Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-01-19
The Mark
By RALPH ANDRE
&c by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.)
(WNU Service)

mon courage 10 propose 10 Janet
Ames. It was his last chance, for to-
morrow he would sail for South Amer
lea. He forced himself to look at her.
Her lips were parted, her head
cooked in that pert little way she had.
Bewitchingly. lovely, vibrant with
health and love of life. infinitely
sweet and desirable she seemed.
Her bright glance caught his and
held. Something in the misty depths
Of the soft brown eyes gave him a
breathless courage. He had a wild
impulse to shout but she tightness in
his throat made his voice low and
husky. "Janet 4. THAT isl love
you. Will you marry me?"
She retreated step that brought
her face into shadow. Seconds licked
into eternity, became minutes, hours,
years, before she answered. mo, jim
my, I cannot we would always
be poor can't you see, Jimmy?
It's-it's-because you're so easy go
ing. You're just mark. a dear low
able mark :. be like Bernard Wag-
ner. No one imposes on him. He is
a man Of the world and he uses mod
ern methods bound to sue
coed
A smart fellow, Wagner. He had
gone into the building contracting
business in their home town. Every
one knew that Bunny" Wagner was
a conner; hard-headed business
man; a competitor who was hard to
beat. Ruthless In his methods but
popular, nevertheless. Men hailed him
on the street, in clubs, everywhere.
They liked his brisk style and easy
cordiality. He succeeded at every
thing he tackled.
Dumb and miserable, Jimmy
watched her; wondered If that firm
little chin would relent; knew that 1t
would not. Then DULY, slowly, the
rest of her soft accusation burned in.
His chin came up and the glance from
his mild blue eyes was level. His
voice was steady as he held out his
hand and said good-by.
Jimmy pitched his camp on the
bleak mOuntainside where the icy
blasts from the eternal SHOWS on the
rugged peaks of the Bolivian COrdil-
leras hurtled down and tore savage
ly at his frai tent. He threw him.
self into his work with grim purpose.
He saved his money as never before.
It became a bywOrd that anyone
could make touch from "easygoing
Jimmy Bedford" To his Aymara In
dams he was "Don Santiago" (St.
James,. No one knew that the smil-
ing, optimistic Jimmy carried con-
stant dull ache in his heart. He could
not forget Janet Ames, but he stub
bornly resisted an overwhelming de-
sire to write to her. The silence be-
tween them held for three heart-tear-
ing years. At the latter end of his
contract he tore open a letter from
Bernard Wagner with cold misgivings
as her last words came to him again.
"Dear Old Friend Jimmy" it be-
gan. A puzzled frown spread over
Jimmy's face as his eyes strayed to
the signature at the bottom. He read
bewildered.
90. and if you could just let me
have a small loan-say twenty-five
"Otherwise, things have been go
ing we'll for your old pal. You, Of
course, remember Janet Ames. Well,
old boy, I'm the lucky fellow :.
thought once you had the inside track
be married in June. :"
The letter dropped from Jimmy's
cold fingers and he sat staring =.
Home Jimmy swung from the train
and looked about the station for his
father and mother. They would be
along. He was glad to be back. He
said it several times as If it were
ritual to which he must cling. It was
nice to see old faces, familiar sights.
Everything looked the same. Not
quite.
His rowing glance took in the Of
flee and yard diagonally across the
street. The windows were dirty and
vacant, the yard deserted. A swing
ing right angle sign creaked noisily
in the wind. Bernard Wagner, Con-
tractor" it said. Jimmy rubbed his
chin. Bunny" would have moved into
the new ten-story bank building he
had built. Jimmy's eyes strayed to
it, block up the street. It was not
yet finished. It, somehow, looked
dead.
Jimmy" said a timid voice at his
elbow.
"Janetw
His heart contracted as he looked at
her with wondering eyes. She was
making a brave effort although the
glistening eyes belied the smile on her
sensitive mouth. Her dress was neat
but a trifle shabby. Why, it was the
same one she had worn that last
night! He remembered those pink
flowers and the lacy what-you-call-it
around the top Of it. Her shoes
He realized by her heightened color
that he was staring; that she was
pitifully aware of her clothes, and he
looked again across the street.
where's Bunny now" His voice
was wracked with pain. 1t sounded
thin and metallic as it came from the
top Of his throat.
Hes gone. L" Her voice trailed
off and he wheeled in amazement.
She was fumbling in her purse. He
could only see the point of her chin.