The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1918-03-07
His
Pilgrimage
copyright, 1913. Western Newspaper union-l
By VICTOR REDCLIFFE

Copyright, 1913. Western Newspaper Union.)
How he loved her The realization
of his affection held him az In a spell,
! and hopelessly. Oh never to tell her
how dear she was to him, never to gain
this peerless Jewel of .womanklnd who
could make of his barren life sweet
ness and peace!
He was Elwyn Pearce, the most val
ued of the employees of Wadhams Il
Co. She, Naomi Dale, was his stenog-
rapher. the sole support Of an invalid
mother struggling along to make ends
meet, but she was one Of those coura-
geOus souls battling the world and Its
hardships with patient, hopeful
smile.
Love had come to him at thirty.
There had been a reason for five long
years why he had locked UP his true
nature jealousy. He had cultivated a
reserve that shut out intimacy. Naomi
had crossed his path and love seemed
like food beating at the barriers OF
his resolution.
II must not, ] cannot. dare not hope
or speak the love that she must sus-
pect :" he told himself, and felt In some
way that he must evade the daily COM
partnership dear to him, but certain to
become positive torture!
You are going away for two weeks,
Mr.. Pearce?" said Naomi. Il hope you
will enjoy good rest
He WINGED There was culver OF
his lips and then they set cruelty firm.
Had she heard Of the strange vacation
he took annually, always In the middle
of winter, always coming back with a.
deepened shadow upon his face, like a
man who had been upon some arduous
pilgrimage?
For such 1t was. pilgrimage-to no
Mecca where his spirit was lifted, but
on each succeeding occasion more and
, more depressed. His was mission OF
, penitence, of suffering, yet bringing no
surcease to haunting memory.
> His employers often wondered why
} and where he went. He returned thin
}, ner and more careworn of face. They
did not attempt to fathom the mystery,
q however, for never in all his useful
h connection with the house had he In
!. fringed upon business restrictions.
a Elwyn Pearce invariably spent his
8 vacation" always upon the anniver-
r sary of the most momentous and tragic
b event In HIS experience. 1t was at
river city where his pilgrimage ended.
, lie would go to the leading hotel, leave
his rooms I'm the morning, return at
night and spend its hours in seclusiOn.
Had anyone followed him they would
have seen him penetrate the poorest
district of the city. 1t was among the
humble and destitute that he passed
his daylight hours. He would make
diligent inquiry as to some individual
or family In distress and would hasten
to relieve It. This was his daily meth
cd. He would leave behind him CRATE
full hearts. downtrodden souls the bet
ter for his practical visitation.
Like penItent, fasting and praying
and doing deeds In cOntrition for some
dark sin. Elwyn Pearce would mentally
array night in the long past when all
the JOY and hope of his being was
crushed out. 1t was in this city, then
a travelling salesman, that he had met
a far-haired young man at the hotel,
bound for a commercial center, plan
ming to make business connection
similar to his own. They liked one
another and Pearce suggested that
they see the town. There was no idea
Of rlotous time with either. They
spent few quiet sightseeing hours at
n theater and cabaret. Then young
Morton Willis suggested call at
gambling place. Pearce plloted him
thither. In the midst of watching
game they were startled by the excited
announcement that the police were be-
low, to raid the place.
"Folow me-" directed Pearce, hoping
TO escape the disgrace of arrest. Some
body upset stove, there was flare,
and Penrce reached an alley by means
of fire escape.
The whole place was in flames.
When ii WAS consumed It was known
that several persons had been trapped.
The next day among some incinerated
remains watch was found bearing the
name Morton Willis"
The young man had left no baggage
at the hotel All that Pearce knew
about him was his name. Overwhelmed
with the thought that he had been the
cause of his death nv accompanying
him to the gambling place, Pearce left
the fatefu city haunted man.
He returned to work more grave and
morbid than ever Naomi met him
with an expression in her eyes so
gentle so sympathetic that he believed
her wnmanly nature recognized that he
Ihad been on pilgrimage of sorrow
81 will end 1t all! ~ he resolved. ~
dare not be near this plying angel, and
nv sin shuts me out from her consid-
Grafton"
He acted on an impulse. He would
leave at once. AS he neared the main
office he noticed man with an open
sample case He was saying to the
principal in the firm:
"Those goods are the best I have
ever offered for sale, or my name isn't
Morton Willis"
into the room Pearce fairly hurled
himself He grasped the visitor by
both arms gazed steadfastly into his
face and burst into tears 1t was later
hat he learned that the watch found
lin the ruins of the fire had been stolen
from Willis in the gambling rooms. The
latter had escaped and promptly pro-
lceeded to shake the dust of the city Of
temptation from his willing feet.
TTI- N