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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1914)
-.' f- W 7M v ( THE 8EMI.WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. i' .. mMafcKKk?A??aftac'a?ttM??iiceMtfs jAKKI The Ambition By HENRY RUSSELL MILLER (Copjrrlaut. 1913, by The it CYNOP8I8. Mark Trultt, oncouraged by his sweet heart. Unity Martin, leaves Ilethel, Ills native town, to Book hln fortune Blinon Trultt tells Mark that It long has boon tils dream to seo a steel plant at Bethel find asks tho eon to return and build One If he ever gets rich. Mark applies to Thomas Ilenloy, head of tho Qulnby Iron Works, for a Job and Is sent to the con struction gang. Ills success In that work wins him a. placo as helper to Roman Andzreirsld, open-hearth furnaceman. He becomes a boirder In Roman's home and iisslstM Plotr, Roman's son, In his studies. Kazla, nn Adopted daughter, shows her Rratltude In such a manner as to arouse Mark's tutereHt In her. Heavy work In (he lntcnso heat of tho furnaco causes Mark to collapse and Kazla cares for Mm. Later Roman also succumbs and Mark cots his Job. Roman resents this and tells Mark to find another boarding place. Five years elapse during which Mark has advanced to the foremanshlp, while his labor-saving devices have made him Invaluable to tho company. In the meantime Kazla has married one Jim Whiting. Mark moots with an accident which dooms him to bo a crlnplo for life. $To returns to Dethol Intending to stay there. He finds Unity about to marry an other man and wins hor back. Unity nrges him to roturn to his work In the city. Mark rises rapidly to wealth and power In tlio Bteel business, but tho so cial ambitions of his wife make tholr mar ried llfo unhappy, Tho big stool Intorests ore secretly anxious to got hold of stock m the IrociuolH iron company, supposed to bo worthless. Timothy Woodhouso Jacks financial assistance from Mark and ho latter buys Woodhouso'a Iroquois stock at a small figure. Henley forces aulnby to let Mark have Btock In the ulnby company, Mark finds Plotr mak ing a socialistic speech on tho street and J, lie boy shows that he Is still bitter gainst Mark Mark finds Kazla, who Is dlvorcod and Is now a hospital nurso, Oaring (or Roman who Is near death. Mark Is advised by his physician to stop taking drugs and take a long rest. CHAPTER XVII Continued. "It did," ho answered. "But you didn't Invito It. You weren't tho sort af girl that noodod to Invito It you won't that sort of woman now!" Eyes, no less than tonguo, wero eloquent of his admiration; but sho was looking away, "But most women wouldn't bo so ready to forglvo. They would re xnomber only hurt vanity. I'm at your foot for your charity. I've seen llttlo of It in my llfo." "Havo you looked for It?" ' "No. Nor had It. Nor valued It until now." "And now?" "Why now I need It." Somehow tho confession, an uncon sidered remark that, howovor, had tho ring of sincerity Impulslvo sayings are apt to havo, Boomed to establish oven more firmly their Intimacy, It norved him to his next remark. "Kazla, don't you think you could toll me what has happened to you during nil these yoars?" "You'll bo disappointed," she began abruptly, "because thoro isn't much and It's commonplace enough. I mar ried Jim and lived with him a year. Then I loft him. Not becauso ho wasn't kind ho was, in Ills rough way. But he was shiftless and ho drank too much. Ho had no ambition and I wasn't happy with him, bo I loft him, though I know It hurt him." "A woman can do that," ho inter rupted quickly. ' "Some woinon do It, you mean, I'vo ulwnya been ashamed, though I never wont back to him. Later, I got a dl vorco. I wont to llvo with Undo Roman, but Plotr, who had hated Jim, mado it bo unpleasant I had to lcavo. Ho hated mo, too, I think." "Or loved you, in Piotr'a peculiar fashion. But go on." "Aftor a whllo I found work in a tobacco factory, rolling cigars. Not tho kind you smoko, but cheap vile things. It It wasn't nice." "I'vo heard of those holes," hu mut tered. "You thoro why " "I was ono of many," Bho went on. "Iu two years I was Blok and In tho hospital, a heavenly placo whoro thoro was ventilation and nothing to do and good things to oat. I used to pray I'd never