Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-07-23
RainbOW's End
A NOVEL by REX BEACH
o
htbyinp brothers,
Author of 1.-THE IRON TRAIL 1.-THE SPOILERS
HEART OF THE SUNSET" Etc.


it-there was the stone bench where
he had said good-by to Rosa; yonder
was the we'll
"Senori" Johnnie heard himself adj
dressed by the hunchbacked woman.
Her voice was thin, tremulous, eager,
but his thoughts were busy and he
paid no heed. "Senorj Do you look
for something-some one"
''N-no. Yes" he answered, abstract
eddy. 'Yes, I am looking for some
thing-some one."
Something you have lost?"
Something have lostw The ques-
ton came to him family, but 1t was so
In tune with his unhappy mood that it
affected him strangely. He found that
his eyes were blurring and that an
aching lump had risen into his throat
This was the breaking point.
O'Reilly's hearing. too, was going
wrong, for he imagined that some one
whispered his name. God! This place
was not dead-it was alive-terribly
alive with memories, voices, pres
ence unseen yet real. He laid hold of
the nearest bush to steady himself, he
closed his eyes, only to hear his name
spoken louder.
"O'Rail-yew
Johnnie brushed the tears from his
lashes. He turned, he listened, but
there was no one to be seen, no one,
that is, except the dusky cripple. who
had Strengthened herself and was fac
ing him, poised uncertainty. He looked
at her a second time, then the world
began to spin dizzily and he CROPPED his
way toward her. He peared again,
closer, for everything before his eyes
was swimming.
The woman was thin-little more
than a skeieton-and so frau that the
wind appeared to sway her, but her
face, uplifted to the sun, was glorified.
O'Reilly stood rooted, staring at her
until she opened her eyes, then he
voiced great cry:
"Rosa!" What more he said he
never knew.
lie took the misshapen figure into
his arms, he rained kisses upon the
pinched, discolored face. But Rosa
did not respond; her puny strength
had flown and she lay inert In his en-
brace, scarcely breathing.
Dazed, doubling, astounded, 1t was
some time before Johnnie could con-
vince himself of the reality of this mo-
ment, and even then words did not
come to him, for his mind was in tur-
moil. Joy, thanksgiving, compassion
thousand, emotions-mingled in a sort
of deliriun, too wild for coherent
thought or speech.
Fear finally brought MIN to his
senses, for he became aware that Rosa
had collapsed and that his endearments
left her unthrilled. Quickly he bore
her to the bench and laid her upon 1T.
After; time she smiled up into his
eyes and her words were scarcely more
than a murmur:
Sod heard my prayers and sent you
to me-"
"Rosal You are i'll, you are weak"
Her eyelids fluttered. 81 am dying,
O'Rail-ye. I only waited to see you"
mo, mol" In agony he gathered her
once more into his arms.
"Oh, yesp' Her bloodless fingers
touched his face again, then his thin,
worn rags. 'You, too, have suffered.
How came you to be so poor and hun
CRY, O'Rail-yeT
I'm not poor, I'm rich. Seer He
| jingled the coins in his pocket. That's
money; money for you, sweetheart. 1t
will buy you food and medicine, it will
make you strong again. Rosa, dear, ]
have looked for you so long, so long
His voice broke wretchedly and he
bowed his head. 'T-I was afraid"
81 waited as long as l had strength
to wait" she told him. at is too bad
you came so late"
Once again she lapsed into the leth-
argy of utter weakness, whereupon he
fell to stroking her hands, calling upon
her to come back to him. He was be-
side himself now; terrible feeling of
impotence and despair overcame him.
Uoarlng someone speak, he raised
his eyes and discovered at his side that
| figure Of want which he had seen dig
| ging on the slope below. 1t was Evan
gelina. The negress was little more
than skin and bones, her eyes were
bleared and yellow and sunken. her
face had grown apelike, but he rec
ognized her and she him.
you are the American" she de-
clared. "You are Rosa's man."
Eyes. But what is wrong with her?
Lookl She is ILL"
"She is often like that. 1t is the
hunger. We have nothing to eat, Sc