Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-08-01

The old man CAM humbly forward
and seated himself in a great arm
chair near the center table. watching
FELTON, with grave, expectant eyes.
There's no hurry. my boy" he an
nounced, in a calm even tone. You're
not going to take that train tonight
mo-" Trask went on, calmly. You're
going to stay here in New York.
And instead of going TO the station
tonight, you're going to Ruth. She
returned today. And do you know
where she is now? She's all
alone in that little arbor in the park
where you once told her you loved
her. And she's broken hearted-be-
cauSe of you. Dan. She loves you, and
you're going to her-now."
You can imagine the boys be-
wilderment. He studied the old law
yer for a moment, aware of some in
comprehensive change in him.
When he had managed to collect
himself sufficiently he stammered in
credulously: How do you-happen to
know these things-about the arbor-
about Ruth? >"
An ins~crutable. faint smile spread
over TraSk's wizened face.
Il know" he answered. simply. Il
know many things tonight.
That is why I am here, Dan. And YOU
must heed what l tell you. Ruth
loves you-and you are not going to
wreck her life and yours, too"
Irasks words resindled in the boys
heart those embers Of emotion which
for days he had been e%ndeavoring to
smother. But suddenly the memory
of all those things which had stricken
him and torn his heart asunder swept
back into his mind and his momentary
pity and love were again overshadowed
by resentment and anger.
MOI he exclaimed. feverishly re-
Stunning his packing. She lied to me,
deceived me, and-used me.
I've made my decision"
you can't go. DAM" Trask remon-
strated in an agonized voice. Don't
you understand-don't you see? She
has done nothing to you-she's as in
nocent as you are"
FELTON, swung around, his face white
and contOrted with suffering.
You tell me that" he cried, bitter
ly. You, who poisoned my mind
against her-yOu, who only a few days
ago handed me the proof of her guilt!
You tell me she has done
nothing to mel" A great sob shook
him. "She has trampled on every
thing worth while in my life"
"Stop!" the old mar broke in. II
tell you she is innocent. You are con-
demning her and rejecting her love
without a hearing 1t is you
who have WrOnged her, Dan"
FELTON, moved a step forward. What
Of the money she took from me? And
why did she reject my love? What
Of your W accusations and warnings?
And what of Seldridge's suit, and the
documentary evidence? Con-
demned without a hearing?" He gave
a dry, mirthless laugh.
The old man gazed sadly for a mo-
ment at the grief stricken, angry boy.
Then he said, gently. They were all
lies, Dan-lies told you deliberately in
order to wreck her happiness. They
were the lies of hate and vengeance.
And-God help me!-they almost sue
ceeded."
"Lies?" the boy repeated, in a husky
whisper, his mind in a turmoil.
Has it ever occurred to you, DAN"
the old man continued, softly. why
/ have always avoided my own kind
why l vas bitter and selfish and merci-
less? Twenty years ago I was
like yo~u-idealistic, believing. l, too,
loved some one who meant the en-
tire world to me. She was the symbol
of everything beautiful and holv. she
took the place of my own soul. /.
And then-she deserted me, Inundated
me, robbed me. A child had just been
born to us, and she even deserted that
child.
II broke down, and was out Of my
mind for a week. When consciousness
returned I was another being. l was
poisoned with a deadly hatred. From
that day to this I have lived in a world
of venomOus shadows. I hated the
child as I did the mother: all the
awful bitterness of my OWL nature was
focused on this offspring of the woman
who had wronged me. I paid a poor
family to adopt it and raise it as their
own 1 could not bear the sight of
it, but I wanted the child to suffer,
as l was suffering"
He raised his eyes to the boy, who
stood watching him in dazed wonder
ment.
Nov you know, Dan," he added,
brokenly, Ruth is my daughter. :.
And when I saw happiness coming to
her through your love, I hated you,
too, and planned to turn that happi-
ness into tragedy-to make you both
suffer. ;" His voice trailed off
and his head fell forward on his breast.
After a tense silence old Trask looked
up again. Il planned it ALL" he went
on, humbly. Il knew your nature
it was so like mine in the old days.
I knew what the purity of the girl
meant to you, and how you would re-
act to my in~sinuations. I even gave
you the money so that the woman
who you thought was Ruth's mother
could take it from you as I had in
Structed her."
"And-Seldridge's suit?" faltered the
boy.
1T was another girl he was suing
the old lawyer explained. Il had the
papers copied, with Ruth's name sub
stituted. 1t was those I gave to YOU"
"But-how did you dare?" FELTON,
i~ncreduously. "How did
you know I wouldn't go to her and
discover vour-deception?"
II knew you too well, Dan," the other
told him. AND I had already care
fully sown the poison of doubt in your
mind. Moreover, when she was i'll, l
myself had h. sent away. l knew
what the effect Of it all would be oil
YOU that you'd 60, to-, before she
returned. Hadn't | myself once passed
through the some horror"
"But why-why didn't she answer my
letter." the boy cried, in an agony
Of despair. Why didn't she ~eApla.n?"|
Trask drew himself up.
Explain" he retOrted. AFTER the
terrible note Won wrote ,erol