The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-09-09
Masked, :.
GOLD

BY JOHN HARVEY CURTIS

Lucky Levi Brill returned from the
Alaska gold fields with fortune, and
it was represented not by drafts or
bank notes, but by the real thing
gold. They called him "lucky" be-
cause he was one Of the first in the
Nome pioneer rush to make "a ten
strike"
He was old, unhandsome, but inno-
cent Of guile as schoolboy. 1--WE
gone through heap to get in two
years! what most mea spend Q lifetime
over" he announced. "Now I'm 60.
ing to enjoy 1t nationally. First to
build home, then to find wife, and
q little love, a little farming and lots
of comfort, and Pm fixed for life"
But Brill, good natured and kindly
as he was, could not prevail on any
maid or widow Of the town to link her
destiny with an uncouth man long
past middle age. Then he went
abroad into new fields to prospect for
the helpmeet he felt to be essential to
his plan Of life.
Rank, wild crazy over her, and no
Wonder" commented visitor to the
city who had seen Miss Helena Drury,
whom the daily prints announced was
soon to become the "bride Of the mill
lionaire miner, Levi Brill" The
newspaper, too, told of the princely
antenuptial gifts Brill had given his
f1ancee, Of the mansion he had started
to build in his native town. Her beau
ty was manifest to all, for the pride
and pleasure of Brill was to show his
friends superb photograph Of be-
wilderingly beautiful woman. and
finally it was reproduced In the local
paper.
One morning early Levi Brill ,alight-
ed from the city train, his face color
less, his eyes faded and dim, his gait
unsteady. He had grown 20 years
older In single day. He spoke to no
one, but repaired to the half-finished
mansion that was never to be com.
pleted. He shut himself out from all
human companionship, and soon the
solution Of the mystery was public
property. Almost upon her wedding
eve the perfdious Helena Drury had
eloped with the man she really loved.
Thenceforth Levi Brill hated all WON.
ankind. He checked the completion
of the mansion, making habitable only
few rooms in one wing. He barely
spoke to men acquaintances, never to
woman, and when some girl bright
and lively, neared him he would cross
the street to avoid her.
When he came back to the house Of
desolatlon Brill went to room where
were stored the mementoes Of his first,
last and only love venture. He had
told nobody, but he had prepared a
great surprise to bedeck the boudoir
when Helena became his wife. Brill
had gone to a famous plastic artist in
the city and had arranged to have
nearly all the gold in its natural state
he possessed made into life-size bust
Of the woman he loved It was q
marvelousy natural presentment of
the false but beautiful creature who
had deceived him.
Brill removed the bust from the
selled silk, it rested, and bore it to
the room which thereafter he allowed
no one to enter save himself. He got
pail of black paint and covered the
bust with It's mourning blackness, a
grewsome memento Of the one fatal
romance Of his life.
Two years went on and Brill had
dissipated most Of his fortune. He
became a preternaturally old-looking
man. He had frequent spells of ILL.,
ness, but would allow no one but men
hired from the village to nurse him.
Then one day fate cast in his way a
girl of about twenty who was destined
to care for him for years to come.
She was Wanda Rolfe, a poor, but
refined village girl, the daughter of a
music teacher who had just died. Brill
had set traps and spring guns about
the place to scare away tramps. Wan
da had crossed the garden to receive
on one side Of her face a powder dis
charge that marred her beauty. 1t was
beauty that Levi Brill now abhorred.
To make up to the girl for her Attic
ton, he offered her home for life
and she accepted. He was always mo-
rose and sullen, but he cared for her
respectfully and practically adopted
her.
Half a mile away from the place
lived widow, Mrs. Graves. Her
son, a young man Of twenty-five, had
been blind from his birth, but had be-
come an apt musician, and his patient,
pleasing face and manners had made
him a favorite with all the village.
More than with all others, his gentle,
lovable nature had made an impress
sion on Wanda. Together they wan
dered through the wildwood until at
| lection blossomed forth strong and
| lasting.
Little by little the means Of Levi
Brill dwtndled. The house was placed
under foreclosure, Wanda economical
and became q veritable treasure to
Brill. One day he was taken i'll, the
| ror& dow J,o 5}o1 SsEVor vo,, uyooA,