Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1922-02-24
THE STORY
BY JACK LAYTON.

Copyright, 1921, Western Newspaper 1rnIon
Hope heard of Charles Thorne rho
very day of her arrival at Kane Mills
The leading man Of the manufacturing
settlement FASTENED to complain To
her father concerning this employee
Thorpe is dangerous fellow
Fielding said "We ought to get rid
OF him. That temper of his is bound
TO get himself and others into trouble.
while his recklessness is beyond req
son
Roughneck is what the men call
him, and he appears to enjoy the
name"
Hopes father was the founder OF
Kane Mills and upon this trip of in
yestigation, she had begged to accom-
pany him.
Lester Kane, while "A man of many
business interests, had little home af
lection, but Hope went with him to
the unaccustomed world of labor and
hardness. For these strong men, of
whom Kane Mills community was
chiefly composed, were rough citizens
aggressive in their contempt of the
iineness that accompanies success.
1t was a foreign atmosphere to Hope.
but an interesting one. The contempt
she ingOred, and the achievement adj
mired. Fielding, the smoothly super
iOr, was her one aversion.
Fielding will drive YOU about and
look after you her father ordered.
while | am occupied. AS your wom-
ans curiosity had to be satisfied by
this trip, you must now make the
best. of It,"
1t was Thorpe, the "Roughneck,"
who attracted her most.
When he looked up at Hope unex-
pectedly one day and flashed her a
smile Of warm friendliness the girl
stared her establishment
When Fielding's car refused to be
moved from its stand in the roadway
1t was Thorpe who respectfully and
obligingly came to the rescue.
what" she asked her father later,
do you know about Charles Thorpe?"
Her father regarded her keenly
Nothing" he replied "to his ad-
vantage. The less you know of him
the better"
The day after that Hope found
letter. 1t was lying on the ground In
the favorlte wOOdsy nook that she fire.
quented. And thinking 1t to be one
she had dropped the preceding day,
Hope read its opening sentence.
Dear Budsy," began the note in
tremulOus lettering, II miss you, son.
And every night light the lamp and
sing the song we used TO sing togeth-
er. DO you remember deare ?-before
sin carried you out of my care.
"'YOu'll be coming back again to me,
AS brave and as true as you used to
Sometimes | think If the heart of
my song could reach you son, you
would gain courage to come back-to
mother"
Sudden tears filled Hopes soft eyes.
'Budsy." she whispered. "Budsy"
She was thinking Of that other name
the man gave him, the name he ac-
copied in laughing bravado.
Hearing violin one evening send
ing it's melody out on the air, Hope
learned that Charles Thorpe was the
musician and searched him out the
following morning in his factory, beg
ging the loan of some music.
ut is lonely here" she told him,
and l thought that if You had any
music I'd like to try it on the piano"
So Hope came upon his mothers song
1t was very sweet-"The heart of my
song" the desolated mother had writ
ten, so Hope, in her sympathetic read
ing found that tender chord. In her
little room Of the crude hotel she
heard that night sounds Of disturbance
In the long room below. Tables were
pushed back roughly, once a woman
screamed Hopes father had not yet
come to his adjoining room so the
girl crept fearfuIIy down the stairs.
keep back" the hotelkeeper's wife
warned her.
you'll not want to see It's the
Roughneck in rage. Fielding tonight
is going to get his. No one can inter
fere When Thorpe is like that he
goes wild. Fielding deserves 1t. He
hasn't been honest with the men. SO
Roughneck Is out for them. But
OH" finished the woman. and rushed
from the room.
Hope saw two men facing each
other, white and desperate Then
Fielding covered suddenly. skunk
back. Thorpe following him merciessly.
Sharply tire girl called out. He did
not hear. Then, "Budsy," she cried,
"oh, Budsy"
FierceIy, angrily he whirled around,
but Hope was now in the next room
at the piano. The song came softly,
vihrantly, seeming strangely out of
place. Charles Thorpe faltered, lis
tened. turned quietly and made his
way past the tense excited faces. Be
fore the piano he stood trembling
questioning dark eyes looking down
II, Ill No