Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-10-03
CHAPTER XIII.
The Elesh.Pots Of Eayp

ternOOn In the High Line offices, keep
Ing In wire touch with Stillings, whom
he had sent on a secret mission to Red
Butte, and with Williams at the dam.
The High Line enterprise was on the
knees of the gods. II Williams could
pull through In time, If the river-swell
ing storms should hold off, If Stanton
should delay his final raid past the
critical hour-and there was now good
reason to hope that all of these con-
tingencies were probable-the victory
was practically won.
Smith closed his desk at six o'clock
and went across to the hotel to dress
for dinner. The day of suspense was
practically at an end and disaster still
held aloof; was fairly outdistanced in
the race, as 1t seemed. Williams final
report had been to the effect that the
concrete-pouring was completed, and
the long strain was off. Smith went
to his rooms, and, as once before and
for a similar reason. he laid his dress
clothes out on the bed. He made sure
that he would be required to dine with
Verda Richlander, and he was strip
ping his coat when he heard tap at
the door and Jibbey came in.
"Glad rags. ehT' said the blase one.
with a glance at the array on the bed.
"rve just run up to tell you that you
needn't. Verda's dining with the
Stantons, and she wants me to keep
you out of sight until afterward. By
and by, when she's foot-loose. she
wants to see you in the mezzanine.
Isn't there some quiet little joint
where we two can go for bite? You
know the town. and | don't"
Smith put his coat on, and together
they circled the square to Frascatis,
taking a table in the main cafe.
While they were giving their dinner
order, Starbuck came in and Joined
them, and Smith was glad. For rea-
sons which he could scarcely have de-
fined, he was relieved not to have TO
talk to Jbbey alone. and Starbuck
played third hand admirably, taking
kindly to the sham black sheep, and
filing him up, in quiet, straight-faced
humOr, with many and most marvel
GUS tales of the earlier frontier.
At the end of the meal, while Jib-
hey was still content to linger, listen
Ing Open-mouthed to Starbuck's ro-
mancings, Smith excused himself and
returned to the hotel He had scarce
ly chosen his lounging chair In a
quiet cd'ner of the megzanine before
Miss Richlander came to join him.
at has been long day, hasn't it?"
she began evenly. you have been
busy with your dam, / suppose, but
II have had nothing to do but to
think, and that is something that
don't often allow myself to do. You
have gone far since that night last
May when you telephoned me that you
would come up to the house later-and
then broke your promise, Montague"
''In a way, l suppose l have" he
admitted.
"You have, indeed. You are to-
tally different man."
an what way particularly?'
sin every conceivable way. If one
could believe in transmigration, one
would say that you had changed souls
with some old, hard-hitting, rough
riding ancestor. Have your ambitions
changed, too?"
81 am not sure now that l had any
ambitions in that other life"
"Oh. yes, you had" she went on
smoothly. "In the other life,' as you
call it, you would have been quite
willing to marry woman who could
assure you a firm social standing and
money enough to put you on footing
with other men of your capabilities.
You wouldn't 10 willing to do that
now, would you?-leaving the senti-
ment out as you used to leave it out
then?"
mo, hardly think should
Her laugh was unsteady low and
sweet, and only mildly derisive.
'You are thinking that it is change
of environment, wider horizons. and
ali that, which has changed you, Mon
tague; but 1 know better. 1t is
woman. and as you may remember.
have met her-twice" Then, with
a faint glow of spiteful fire in the
magnificent eyes: How can you make
yourself believe that she is pretty?"
He shrugged one shoulder in token
Of the utter uselessness of discussion
IN that direction.
Sentiments" he queried. 81 think
we needn't go into that, at this late
day, Verda. 1t is a field that neither
of us entered, or cared to enter, in
the days that are gone. If 1 say that
Corona Baldwin has-quite uncon-
sciously on her part, / must ask you
TO believe taught me what love
means, that ought to be enough
Again she was laughing softly.
"You seem to have broadly forgot
ten the old proverb about a woman
scorned. What have you TO expect
from me after making such an admis-
sion as thatT
Smith pulled himself together and
stood the argument firmly upon its
unquestionable footing.
let us put all these indlrectiOns
aside and be for the moment merely
a man and woman. as God made US,
Yerda," he said soberly. You know,
and know, that there was never any
question of love involved in our rela-
tons past and gone. We might have
married, but in that case neither of US
would have got or exacted any
thing more than the conventional de-
ceneies and amenities. We mustn't
try to make believe at this late day.
You had no illusions about me when !