The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-09-29
THE EnRT1ETH MILESTONE

The next morning Kennlon slept late.
Before he awoke, DR.. Wycherley had left
the village. The barrister had to return
to town for his work, but the Home
Secretary announced that he would stay
on at Mcdenhem for a few days, to fish
nesccfully and build up his nerves.
Though he had slept heavily. he had
been troubled with dreams, and ne
wanted his brain to be thoroughly clear
for his parliamentary duties. For a
couple Of days his Under-Secretary could
take his place.
Hatchard listened to this skeptically.
He had his own idea As to why kennion
wished to bury himself In the country
but DR.. Wychcrley had insisted explicitly
that Kcnnion should be allowed to WORK
out his own salvation according TO MS
own dictates.
When the barrlster had left for Lon
don, Kennion made his way to the post
office and sent OF two long cipher teie'
grams. One was addressed to his Under
Secretary: the other to woman. Also
he tclegraphed to his wife to let hel
know that he would not be back In town
at present
Later. he took up his rod and flies and
Neden. But his thoughts were not In
harmony with the quiet beauty Of the
rural scene. They buzzed within him.
burst ND into fame, died down into cold
analysis, hared again into impetuous de-
sircs. The dreams OF last night haunted
him vividly and warred with his desires
They had been SO extremely real-de-
tailed far beyond the usual vaguenesses
OF dreamland. They haunted him.
In a fever Of impatieince-at one mo-
ment ahame, the next cold and SILVER
ing-he waited for the reply which
should come to ono OF his three tele-
grams. He returned early to the inn,
without a catch. to receive the answer
ing wire.
It had not come. 1t did not arrive. in
fact. until late In the afternoon. and
when It came he crumpled 1t up fever
Ishly in his hands. Walt" II said In
cipher. Tomorrow night, on the Can
terbury road, by the fortieth milestone"
He must perforce wait and think
and do battle with his thoughts.
That evening he tramped alone far
over the swelling downs. and at midnight
lie lay down exhausted beside furze-
bush and fell into a deep sleep. A
sheep-dog came up and nosed him curl
ouSly, lncn mONeu AWAY HIotheI VI
those tramps, no doubt.
kcnnison slept heavily. and again
there came to him a series OF dreams OF
r viridncss that had never been within
his experience. He nwoke Mt dawn In
the cold gray hil-mlsts, bathed In sweat
and with a knocking voice ringing In his
ears:
who are the Unfit"
II the day before had been battle,
today was an agony Of conflict. Duty
desire, Duty--dcsire! The heights or the
mGadowland? Which must he choose for
the peace that would be lasting? Ills
mind was stretched on rack Of his. own
drvisinG
And he was alone. No outside infiu-
ence was there 10 throw weight into one
pan or the other of the balance. On
himself alone rested the decision.
In his complex nature, that gave him
strength rather than weakness. 1t Is 80
with many Of the worlds great men, as
DR.. Wychcrley knew well.
BY the sorteth milestone the white
highway curves in between the swelling
downs and traverscs O narrow neck
half-way up the hills.
The night was hot and sultry and
working up to storm AZ the Home Secre-
tary went to keep tryst with the woman
he loved. She had arrived before him,
having left her motor-car on the farther
side Of the hills and walked back m
foot She was young and dazzlingly