Mountain advocate., 1922-03-17
THE STORY
By JACK LAYTON.
'AeNeN1NneNeeeN

settlement haSteneu TO complain L
her father concerning this employee
Thorpe Is dangerous fellow,
Fielding said. ave ought to get rid
of him. That temper Of his is bound
to get himself and others into trouble
while his recklessness is beyond rea.
son.
Roughncck' 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
vestlgntlon. she had begged to accom-
pany him.
Lester Kane. while man of many
business interests, had little home af-
fection. but Hope went with him to
the unaccustomeri 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
flneness that accompanies success.
1t was n foreign atmosphere to Hope,
hut an Interesting one. The contempt
she lngOred, and the achievement ad-
mired. Fielding. the smoothly super
ior, was her one aversion.
Fielding will drive you about and
look after you" her father ordered,
'whlle l 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 friendllness the girl
stared her establishment.
When Ficldings car refused to be
moved from its stand in the roadway
II 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 a
letter. II was lying on the ground I'm
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 dearie?-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
be-"
Sometimes | think II the heart OF .
my song could reach you. son, you
would gain courage to come back-to
Sudden tears filled Hopes soft eyes.
"Budsy!" she whispered. "Budsyw
She was thinking Of that other name
the man gave him, the name he ac-
repted In laughing bravado.
Hearing a Violin one evening send
ing its melody out on the air, Hope
learned that Charles Thorpe was the
and searched him out the
following morning In his factory, beg
;ing the loan Of some music.
ut Is lonely here" she told him,
and I thought that II you had any
music I'd like to try II on the plano"
go Hope came upon his mothers song.
L was very sweet-"The heart OF my
iong," the desolated mother had writ
en-, so Hope. in her sympathetic read
ng, found that tender chord. In her
little room OF the crude hotel she
leard that night sounds OF disturbance
'ushed back roughly, once a woman
creamed. Hopes father had not yet
ONE to his adjoining room. so the
.irl crept fearfully down the stairs.
keep back" the hOtelkeeper's wife
warned her.
you'll not want to see. It's the
loughneck In a rage. Fielding tonight
5 going to get his. No one can inter-
ere. When Thorpe is like that he
oes wild. Fielding deserves II. He
asn't been honest with the men. So
loughneck Is out for them. But
h" finished the woman, and rushed
rom the room.
Hope saw two men facing each
ther, white and desperate. Then
fielding covered suddenly, skunk
'ack. Thorpe following him mercllessly.
Sharply the girl called out. He did
OF hear Then. "Budsy," she cried,
oh, Budsy!"
Fiercely, angrily he whirled around.
ut Hope was now In the next room
{ the plano. The song came softly
seeming strangely out OF
lace. Charles Thorpe faltered, lis
aned, turned quietly and made his
ray past the tense excited faces. Be
Dre the piano he stood trembling;
uestiOning dark eyes looking down
pom the girl. When her song was
one Hope met his eyes.
AN. -. "a -.