Cavalier County farmers press. (Langdon, N.D.) 1920-1921, 1920-11-25
The Roads End
By oTILLIA F. PFEIFFER


Archibald Wayne made a gesture of
dismissal, final and severe. His son
Virgil, responded with a look of des-
peration rather than contriteness.
"You won't help me out-for the
last time? Pm through with the folly,
if you will give me a new start" he
said.
"You have the e%ffrontery to ask that
after all 1 have done for you, wasteful-
ly, fruitlessly. l & isown you. More than
that, not a penny more of my hard
earned money will you ever get"
The young man shrugged his Shout
ders and tried to assume an air Of
reckless Indifference. He wheeled face
about and started down the road, in
deed, as if that was the menacing
t~horoughfare itself which his father
had indicated.
Virgil Wayne, young, handsome, ath-
letic, with a good home and favorable
prospects had he not imperiled and
sacrificed them, had something serious
to think about. Graduating as an en-
gineer he had come home from a tech
nical college to enjoy a brief rest, as
he termed it. His father was away
for his health. He had left with his
lawyer the power to provide what mon
ey Virgil needed, and as the latter had
left college with high distinction he
was quite proud of him. Never was
a father more disappointed and shock
ed than Mr.. Wayne when, six months
later, he returned to learn that his
sons name had become a by word in
the town. Virgil had Joined it's wild
est set of young men. He had thought
of nothing but profligacy and pleasure
and had run into debt for over two
thousand dollars.
Thrice since then had Mr.. Wayne
settled up his sons newly acquired
debts. At last the limit was reached.
Virgil had gone with some of his chos-
en- friends to a horse race at a dis
lance. He had been induced to risk a
large amount of collections he had
made for his father, and this last act
of unfaithfulness had led to his present
situation.
Virgil Wayne started down the road
vowing that he was done with the
past INC his evil associates forever.
He had no idea as to his destination.
Moodily, %sturdily he tramped on.
About the middle of the afternoon he
entered a restaurant in a little rail
road town and his attention was at
tracted to two young men at the next
table, n of whom was waving a tele-
gram in a riotously excited and de-
lighted manner.
"The next train back for both of
us" he exclaimed. 'You see what it
says. Drop the Dayton work. We
have closed the big tunnel contract and
need you here"
eyes, but what will this Robert Day.
ton think of your not coming, Whar.
toni" p%ropounded the other.
"What he pleases. Think I'll vege.
tate at a hundred a month way off
here, while double and treble promises
on the tunnel contract"
Virgil rested awhile and resumed his
tramp. Just before dusk he came tc
a halt where the road was blocked
A post bore the sign: "No thorough.
fare-Private Road" He took a side
highway to face the same sign hall
a mile further on.
well, it seems that I have come tc
the end of the road" he soliloquized
At a little distance was a solitary
house. 1t set back among a grove o.
trees and he made his way to its porch
A yrnIro pir1 cot thorn of q toh11 r
number of blank and written sheets
l spread out before her.
I'm wondering where I am" spoke
Virgil. 81 seem to be in a labyrinth
with no way out"
ooh, you mean the blocked roads?
! inquired the young lady. "My fathe,
! owns the land for miles beyond her
and has a purpose in ~segregating it
You are not the engineer, are you
whom he was expecting"
mo. I am not" replied Virgil, ""bu
engineering is my profession anG
then as he glanced at the sheet nea
at hand he observed that the girl hat
been copying surveying transcripts ant
map details. A bluff, hearty-lookin
man appeared from tne mouse. III
] had overheard Virgil's declaration an,
I it seemed to interest him. Abruptly h
questioned:
"Are you Mr.. Wharton?" and as Wiz
/ gil dissented he also referred to th
man of that name he had seen at tn
/ restaurant and recited the incident.
"And you're in the same liner sal,
Robert Dayton. ga queer coincidence
Maybe we car tur it to account.
want a new survey of some ten thou
sand acres of land I own and som
engineering work besides. You see
hold the key here to supply electr
. utilities for a tifty-mile district. II
willing to pay well for expert counsf
and help to put it in shape"
Virgil Wayne accepted the mopos
tion rendered him.
He was so fascinated with tlie nrp,
: ect OF the old. man, so ~encoura@ed II
realizing that his technical e~ancatio
Nod fornd jts ,ractina op,ortl,ps4r n