got well. "Thoro Isn't much moro. I didn't havo to leavo tho hospital. Ono of tho Internes took an Interest. Ho had influonco and helped mo to register as a nurso, I'vo a knack for surgical work, and slnco I passod my examina tion I'vo always had caBos. For tho roBt, I'm not educated. I'vo merely road a little, hero and thoro, as I'vo had tlmo. "That's all and not what you seemed to oxpect. Just cruol Bullishness In the beginning and a llttlo luck after ward, Which Is not the success you worship." "Out I sco more than that. I read botweon tho lines." Long afterward, recalling this scono, ho romombored bor quick questioning glanco, but then iio gavo It no thought. "I boo tho cour ago to mako a fight, tho will to rise and being equal to tho opportunity when it came. And I'vo heard that tho really charitable aro nover bo to thomselvos." "Oh, if you will" Sho broko off with a shrug. "Lot us talk of some thing olso." When at length ho broko tho silence, his voice was a caress. "I wouldn't have you dlfferont. What you've loBt la nothing compared with what you've gained," She turned hor hoard slowly toward him. For a long minute their oyes held. Then with ono accord thoy looked away, Not tho heart of a boy of twenty could havo beaten moro Tlolently. As thoy drovo on, tho sllonco bo- of UTruitt Author of "THE MAN HIGHER UP," "HIS MSB TO POWER." Etc Bobba - Merrill Company) cnmo awkward, self conscious, Nolthor Boomed ablo to break It. Rounding a curve In tlio tortuous driveway, thoy mot n landau, a beau tifully enameled affair drawn by high Btopplng lioraoB In olaborato silver mounted liarnesB. In It Bat two women. Thoy bowed to him, tho younger with a pointed Bmllo. Kazla hoard him mutter. "I had for gotten!" "Who was Bho?" "Tho older? That was MrB. Thomas Henley, of whom you may havo heard." "Vcs? Hut I meant tho other." "That," ho answered In a dry con strained voice, "was Mrs. Mark Trultt." Aftor a whllo: "Ah!" Bho breathed. "Sho Is lovely." "That makcB It unanimous," ho said shortly. It bad ceased to bo tho plcasantest tlmo ho had had In years. A heavy cold cloud had Bettled upon their Inti macy. Why dream of tho possibility of a mighty primitive passion! It was not possible. . . . Dut it wob a char acteristic of tho man to want most tho things farthest away, the things forbidden. "Wo'vo gono far enough," sho said. True words, however Bho meant them! "And It is getting too cold for you. Let us turn back." Ho mado no protest. Ho swung tho team around and drovo toward tho hospital; at a reck loss paco, that ho might not havo to talk. Ho had no wish for common place speech with her. From other speech tho habit of sclf-roprcsslon saved him. But not wholly. For as they woro nearlng tho hospital, ho drow tho horses down to a soberer gait. "When," ho asked, "will you drlvo with mo again?" "Not again." Ho had known, even before she spoke, what hor answer would bo. And ho knew so had sho given It that It was lrrovocablo. "I wonder why you camo today." "I'd been thinking of you. And I was curious. To boo what sort of man you had become." Thoy swung Into '.ho hospital grounds and up to tho entrance. Over hor protest ho descended to help hor to the ground. Ho took a queer ploas uro In tho pain tho needless llttlo sorvlco gavo him. Ho sought hor eyes. "Was It only curiosity, Kazla?" Hor nnswor waB not In wordB. Slowly she mounted tho stairs to tho doorway, and turning, looked steadily down upon him. Her faco was whlto, but her oyes wero lustrous and un speakably sad. "Kazla" "Good-by." Ho had had tho answer ho wanted. But ho rccolvcd It with a heart as heavy aB lead. Ho wanted hor as ho had doslrod nothing slnco llfo began. And ho could only Btand and, help less, boo her leave him. CHAPTER XVIII. 