
he was striding at furious rate OF
| speed
Tho man was In a torment OF pas.
| sion. He had spent lifetime In the
deliberate acquisition OF everything
upon which he had set his Will; and It
was one OF the things upon which he
had built his success, that, once he
had nxed his desire deliberately upon
anything. he had held unwaveringly TO
that object. employing all the forces OF
which strong men are capable; patient
waiting. logged persistence. or vicious
graphing whichever was best adapted
! To gain his snha- .~
Gail. II there had been tender
thoughts OF her. they were gone now,
II was 80 that he had centered his
mind upon her, and himself and his
will. until, In all creation. there was
nothing else but that was trivial; am.
bltion. power, wealth, fame, the com.
mand Of empires and OF men. were
nothing, except as they might lead to
her!
SO Il Was that no had come this far.
and the roadway to his present height
was marked by the cripples he had
left behind him, without compunction,
without mercy. without compassion.
Bankrup,s strewed his way, broken
men OF purpose higher than bis own.
useful factors In the progress OF hu.
man life. builders and creators who
had advanced the interest OF tho com
mopwealth. but who had been more
brilliant In construction than they had
been In reaping the rewards OF their
building. II was for Allison to do this
II had been his speciality. the reap,ng
OF rewards II had been his faculty TO
permit others TO build, to encourage
them In II. and then. when the build.
the builders. That marked him as the
greatest commercial genius OF his
time. and be had much applause for H.
! Women. Yes, there had been WON.
en-, creatures Of q common mold with
whom he had amused himself, bad
taken them In their freshness, and
broken them. and thrown them away;
this in his earlier years But In his
maturity, he had bent all his strength
to greater passion; the requirement
OF all those other things witch men
had wanted and held most dear, among
them acquisition. and power, and sue
Gees. Perhaps Il bad been bad for him.
this concentration. for now 1, left him
At the height OF his maturity, with mss-
taken tancies, with long pent frss.
wsth disproportionAte desires Bring.
ing to these. he had the tremendously
abnormal moral effect Of never hav.
Ing been tawsrted IN a. thing upoa
which he had set his mind, and Of be
, lieyirE ny mast nrc,,> nTy.hz~. ~