Middletown transcript. [volume] (Middletown, Del.) 1868-current, 1918-08-10

and every dollar l had to do it. And
I could have put them on the tramp
too-they'd already dipped their fla
gers in where they couldn't stand liti-
cation. I'm sure Of that-or they
would never have come through; which
they did.
But I'm sorry I ever got mixed up
with them. I'm going to sell my stock
and advise Lewis and the others to do
the same. while we can get full value
for it. Lorimer and that bunch will
manipulate the outfit to death. no mat
ter how the mine produces.
THAT'S all of that. l don't care two
whoops about the money. There Is
still gold in the Klappan Range and
other corners of the North, whenever
l need it. But it nauseated me. !
can't stand that cut-throat game. And
Granville, like most other cities Of its
kind, lives by and for that sort OF
thing. The pressure Of modern life
makes it inevitable. Anyway. a town
is no place for me. I can stomach 1t
about so long, and no longer. It's TOO
cramped, too girded about with petty
larceny conventions. If once you slip
and get down, every one walks on you.
Everything's restricted, priced, tin
kered with. There is no real freedom
of body or spirit. l wouldn't trade u
comfy log cabin in the woods with a
big fireplace and a shelf of books for
the finest home on Maple drive-nOt if
I had to stay there and stifie In the
dust and smoke and smells. That
would be a sordid and impoverished
existence. l cannot live by the dog
eat-dog code that seems to prevail
wherever folk get jammed together in
an unwieldy social mass. l have said
the like to you before.
by nature and training I'm unified
to live in these crowded places. l love
you, little person, I don't think you
realize how much, but I can't make
you happy by making myself utterly
miserable. That would only produce
the inevitable reaction. But l still
think you are essentially enough like
me to meet me on common ground.
You loved me and you found content
ment and Joy at our little cabin once.
Don't you think it might be waiting
there again?
IF you really care, if and the old
North still mean anything to you, a
few days or weeks, or even months of
separation won't matter. An affection
that can't survive six months is too
fragile to 60 through life on. l don't
ask you to jump the next train and
follow me. l don't ask you to wire me,
Come back, Bill Though 1 would
come quick enough if you called me. I
merely want you to think it over So
berly and let your heart decide. You
know where l stand, don't you, Hazel,
dear? l haven't changed-nOt bit
I'm the same old Bill. But I'd rather
hit the trail alone than with an un-
willing partner. Don't founder about
in any quicksand Of duty. There is
no I ought to- between us.
$50 it is up to you once more, little
person. If my way is not your way
will abide by your decision without
whining. And whenever you want to
reach me, message to Felix Cour-
voiseur, Fort George, will eventually
find me. I'll fix it that way.
$50 long, little person. like you a
heap, for all your cantankerous ways.
BILL"
She laid aside the letter, with a
lump in her throat. For a brief instant
she was minded to telegraph the word
that would bring him hurrying back.
But-some of the truths he had set
down in cold black and white cut her
deep. OF surety she had drawn her
weapon on the wrong side in the min
ing trouble. Overhasty?Cyes. And
shamefully disloyal. Perhaps there was
something in it, after all; that is to
say, it might be they had made a mis-
take. She saw plainly enough that
unless she could get back some Of the
old enthusiasm for that wilderness life,
unless the fascination of magnificent
distances. of silent, GREATNESS forests,
of contented, quiet days on trail and
stream, could lay fast hold of her
again, they would only defer the day
of reckoning, as Bill had said.
No, she would not attempt to cal!
him back. She doubted If he would
come. And she would not go-not yet.
She must have time to think.
Altogether, as the first impression Of
Bills letter grew less vivid to her she
considered her grievances more. And
she was minded to act as she had set
out to do-to live her life as seemed
best to her, rather than pocket her
pride and rejoin Bill. The feminine
instinct to compel the man to capitu-
late asserted itself more and more
strongly.
..
A month passed.
During that thirty-day period she re-
ceived a brief note from Bill. Just q
few lines to say:
Hit the ranch yesterday, little per-
son. Looks good to me. Went fishing
last night about shutdown. Trout were
rising fine. Nailed a ten-pounder.
Woke up this morning at daylight and
found a buck deer with two lady
friends standing in the middle of the
~ Hr, An g.
George, sort of thinking might hear
from you. Am sending this out ~
Jake. Will start for the KarSoa
about day after tomorrow"
Che had not answered his first let
Ter. She had tried to. But somehow
when she tried to set pen to paper the
right words would not come. She
lacked his facility Of expression.
There was so much she wanted to say,