The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-11-05
THE
EAST AND
THE WEST
Copyright by W. Q. Chapman,
By H. M. EGBERT

(kT IT'S never VIII Thorpel"
"That you, Jimmy7"
The two men gazed at each
other in half incredulity. Then:
SLOW you've changed, Will" ex-
claimed the fastener.
II guess I'm wearing clothes that I
wouldn't have cared to be seen In at
Harvard or in Boston," said WIN
Thorpe, smiling at his friend.
II don't mean that" answered Jim
my fremont. "It's-it's-well, / don't
know just what It Isl"
Will Thorpe thought about his
friends words that evening when he
was alone In his cabin on the noun
tainside. Had he changed during his
three years In the West, beyond the
mere physical appearancef He was
inclined to think no had. Certainly
his tastes seemed to have altered In
many ways.
VIII Thorpe had been sent West
three years before. He had been an
idler and extravagaDt; at last his IA
ther, who had always dealt with the
boy rather harshly, refused to assist
him further unless he entered his iron
foundry and settled down. Angry
words had arisen, and In the end Will
had packed his suitcase and gone
. West with a hundred dollars In his
pockets.
His sweetheart Marion Vansittart,
had scolded him for his decision. She
had reminded him, petulantly, that she
could neither marry poor man nor
wait forever. He had kissed her and
told her that he would return with his
fortune made. And for few months
she had written. Then her letters be-
came shorter and less frequent; finally
they ceased altogether.
1t was more than two years since
he had heard from her. And gradual
" the, new life had woven itself about
him, and he ceased to care.
Then he had received a mysterious,
unsigned message asking him to be at
the railway depot at certain hour,
to meet the train. And he had gone,
to find Jim fremont waiting there.
Jim was passing. through on his way
to California, he told him, and he had
heard he was in that part Of the
country. Did VIII know that his IA
Their was dead and he was the sole
heir Of FIVE million dollars? He had
better write home quickly, because
every one was searching for him, and
he had only heard Of his address by
chance.
II suppose you'll be back East in
week, and holding out at the club"
said Jimmy casually, as he shook
hands and said good-by.
It was that that made VIII think
he had really changed. How could he
associate those elusive memories
which he had almost forgotten with
this life that had taken possession Of
him?
He thought Of Norma Gale, the
daughter Of the old homesteader
down the valley. How was he to tell
her? The girl, educated and refined
as were all the people of the district,
was utterly unpresentable In the sort
of society In which he had moved
She had never worn a gown with a
low neck in her life. She would be
helpless among crowd Of people such
as-Marion Vansittart!
Yet 1t never occurred to Will that
he could do anything but go. It had
never entered bis mind that he was
to stay permanently In the West.
A man on horseback was riding up
to his cabin. viii watched him as he
approached. Visitors were something
OF an event in the settlement, and
VIII knew the rider as the telegrapher
In the cluster of houses that had
grown up around the depot and was
called city.
''Wire for you, Thorpew he am
nounced briefly.
VIII took the message and opened
It. He stared at 1t as If he did not
understand. 1t was from Marion. She
had learned his address, she said
probably every one could discover the
address Of a millionaire and she was
passing through on her way East from
the San Francisco exposition. She
would stay an hour while they changed
engines. Would he meet her?
Thanks" said viii to the telegra-
pher, and watched him ride down the
hill.
Yes, he was going East, and going
back to Marion. For a moment the
old life came rushing over him, with
its memories, its thousand allure
ments. And the new life meant moth
ing.
He mounted his horse and rode
slowly down the valley. He had no
destination in mind, but suddenly he
realized that he was approaching the
homesteader's house. And at the door
stood Norma, in her sunbonnet.
She greeted him. won't you come
In and take some tear" she asked. II
hear Won are going East Mr. Thorne ~