The Yale expositor., 1921-12-01
Love Triumphs
Over Gold
BY RALPH MUMFORD.

uhnce Oh your graves yet
1t was an outburst unworthy Of a
rational man, but Jasper Wriothlesey
was an evil-hearted money grubber,
and his love for gold caused him TO
shut out from life the only three
men he had ever got very close to In
human sense.
For ten years the firm OF Wrioth-
Iesey & Co, founders, had done n
thriving business in .lrontOn. In the
heat OF passion the firm broke up
In adjusting affairs his partners got
justice where Wriothlesey had craftily
hoped to squeeze them. Nader than
ever, he made his wicked vaunt.
He took in his son as his partner
then, and had just one motive in life
to make of young Rupert as hard a
penny-saver and slave-driver as he
had been himself. Pretty Edna Morton
was the last one OF his old friends
Rupert was Influenced to drift away
from.
Old Jasper Wriothlesey carried out
his evil boast. When one OF his part
ners died he actually travelled fifty
miles to go out to quiet cemetery,
and, unseen by any one, prance mad
ly above the ashes of the man he
hated. A second partner died. Again
the impish instinct, the weird self
glorifcatIon Of the old mans nature,
drove him TO keep his threat. He also
died two days later.
Then Rupert became sole owner Of
the business. More than once he had
seen Edna Morton at a distance. He
had evaded her, for somehow he felt
that his father had not acted quite
square with his old partners. More
than that, he learned that the Mortons
were not in the best Of circumstances
owing to an unwise investment Of Mr..
Morton, and that Edna was teaching
school.
I'm tired Of II ALL" he told himself
one day. "There is neither heart nor
hope to this life. I'm going TO sell
out"
The adamantine, persistent influ-
ence Of his father seemed TO pursue
him. At times 1t almost frightened
Rupert Wriothlesey. as he actually
felt the presence of the old business
tyrant urging him to make, to hoard
gold-always gold Gold!
"Pll make the break" he told him
self positively one day. 1--WE written
TO n city firm, and have offered the
works at a fair price. Another week,
then for a rest--a change, a getting
back to real, rational living"
And then-circumstance, accident,
fate, precipltated where Rupert
Wriothlesey had procrastinated--the
great food ut Ironton.
II was every man for himself when
the great column of water began its
warning encroachment. Rupert was at
his home, and the leaping overflow
from the swollen river first attacked
that part of the town. He drove to
the works-that treasure box in the
vault was his first thought. He was
forced TO abandon his vehicle one
half way TO the plant. When he
reached the works there were two feet
of water In the Office.
Hastily Rupert packed the bulk OF
his ready resources in satchel. The
workmen were fast abandoning the
place. Rupert struck across the fac
tory yard TO find himself hemmed In
near some sheds. A break In the
river banks had brought a raging tor
rent down the valley at cyclone speed.
II was ~ moment for rapid action.
Everywhere was confusion, alarm,
peril. Ten minutes later Rupert
Wrlothlesey saw the great plant tot
tering to ruins, swept off its founda-
ton, and he was floating along, hold
ing to the roof-tree of n shed with one
hand. the other holding the satchel
with its precious contents.
Others, clingins to planks, to coops,
10 barrels and boxes, drifted by him.
The terror of storm and flight drove
the floating refugees desperately for
ward. Rupert doubted IL the frail
shed would long remain intact. It's
timbers were already parting. Then
as a raft formed Of frail platform,
some sidwalk section. passed thirty
feet away, he thrilled.
Upon it just tainted from terror and
exhaustion, was a familiar form-it
was Edna Morton! II seemed as
though the veil of years was pierced
at touch, and he recalled the gold
en- hours OF the Ear past. Edna was
helpless. At every toss of~the waves
she slipped nearer and nearer to the
edge Of the frall float.
He could reach her, he saw that,
but in that terrible flood he must
be unhampered. Her sweet white
face appealed TO him. Rupert Wrioth-
lesey gave the satchel a fling with al
most a curse, leaped into the water,
and reached Edna Morton just as she
was slipping overheard.
II was two hours later, ashore and
safe, that Edna heard how nearly she
had drifted into the jaws Of death.
And then and there, his great sacrifice