8undored Bonds. Dinner, on tho rare occasions when tho Trultts dined together and nlono, was marked by a careful formality that was but a thin dtBgulso for their mutual dlsllko. At no other tlmo, savo by hastily curod accident, woro thoy apt to confront each othor. Tho quarrel of tho night of their Ilrst in vitation to Henley's house had novor boon healed. Each had gone a sop nrato way, Ignoring as far as posBlblo tho other's existence, With Unity tho dlsllko had been gen uine. Sho bollovod that when hor onsy husband had so suddenly and definitely put an end to her suprem acy, sho had been robbed of a right that Bho, a woman and thoroforo n superior flnor being, should enjoy. Fear, of him and of what tho man sho now porcolved him to bo might do If unduly provokod, kept dlBlllce allvo und hot. With him It had been rather con tempt for her airs and vnnltleB, for tho UBolosBnoBB to which, ovon in a woman, ho could not becomo recon ciled. But on this night It was both contempt and a rising blttor resent ment that heightened tho emotional tumult. Sho choso this hour to lay aside tho cold, somowhat thoatrlo hauteur It was hor wont to assumo before him. In Ub stead Bho donned an air or tri umph, of smiling aggrosBlvonosB that he was quick to connect with tholr mooting in tho park, Sho criticized tho knot of his nccktlo. Several times Bho contradicted him wantonly. Finally ho roso abruptly and loft the room, Unity, too, roBo and, following, over took him Iu tho Ilrellt drawing room. "You aro rudo. I wish to speak with you." "I'm going up to my Btudy." "You'ro supposed to have given up work, I bolloTO." "I wish to bo alone." "Now, perhaps. You wornn't alono this afternoon In tho park." "I didn't want to bo then. What is that to you?' "A wifo haa somo right to consider ation, I think." "A wife yos. You'll hardly claim the title." "Do you deny It to maT "A wlfo has something to give hor husband. But you Whnt 1b It you havo to say? By your manner I Judge you think it important." "It 1b. You'ro too ill to work, but it seems not too ill to go driving in tho park with striking looking women." With nn effort ho kept his volco cold. "And you object, 1b that It?" "I do." "Very well. You'vo registered your protest. Is that all?" "No, It 1b not." Sho leaned sharply forward, forgetting to pobo and to smile, tho dcllcato prottinoss of faco eclipsed by a cloud of vixonlsh torn por. "It 1b not. I havo somo solf respect and regard for our position, If you havon't. Do you supposo a husband mennB nothing to mo but a name?" Ho glancod hesitatingly toward the door, meditating retreat. Thon, with a grim tightening of his lips, he re turnod his gazo to her. "You roally want an answer? Then, I had supposed n husbnnd means to you a name and a chock book. With Inexhaustible leaves." "So you begrudge mo the money I spend! You grow " "Your exponBo account, fully met, is tho best nnBwer to that, I think." "But I want moro than money. Do you think a llttlo money a little pal try money can repay mo for your neglect and Belllshness?" "So you acorn money? It's nows to me. But I think you'vo nothing to complain of." "Nothing!" sho cried. "IB It noth ing that I havo to go every whero alono, always having to llBten to whispers behind my back of my husband's fool ish attempts to play the man about town? You see, you couldn't keep your escapado of last year from me. Or that you'vo turned tho old sot against me by cheating poor Timothy Woodhouae out of his last property?" Ho winced and flushed painfully at that. Sho saw and believed she had pierced his armor. Sho roso again, that sho might deliver her flnnl thrust most effectively. "Do you call it nothing that you, who have no time or thought to spare your wife, brazenly flaunt your women In public, on the streets and in tho parkB, for nil tho city to see and gos sip about?" He was standing rigid, both hands gripping hlfl cane, his gaze fixed un waveringly on her. Tho tightened llpa had becomo tho merest lino. "If you refer to Mrs. Whiting." ho- began at last stendlly, "you will pleaso (ion mntn rnannnt 9 il tnrma ' Ui?U tUUl J A CDUVtlUI iUI IUO "You reprovo mo on her account! This," Bho cried tragically, "this is too much, I suppose this Mrs. Whiting If that's her name Is your mistress perhaps I should say, your latest mis tress." "Why, you" Tho storm burst, choking back speech, but finding an outlet through his eyes. Ho reached out swiftly and caught her hand In a cruel clutch, crushing tho soft Useless member un til her rings bit Into tho Hosh and sho cried out in pain. "Let me go," sho gasped. "You'ro hurting me." Ho released her and sank back into a chair. "I think wo'vo como to the end of our chapter, Unity. But I'll give you ub ono