Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-01-09
sheba dnconsciously relieved the stu

Inc AiaSkan went Dack 10 MS story.
He was talking for Sheba alone, for
the young girl, with eager, fascinated
eyes which flashed with sympathy as
they devoured selected glimpses of his
Wild turbulent career. She saw him
with other eyes than Elliot's. The gov
eminent official admired him tremen-
dOusly. Macdonald was an empire
builder. He blazed trails for others
to follow in safety. But Gordon could
guess how callously his path was
strewn with brutality, with the effects
of an ethical color-blindness largely
selfish, though even he did not know
that the mans primitive jungle code
Of wolf eat wolf had played havoc with
Sheba's young life many years before.
Diane, satisfied that Macdonald had
scored, called upon Sheba.
II want you to sing for US, dear, If
you will"
Sheba accompanied herself. The
voice of the girl had no unusual range,
but it was singularly sweet and full of
the poignant feeling that expresses
the haunting pathos Of her race.
It's we'll know We, Sheve Cross,
Ye weary, stony HILL
An I'm tired, och, I'm tired to be
looking on We still. -
For here live the near side
an he is on the far.
An all your heights and hollows are
between US, so they are
Och aneei
Gordon, as he listened, felt the
strange hunger of that homesick cry
steal through his blood. He saw his
own emotions reflected in the face of
the Scotch Canadian, who was watch
ing with tense interest the slim,
young figure at the piano, the girl
whose eyes were soft and dewy with
the mysticism of her people, were still
luminous with the poetry Of the child
in spite of the years that heralded her
woman.
Elliot intercepted the triumphant
sweep Of DANES glance from Macdon-
aid to her husband. In flash it lit
up for him the words he had heard on
the hotel porch. Diane, an inveterate
matchmaker, intended her cousin to
marry Colby Macdonald. No doubt she
thought she was doing a fine thing for
the girl. He was millionaire, the
biggest figure in the Northwest. His
iron will ran the town and district
as though the people were chattels of
his. Back Of him we're some Of the
biggest financial interests in the United
States.
But the gorge of Elliot rose. The
man, after all, was q lawbreaker, q
menace to civilization. He was sur
vivor, by reason Of his strength, from
the primitive wolf-pack. The very
look of his hard, gray eyes was domi-
nant and masterful. He would win,
no matter how. It came to Gordon's
rebel heart that if Macdonald wanted
this lovely Irish girl-and the young
man never doubted that the Scotsman
would want her-he would reach out
and gather in Sheba just as if she
were coal mine or a placer prospect.
All this surged through the mind of
the young man while the singer was
on the first line of the second stanza.
But II I was only Sheve Cross
To climb from foot to crown,
I'd soon be up an over that,
I'd soon be runnin' down.
Then sure the great ould sea itself
Is there beyont the bar,
An all the windy wathers are
Between us, 80 they are.
Och anee!
The rich, soft, young voice with til
Irish brogue died away. The little au-
dience paid the singer the tribute Of
silence. She herself was the first to
speak.
"'Divided' is the name Of 1t. A
namesake Of mine, Mora O'Neill, wrote
it." she explained.
tits a beautiful song, and I thank
ye for singing it," Macdonald said SIM
ply. 1T minds me Of my own barefoot
days by the Tay."
Later in the evening the two dinner
guests walked back to the hotel to-
gether. They discussed casually the
cost Of living in the North. the raising
of strawberries at KusiH Il the best
way to treat the mos nuisance,
but neither Of them ! to the
Macdonald coal claims 81 20 Sheba
O'Neill.