Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-11-24
ting people know We're here. III 80
now. When you are ready"
~ Shon't h. lnny" Sha said


IL shant be long" she said
When it was quite dark. Whitaker
brought II lantern to the door and
called her, and they went forth to-
gether.
As he had promised, he had built
up three towering pyreS. widely apart.
When all three were In fun roaring
flame, their illumination was hot and
glowing over all the upland. 1t
seemed impossible that the world
should not now become cognizant Of
their distress.
At some distance to the north OF
the greatest tire-that nearest the
farm -house-they sat rs on the previ-
Gus night, looking out over the black
ard unresponsiye waters. communing
together In undertones.
III that hour they learned much OF
one another; much that had seemed
strange and questionable assumed. in
the understanding OF each, the COM
peton of the normal and right. Whit
aker spoke at length and in much de-
tail of his WiIlful Missing years with
out seeking to excuse the wrong mind
ed reasoning which had won him his
own consent 10 live under the mask
of death. He told of the motives that
had happened since in which she had
had no part-with IA single reserva-
ton. one thing he kept back the
time for that WAS not yet.
A listener in his turn, he heard the
history of the little girl of the Com
mercal House breaking her heart
against the hardness of life in what
at first seemed utterly futile cndeavor
to live by her own efforts, asking
nothing more of the man who had
given her his name.
He learned Of the coming of Max,
his interest in her, the interchangeable
pnins he had expended coaching her
TO bring out the latent ability his own
genius OWNED; of the initial perform
ance Of "Joan Thursday before n
meager and Indifferent audience, her
instant triumph and subsequent con
quest of the country In half Il dozen
widely disSmilar roles finally of her
decision to leave the stage when she
married, for reasons comprehensive,
demanding neither exposition nor de-
fence.
at doesn't matter amy longer she
commented, concluding: Il loved and
! hated It, 1t was deadly and it was
glorious. But 1t no longer matters.
1t n finished, Sara Law is no more
You mean never to SO back to the
STAGE
Never"
"And yet" he unused craftly.
Never" She fell blindly into his
trap. II promised myself long ago
that If ever | became IA wife,
But you are no wife, he countered.
Dear you are cruel to me-
II think it's you who would be
cruel to yourself, dear heart
Il think she announced, wed bet
ter go in"
She rose without assistance, moved
away toward the house. paused and
returned.
Hugh she said gently, with a
quaver in her voice that wounded his
conceit In himself; for he was sure
it spelled laughter at his expense and
Hugh. you big sulky
boy! get up this instant and come
back to the house with me. You know
I'm timid. Aren't you ashamed Of
yourself;'
II suppose So ne grumbled, rising.
II presume it's childish to want the
moon-and sulk when you find you
cant have It,"
"Or starr"
He made no reply; but his very
silence was eloquent. They entered
the kitchen.
"Somethingll have to be done: IL
they won't help us, We'll have to help
ourselves
Hugh" There was alarm in her
tone, He looked up quickly. Hugh,
what are You thinking off,
"Oh--nothlng. But I've got to think
of something
She came nearer, intuitivcly alarmed
and pleading. "lluch, you wouldn't
leave me here alone
Don't be afraid" he said evnsively.
an be here---as always when You
wake ZIP"
She disappeared; the light Of her
lamp faded, Pickering in the drau-ht
Of the hall, stcncilled the wall with
its cvanescent caricntrre of the bal.
ustrndc, and was no longer visible.
Hugh - her voice rang from the
upper floor.
He started violently out Of deep alb.
strncton, and replied inquirinaly.
You wont forget e lock the door,
ITO he COntluueO)