moro chanco." "You'd think I wero a criminal!" "Wo both are hut lot that go. Here tofore you'vo mado our llfo. And you'vo failed. Slnco our first month wo'vo nover been renlly happy, at least In each other. Now lot mo chooso. Let's go nwny somewhere " "To Now York or abroad?" "Not to Now York or abroad. To Bethel or somo place where wo can "Even You Couldn't Be 8o Brutal" llvo a quiet, doceut, natural llfo. Lot us begin over again and try to re cover what wo'voJost or rather what we novor had." "You aro absurd!" "Is it absurd for a man to ask his wlfo you'vo claimed tho title to sharo tho llfo ho wants and needs?" "You forget to consldor what I would havo from such an arrangoment." "You would havo mo." .. She answered with a contemptuous shrug, "I will do nothing so silly. You ask too much." "Ah! You'ro franker than 1 thought you could bo. I'm glad you'ro frank." Ho roso, looking curiously down at her. "If you look back, you'll find I've nover auked you anything until now. I'vo been coutcnt to take at least, I'vo taken only what It suited your whlinB to glvo mo. And you'vo given exactly uothlng." "And what," Bho flung back, "have you glvn mo?" HHMk "From another woman that might bo a crushing rotort. I've given you very little. Dut.no It happena, lt'a boon all you wanted. You wouldn't take, you never wanted, tho only worth whllo thing I had to glvo." Ho paused again, his manner hardening, "How ever, all that is ended. I go away to morrow morning. I don't think I shall over sco you again." Even then ho might have relented, If sho had given him excuse. But Bho gavo him no excuse. "You're nBklng for a divorce?" "Yea." "I suppose," Bho sneered, "you want to marry that woman, your mistress." Ho held himself under rigid Belt control. "Sho Isn't my mlstross, though I lovo her. Sho was tho girl I gavo up years ago out of loyalty to you." There was nothing lovely about Unity Trultt Just then. "And now you want to renow tho broken romance. Very pretty! But," sho laughed In vlndlctlvo pleasure in hor fancied ability to thwart his do Biro, "you ahnn't have hor. I don't ohooso to bo n divorced woman. And I know you can't get a divorce without my consont." "I think you will consont," he said quietly, "I will not. I don't choose " "Tho cholco is with you, of courBe. But you must understand it. You'ro through with mo in any enso. But If you consent to tho divorce, I'll mako a settlement that will satisfy you. If not, I will make only the allowance I think you've earned." Sho went pale at that, tho ono threat which could roach her. "Why," she gasped, "you couldn't do that. Even you couldn't be so brutal " "ChooBe." "But you couldn't. You I must have tlmo to think" "You must chooso now." Ho was Indexible. Sho sat transfixed, beginning to comprehend the reality of his purpose. Her confldenco suddenly molted. Fear shono in her eyes. Sho rose, and with a piteous pleading gesture, too fright ened to bo conscious of her hypocrisy, sho went to him. "Why, Mark Mark, dear! You can't mean that. You couldn't cast mo off like this. Why, we're husband and wlfo and I know I haven't been fair to you, but I can't lot you go. Lot mo make up this last year to you. Let us go away, as you Bay, and begin over. Wo can be happy " Tho stammering Incoherent cry halted, silenced by tho unrelenting quality of his steady eyes. Tho out stretched hands fell limply to her sides. Sho shrank back a step from him. "I believe you do mean it." "I'm waiting for your choice." After a llttlo It camo, gaspingly. "I have no choice. I I must con sent." Ho turned away and without another word or glanco for her, limped heavily out of tho room. CHAPTER XIX. Bond Though Freo. The Trultt divorce sensation had reached and passed Its height. Ono day, whon tho decree was scarcely two weeks old, a mun alighted from an Incoming express train. He did not look like a roue or the villain of a famous scandal; ho himself did not know that he had been heralded in Buch a role. His doctor would hardly havo recognized him. Ho was still thin and tho cano had not been dis carded, but he was clear-eyed and healthily bronzed and tho limp was far less noticeable than at any tlmo slnco tho accident. Six montha ho had spent in tho northern