The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1924-02-28
CHAPTER xlI-contInusd.

tri@ihs her IAthrrs arm and inYiunl
he preacher with her eyes Break
lasts ready. and our bouquet not hal
finished"
She was the llfe OF the little gr0uf
that assembled a few minutes later IN
lhs gloomy old dining with the
fandiea pickering over IN bare walls
and waging a losing battle with the
hadows lurking Ia the corners. Only
Tor her. the scene and setting might
have been somber enough--the stark
walls. stir old furniture. decorations
md ornamentafion severely IN keep
ng with the taste OF a day long gone
ne grim gray figure that presided at
he head 81 the table.
Banker Colin was a man out Of
whom life had squeezed most of the
liner aenslblilties and coined them into
FOLD. The dreams Of b0yhoOd the ro-
nance OF youth. the glory OF manhood
--gone- bargalned away for a price
Sitting there az bis gloomy breakfast
liable, a disappointed. weary old man.
ais soul cried out 10 rue the bargain
10 trade back with fate But none /
had learned the lesson better than he
mat fate trades not back: that there
DO was doomed 20 sit. a hopeless
nourner over the dead ashes Of the
nighthaye-b been.
The forenoon he spent Ia the small
room. busy with his papers. or In
meeting people who came TO pay him
noney-or borrow II.
In the afternoon he tried 10 take a
zap. but 10 long had his mind been set
70 It's daily grind that Il now ran on
N spite OF him-a sort OF mental en-
Tine whose clutch could no longer DO
released.
Rest a quiet nap-they were no q
'onser his He had sold them--part b
,f the price he had paid for-what7- d
he privilege 20 pocket interest money;
10 collect rents; 10 write his check. n
Cheated again. The devil never loses z
n a trade.
II would be a hopeless task 10 trace y
IFS thoughts a. he thrashed about over
he bed and fdgeted the hours away. e,
lis business; the farms. hts squan. h
erred years all passed In review. And
That was leftg To slt by musty win nj
ow and pile up weaith--for somebody =,
lse TO spend. He couldn't spend II
imself He didn't know how. He had n,
Piled 80 hard 10 make II that he had
ever learned how 10 spend it--an IN
nitely finer thing 70 know.
sieep--he was never wider awake
! hla life. He fOundered on the bed
last. less rested than when he lay
own. and stormed out TO the porch
aIy 20 stand drumming a restless
ttoo upon post with his long bony
ngers.
The voices Of Texie and the preach.
were borne 20 him from the rustic
az under the giant maple ut Wits.
rims spring iio mildly wondered AZ
! reflected that the genial day had
obably for once lured the young
IN from his studies. and Aauntered
ek 10 his easy chair Ia the sitting
pm.
An he sat there. with the pulse and
RI OF the wonderful May day borne
through the open door. his mind
'plnx back over the distant past a
snory held him IN rarnung retro
'cticn. Minutes long Il held him
~ u smcothed the lines on ut. face :
softsnsd his hard old eyes.
IL rose from the chair at last:
I'd back aud forth across the
q a time OF two; went into the
vi west room 10 his safe. unlocked
with a noticeable effort swung the
w door open: fambied inside and The
" out large envelope OF stout n
lila paper. unsealed. fumbied m
per and brought out a small iocket
told closed the safe. without lock. who
II. and went back 10 his easy chair. hear
lcnx time he sat. with hts elbow "
ped up on the chalr-arm. his chin bit
10 palm; nnaily with fingers that the
'blsd. he pressed In the catch OF SONS
iocket II sprnng open. There "A
, two pictures insldo-a woman napl
man. Hut the face OF the won. AZ n
vas not tho face over the mantei had
be sitting room; II was the face 70
ne woman bcneath tho draped grim
In the cabin under the crimson grim
bier what Il had been In her ssrl. time
! And the face Of the man IN the as a
y was net tho outstanding soldier nevel
. The sword and spurs. IN the uni ridin
% ecleuei of Mounted Rangers: new
- tho fsce % Simon Colin what IN
a beer IN the days % bis young Hut
hood. ben
. old man kssed al tho beautiful. trnve
'oru face q the wonaa In the that
G again and again lalt h 10 bis hesse
old llps. keid Il elose against his --Ne'
( sntfeniy. With gasp Tbs
I'D the ioeket shut fumbl
nishty spasn ~ pain had xrtpped chair.
'ide lie elntched 4 with BIS the y
,; fought Tor breath. When Il prcac
'vcr aud be ~as able 70 hreathe nerve
. bis lips were blue. and cismmy dust
stoed heavy on bis eragxy hrpw ~Br
4 einfehlns bis side be op~nsd time.
'cket. With its sccrct. trying not river