The Mt. Sterling advocate. (Mt. Sterling, Ky.) 1890-current, 1922-04-04
THE STORY



Hope heard Of Charles Thorpe the
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 a 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 rsa-
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
vestigation, 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 unaccustomed world Of labor and
hardness. For these strong men, of
whom Kane Mills community was
chiefly composed, were rough citizens,
hkkftSslNt III lutiT VI thC
fineness 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
Tor, was her ONE aversion.
Fielding Will drive you about and
look after YOU" her father ordered,
"while 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 M9a fday and flashed her a
smile of MORN friendliness, the girl
stared her establishment.
When Fieldings car refused to be
moved from it's stand In the roadway
1t was Thorpe who respectfully and
obliginglM came to the rescue.
"WhatyA she asked her father later,
'do you know about Charles ThorpeT
Her father regarded her keenly.
Nothing" he replied, ito his adj
vantage. The less you know of him
the better"
The day after that Hope found a
letter. Tt 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 it's opening sentence.
Dear Budsy," began the note in
tremulous lettering. 81 miss you, son.
And every night / light the lamp and
sing the song we used to sing togeth-
err. Do you remember dearief-before
sin carried you out of my care.
"'You'if be coming back again to me,
AS brave and as true as you used to
be-"
sometimes l 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.
"Budsyl" she whispered, "Budsy T.,
She was thinking of that other name
the man gave him, the name he ac-
cepted in laughing bravadO.
Hearing a violin one evening send
ing its melody out on the air, Hope
learned that Charles Thorpe was the
musician and searched him out the
following morning in his factory, beg
cling the loan of some music.
at Is lonely here" she told him,
"and | thought that If you had any
music I'd like to try 1t 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 woman
screamed Hopes father had not yet
come to his adjoining room, so the
girl crept fearfully 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 mercilessly.
Sharply the girl called out. He. did
not hear. Then, "Budsy,"" she cried,
"oh. BudsyW
Fiercely, angrily he whirled around,
but Hope was now In the next room
at the piano. The song came softly,