wilderness, living In the open, sleeping under the stars, with no com pany but hla own thoughts and a taci turn half-broed Indian. But they had not been lonely months, nor did he think them wasted. For they had brought him to what he wno pleased to call a now birth. Tho ilrst news of -tho Truitta sep aration had evoked scant interest from tho gossips. But as the time set for tho trial approached It began to bo whispered about that moro than tho usual stalo story of domestic disagree ment lay behind tho affair. The wills-" per became an audiblo chorus. It waa a dull season In a year when no Impor tant election impended, thoro was a dearth of spicy nows; tho newspapora avidly seized thlB chanco to glvo flavor to their columns. From somo source, which might have been identified as Unity's lawyer, reporters wero fur nished material for Innumerable sug gestive rumors. Vnguo but deftly worded Innuendoes of Trultt' a cruel treatment of his wifo appeared, of his sly profligacy, of the ouo strikingly handsome woman who had captivated his fancy and whom It was supposed ho would marry after tho dlvorco. From Trultt, who had completely dis appeared, came no denial. His flight and Bllenco wero taken as an admis sion of guilt. At tho trial, to be sure, the testi mony was a distinct disappointment. It provod merely commonplaco deser tion and touched but lightly on only ono short-lived porlod of dissipation during which Trultt, at certain mid night suppers, had shared with other men tho moro or less interesting com pany of sundry nameloas women. Tho public, deprived of tho scandal for which Us mouth had been watering, dccldod that Mrs. Trultt had been overly magnanimous In thus sparing hor husband and let Ub heated imag ination supply tho lacking details. Trultt entered no doronso and a decreo waa quickly handed down. Mrs. Trultt at onco Balled for Europo. Ho hailed a cab and gavo tho namo of a club that to cabby brought vis ions of a liberal tip. In a few minutes the destination was reached and tho passenger descended to tho pavement At that mOKwat a woman, whom ho recognized as onb of Unity's fainillarB, npproachod. Ho lifted Mb hat and bowed. She looked squarely at him and paascd on without greeting. Hod surged Into his chooks. "Cut!" ho muttered. "I Bupposo Unity's given her version of our smash-up. Unity would." Ho paid his faro and entered tho portals from which no rich man hud ever boon excluded. At tho desk a well dressed and usually vory pollto young clerk bo far forgot himself ub to look his amazement. "Mr. Trultt! I supposed you woro out of town. I thought" Ho stopped in confusion, remembering that It was no part of his business to think. Mark looked hard at him. "You thought?" "I thought you woro out of town," stammered tho clerk. "I was. And now I'm back," Mark answered dryly. "So I think I'll ar rnngo for rooms horo Indefinitely." Nor was this all of tho city's greet ing to tho roturned wanderer. Tho rooms arranged for, ho turned away "Are You Going to Add to the Scandal by Marrying That Woman?" from tho desk, to como faco to faco with a man whom ho had used to like and who, ho had reason to beliovo, had not been without interest in him. "Why, hello, Baker!" Mark held out a friendly hand, with a genial smile that was part of his now resolve. Baker took the hand, but released It quickly. "Ah! How aro you, Trultt?" "Bully. Just back from a long stay in tho woods. Dine here with mo to night, won't you?" "Thanks, no. I'm probably not din ing here. Excuse me. Some men I must see " Baker broko hastily away, passed a few words with a nearby group and went out. Tho ruso waB obvious. Mark, feeling as though ho had re ceived a blow in tho faco, atared after tho retreating figure. Tho genial smile faded. Thon ho went to the rooms ho had engaged. Passing the group that had helped out Baker's ruso, ho was conscious of tholr furtive curious glances. Arrived In his rooms, his first act was to havo back newspaper flies sent up to him. For two hours he read how, whllo ho was winning back health in tho wilderness and planning a llfo of amity with his fellows, his namo had been bandied about on tho tongues of slander and gossip. As he read In tho light of what had just happened tho amazing