The Red Cloud chief., 1921-06-16

Ashley" sat at the desk in his den.
He had not yet actually settles down
to work, for the door stood ajar and
he. was still exploiting his portfolio
and setting papers In order before
him. ~ So
Voices iloated down the staircase,
his wife's subdued, his sons deep and
vibrant. A%shlsey's 1fs expanded in a
satisfied smile. re =.
"Have you thought, Gordon, Of the
effect this will have upon your father,
and perhaps upon your prospects," !
Mrs. Ashley asked.
"Yes," answered the young man.. "IF
have yielded to father in choosing
business instead Of O profession. In
this I cannot yield" ~.
HE will be disappointed" the moth.
err said gravely. .
Gordon laughed shortly at this mild
statement. ~
II am a man now, mother, ana this,
Is a matter in Which 6ne nianemayF not
command another. I love Arie."
"We've played together! Summers
down at Wheatfield V since we
were kids, and I always liked her
best" he finished, boyishly. a., C.
His voice changed to a harsher tone.
"Father is running his life and ours
he said, sternly. Everything that Is
his is touched by the blight Of his,
o~verbearing temper. 1t is wearing
you out. I can see II. Marjorie's 4,
happiness was sacrificed to his am
billion. Dick vas forced into uncon-
genial employment. We've all kept in
for your sake, but som day there'u
be q mighty smash. There never was
O man who thought himself omnipo-
tent, since the days Of Nebuchadnez-
Ear, that the Almighty didn't humble
him."
At the look on his mothers face,
he added, contritely:
Forgive me, mother. I shouldn't
have said It."
They moved away.
Ashley sat motionless. That merci-
less indictment from Gordon, his hope
and pride! 1t was q full half-hour
before he arose., closed the door and
locked 1t. He dropped into his chair
and laid his head upon his folded
arms.
"Allie Betty Kent down In Wheat
feld!"
That must be Alice Elizabeth's
daughter. In the days when Wheat.
field had been his home, Alice Eliza
beth's name had not been Kent, but
Courtney.
After q few moments, he raised his
head, unlocked a drawer and took out
q box. From the box he drew a shah.
by pocketbook, and from this, In turn,
q tiny, yellowed silk bag. He united
its string and shook the contents out
upon the blotter-a circiet Of braided
sweet grass, dry and brittle, and q
gold ring set with a small diamond.
He remembered the day he had
braided the grass and measured Alice
Elizabeth's finger.
They sat under the naples on the
river bank. The sun sent golden
shafts of light through the trees to fall
upon her yellow hair. She had insist
ed upon having the braided ring to
keep and had made the little silk
bag for it, the very evening he had
placed the diamond on her finger.
He remembered, too, the evening
nearly two years later. when she had
given them back. He recalled frag-
ments of the conversation.
"You have grown so hard"
"Nothing matters except having
your W way, and 1t does not matter
that your way is not always right"
II do not dare to risk life with you"
will some day be a lonely. wretched
old man."
His hurt had been deep. He could
not destroy the rings. but had hidden
them.
T%hirty-five years. and he had not
changed. II tonight were any criterion,
he was on his way to the lonely.
wretched old age she had prophe1ied.
A rap sounded at the door. With
the pitiful diamond still clasped In his
hand. Ashley unlocked It
Gordon anne In, his shoulders
squared. II wasn't sure you had come
home" he said. "Are you too busy to
listen to me for a few momentsr
Ashley pushed back his papers.
go ahead" he said, grufny.
Gordon came straight to the point.
"Tm engaged to be married, father.
I thought 1t best to tell you"
Ashley was silent. Gordon stumbled
on. 1T IL Allie Betty Kent. She lives
In Wheatfeld. where we used to 20
summers" He waited. tense. for the
expected outburst.
"In Wheatneld," unused his father.
Must be Alice Courtney's daugh.
ter"
"She L." answered the young man.
Relieved, he sat on the corner Of the
desk and picked up q circlet Of dried
~xas~ that Lac thar nAUvorslv A~~.A