White Pine news weekly mining review. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1910-1920, 1919-11-30
Maxwell's
Harvest
00
By cLARISSA aAcK1E

Syndiezte)
Maxwell stood sith folded arms
watching his house burn 10 the ground.
Ia The grove # che>fnnts negro serS-
ants ran to and fro. dragging the pre-
cious family h~eirlocns away from the
Mastering heat VI the fire.
Mahogany and glass and china and
silver. pictures and carpets. formed =
miscellaneous pile representing all the
home that VAS left T. the last of the
NaxAells-
The long drought and il consequent
lack of wafer told the story 10 the
neighbors gathered about the young
master who looked with broeiing eyes
on the seene Of devastation. The
nearest ueighbor. had galloped five
miles Wher the first glare Of light al
midnight had declared the alarm OF
fire.
He stood at Maxweil's elbow, pant
ing with The exertioa Of his long ride,
a strange look Of triumph on his fat
face.
I'm sorry for you. old man.. he
said with an cir Of heartiness. You've
certainly had The devils own luck
First the failure Of your cotton-thea
Blue Jeans d~repp.u- dead on tie track
vfsn he was marked FIR q winner and
lastly
AIaSNell waved an impatient hand
,SaF M q recitation Of Hg allie
f,on~. Seymour. DE- sid dryly There
ism me ilea / have Overlooked a.
sure soa1 Sof svea tie fact that the
insurance viii exactly pay OF the
mortgage!
Seymburs face settled into heavy
lines af ill-concealel satisfaction. -0h.
/ say, | wasn't thinking Of that. you
know. Maxwell. although | must say
I can find q use for the five thousand
dollars / loaned your uncle. It's been
tied up in that mortgage for fifteen
years and l don't see any more show
OF It's being paid OF bow than before
he died-though you've tried hard TO
do IL. III admit. Everything's against
you. Maxwell. Better clear out and
start anew.
John Maxwell did not reply. He was
staring straight into the heart Of the
fire with troubled dark eyes. The
outer framework of the house had
crumbled in with the walls aud lay a
FACILITATING center Of white heat.
Above IL arose the six dark towering
stone 6imney-unharmed by the
flames.
In the heart of the hre John saw a
fair face crowned with golden hair.
and the blre eyes that looked - sadly
into his pronounced him a failure. He
=roaned a. he turned again Ia his
companion.
You're right. Seym0ur-Iu clear
U and start over agafn somewhere
else. There isn't much chance for a
N~ortherner in the South anyway. His
eyes drfted back 10 the IRE nov dying
down into smoldering elnber>.
\ train of dark figures Wruf CEASE
lessIg TO and fro between the grove
and the cabins Of the servants. Max
wells furniture would soon had hum-
bier quarters.
4osterns empty. : suppoSeg ven
tured Seymour after q while.
Almost dry-c0uldn't draw q gallon
In time To do any Sood. don't knoW
how il started-from the kitchen IRE.
probably. AL know is-this lie
swept his hands toward the ruins Of his
home and II was intercepted by the
touch OF a soft. cool palm.
I'm 80 sorry. Mr.. Maxwell.
breafhed Eleanor Lee al his side. Glad
in riding habit and with her golden
hair uncovered to the night wind she
had stolen from her bed to be beside
him in his trouble.
Eleanor. Go hope at once com
handed Seymour angrily. This il no
place for you.
I'll ride back with you. stepfather."
said Eleanor. looking down from her
saddle at his ~perturbed eountenance
plainly visible in the glare from the
smoldering ruins. Again she turned
TO the young man beside her.
"You will build again. Mr. MAXWELL"
she said decisively.
Maxwell laughed shortly. Il cannot.
Miss Lee. This fire beggars me. Mr..
Seymour will take the land on my
hands"
And your There Wa forced indif-
ference In her tone.
Begin over again."
"Herel"
NO. | shall return to the North"
There ensued a long silence while
the three looked at the glowing embers
of what had once been the finest man
sion in West Virginia.
IF there's nothing we can do to help
you. Maxwell. We better 20 home.
Won't you make the Hall your head
quarters until" Seymour paused
awkwardly.
Until | clear outt' Maxwell's laugh
was not pleasant to hear. THANK you.
no., Seymour-IT find a ~shakedown
snmpuhara au tho nlautafinn ~ inng