Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1924-08-16
Ie Foothills


as they are bid
"My friends" ne managed to say,
I'VE suddenly find ourselves in ire
mendous times Some Of you know my
attitude toward this business In which
we are engaged. ! did not seek It;
tried to avoid il; yet, when the re-
sponslbility was forced upon me | ac-
cepted that responsibility. / gave up
the life I enjoyed, the environment I'm
which ! found delight. the friends l
loved Velour nation is now in a
somewhat similar position. It has to
go into a business which II did not
seek, OF which It does not approve. but
which fate has thrust upon It. It has
to break of the current of It's life and
turn 1t into undreamed-of channels,
and we, as individuals who make up
the nation. must do the same. have
already enlisted, and expect that with
in a few hours / shall be In uniform.
Some Of you are single men of mill
tary age; you win, | am sure. take
similar steps. For the rest-the bust
ness will be wound up as soon as pos
sble, so that you may be released for
some form Of national service. You
viii ali receive three months salary in
lieu Of notice. Mr. Murdoch VIII look
after the details. When that has been
done my wealth, or such part of It as
remains, will be placed at the dis
posal Of the government II we win 1t
will be well invested in a good cause
If we lose, It would have been lost
anyway"
No one knew Just how the meeting
broke up, but Grant had confused
remembrance Of many handclasps as+d
some tears. lie was not sure that he
had not, perhaps, added one or two to
the flow, but they were all tears of
friendship and of an emotion born Of
high resolve.
AS he stood In his own Office again,
trying to get the events of these last
few days into some sort Of perspective,
Phyllis Bruce entered. He motloned
dumbly to a chair, but she came and
stood by his desk Her face was very
white and her lips trembled with the
words she tried TO utter.
Il can't go" she managed TO say at
length
Cant go? I don't understand"
Hubert mas joined" she said,
Hubert the boyl Why, he Is only
in school"
"He is sixteen, and large for his age.
lie came home confessing, and say
ing It was his first lie. and the FIRST
important thing he ever did without
consulting mother He said he knew
he wouldn't be able to stand II If he
told her first"
Foolish, but heroic" Grant com
mented BE proud Of him II takes
more than wisdom to he heroic
"And Grace is going to England. She
was taking nursing, you know, and
SO gets a preference. We can't all
! leave mother"
He found It difficult to speak. "You
wanted to go to the FrontY' he man
aged.
"Of course; where else7"
Her hand was on the desk; his own
slipped over until it closed on It.
"You are a little heroine" he muir
INJURED
"No. I'm not. Tn a little fool 10
| tell you this, but how can l stay
why should / stay-when You are
gomez"
She was looking down, but after her
I confession she raised her eyes to his.
! and he wondered that he had never
known how beautiful she was. He
could have taken her In his arms. but
something, with the power OF invisible
chains, held him back In that SUI
preme moment a vision swan before
/ him a vision Of mountain stream
backed by tawns foothills, and a girl
as beautiful rs even this Phyllis. who.
had wrapped him in her arms
and said we must GO and forget"
And he had not forgotten.
When he did not respond she drew
herself slowly away. "You VIII hate
me" she said.
'That is impossible he corrected
quickly. 81 am very sorry II I have
let you thInk more than I intended. I
care for you very, very mueh indeed
I care for YOU SO much that I win not
let you think I care. for you more. Can
you understand that?"
Eyes. You like me, but you love
some one else"
He was disconnected by her lntui-
ton and the terse frankness with
which she stated the case.
II WIN take you into my confidence
Phyllis. II I may" he sgil at lenzta.
q do Ike YOU: did 'ove some one
else. And that old attachment Is suH
so strong that 1t would he hardly fair
lit would be hardly fair"
"Why didn't you marry herr" she
demanded
Because some one else did"
oh
Her hands found his this time. I'm
sorry" she said Sorry brosght
this un-sorry I raised these mem,
cries. But now you-who have known
will know"
Il know know" he murmured
raising he- fingers 70 his Ifps