The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-12-17
MONDAY DECEMBER II, 1923
It Was Not a
Pipe Dream
By JUSTIN WENTWOOD

=
where dsya say this here k!ng
iivesw demanded the dusty. foot
sore tramp of his companion. 90
they limped into the, little town.
+ Somewhere around here" an
swered the other. "Say. suppose
you wait under this tree for ma.
and I'll have a look around"
"Oh, I'll wait" grinned the other.
But l guess you been hittin' the
pipe when you dreamed that dream.
Scotty."
Scotty set OF alone without re
plying. He knew very well where
isaac Krammeler lived. For he
had often visited At his house be-
tore.
But that was in the days Of his
-espectability, before Krammeler
and he, fellow clerks In the bank,
took the first step on the downward
road. It was Krammeler who had
urged him to take the money and
invest II In those stocks that were
kiting high. It was Krammeler
who had arranged to leave the
package where he could get 1t.
It was he who had been caught.
Krammeler had covered his tracks
we'll, and Scotty-then Mr.. Fergus
Hume-had received his sentence
Of seven years without flinchlng.
Now he was coming back.
He was coming back to get what
was coming to him. and Krammeler
was going to get what was coming
to him, too, for he had married
the girl Hume had been engaged
to.
Rich and prosperous Oh, but
he'd pay through the nose for It!
Now Scotty saw. Krammeler's
house in front Of him. 1t stood at
the corner, as snug and sedate as
ever. only the privet hedge was
higher. The garden was ablaze
with roses and hydrangeas and
other brilliant flowers. And in 1t
two children were merrlly chasing
each other around an umbrella
tree.
Scotty stopped outside and
looked lwistfully over the hedge. 1t
made his heart ache intolerably to
see that picture Of happiness and
beauty. 1t made his anger rise to
q point where 1t was merged in
madness, to think that this smooth
rascal should be enjoying the fruits
Of his crime, while he had IAN
guished six years in a filthy pen.
Then he saw woman coming
along a path of the garden. She
was dressed In black. her fair hair
coiled about the nape of her neck,
and, despite the years that had
passed, he recognized Dorothy. His
heart leaped at the sight of her. He
remembered their kisses. He
clenched his fists.
Hello, mani" ~
The boy was standing staring al
him on the other side Of the hedge.
the little girl beside him.
'Does your tummy ache. mani"
NO." growled Scotty.
II thought 1t did, because you
made such dreadful face. man."
mo, it's worse than stomach.
ache bothers me-" said Scotty.
"How old are you?"
I'm Ave." said the boy. "And
Susan's free"
Like it here, do your"
The children stared at him. not
understanding.
where's your Pop? At, the
bankY The words came from his
lips in a snarI.
The boys lips trembled. Pops
Dead" he said, whi,npering.
"What's that? When did he die?"
II dunno. A l-long thine ago"
the child faltered. 1T was typhoid
fever, the doctor said"
"Feathered his nest pretty we'll
before he died." muttered Hume.
But he stood staring at the chill
dren In perplexity. Dim!y he
realized that Krammeler had in
some manner escaped his ven
geance. But there, was Dorothy.
She should feel the weight Of his
vengeance.
Children" the mother was call
ing them. She was coming along
the path toward them. And In an.
other moment she would see and
probably recognize him.
And the beauty and happiness OF
the place came him to him once
more, but differently now. In a
way he felt as If the problem Of
retribution had been raised to
higher plane. But he never knew
what 1t was made him turn away.
Perhaps simply because he still
loved her.
"Come away from the hedge.
children"
"Come away from that man. you
mean," mumbled Scotty. enjoying
the exquisite thought Of how he
could confound her. But he turned
and made his way back to where
he had left his companion.
"Well?" grinned the other.
Couldn't find the place."
growled Scotty.
"Told va it was a pipe dream.
Sc0tty. Let's beat-it and see what
we can bum further along this
road"