accumulation of suggested filth, only hero and there brushing tho outer edges of fact, utter bewilder ment filled him. Shirley's brief com munication, making mention of "somo talk," received at tho edgo of tho wil derness, had not prepared him for this. "It's all a pack of dirty lies," ho cried. "How could these men, who've Been mo go In and out every day, be lieve It? What rotters they must bo themselves to bo ablo to'bollovo it! By God! I'll" Ho stopped, with a sudden feeling of dismay. "Why why, I can do nothing." He was helpless. "Then I am not free! Sho has put a mark on mo that a llfetlmo can't rub out. Must wo pay forovor for our mistakes? . . ." One evening, when hla residence at the club had continued about threo weoka, tho affair camo to a climax. Ho was entering tho grill for djnnor. At tho sound of his nnmo from a nearby group of diners, he halted in voluntarily. "That's all well enough," ono of tho diners was saying. "A club's a club and, of courae, we havo to allow a certain latitude. Still, whon it be comeB the refugo for a man so no torious wo couldn't havo him in our homes " Tho speaker was checked by a warning kick. Mark, sweeping tho group with eyes from which tho mask had momentarily fallen, mot Baker-'s embarrassed gazo. With a contemptuous smile, ho passed on to his own tablo and ordered a dinner which ho mado such show of eating as inward rago and pain al lowed. His coffee and cigar had just been brought when Baker crossed tho room and stood by his tablo. "Trultt " he began uncertainly. "Well?" Mark's upward glanco was not welcoming. "May I sit down for a minute?" "Aren't you afraid of catching the plague?" "I'm moro afraid of being kicked for my Impertinence." """" "I understand," said Mark grimly, "I'm a pretty tough customer, but I don't commit assaults In public. Sit down." Baker sat down, looking earnestly across tho table at Mark. "Look hore, Trultt. Thero are things on both sides of your fence I don't approve. But I particularly disapprove this Ph1fc business. I folt like a cad when you caught us over there. I want to apol ogize for my part in It, though it wasn't a speaking part." "All right." Mark lighted hla cigar. "You'vo done your duty." "But this ia a llttlo more than duty. I" Baker healtatcd. "Oh, hang It all! Somo things becomo so painful only plain speech serves. You don't need to bo told of tho stories going around. Latoly it's occurred to mo that you'vo boon letting us take thom at face, without trying to contradict them. That's tho thing I'd do myself If I woro in tho right. But it can bo carried to extremes. Havo I your per mission to say that tho stories are let us say, overdrawn?" ' "You havo not. Llfo'B too short to entor Into a contest with rumor." "But your Bllenco " "la my affair," Mark answered gruff ly, rising. "You may say to your meticulous friend that I'm about to resign from this club." Baker, too, roso, looking at Mark keenly. "Oh, come, Trultt," ho began, "that's" But Mark cut him short. "At least It will savo him and his sort the ne cessity of setting a precedent that would declmato the club. Good eve ning." Henley, who had been out of tho city when Mark returned, camo back soon after the latter took up his resi dence In the hotel. Mark approached him with the Inward shrinking that preceded every uew meeting jUBt then. "You've picked up physicnlly," Hen ley remarked after a cool handshake. "Six months in the woods accounts for that." "I'd think, if It was doing you bo much good, you'd havo stayed." "In other words?" "In other words," Bald Henley, "why did you come back now?" Mark laughed hollowly. "I didn't know I'd become a notorious char acter." "How, in heaven's namo," Henley exclaimod, "did you let yourself get caught In a dlvorco court scandal? I'd havo thought that you, of all men, If you had to play the fool, would at least have used finesse." So even Henley behoved the rumors! "At any rate, no one but myself 1b hurt." "That's not true. Every one who had anything to do with you is moro or less hurt. Tho company ia reflected on. I," Henley concluded with an air that declared tho indictment to bo complete and unanswerable, "I am be smirched, because wo'ro known to bo In so many things together." v'That," Mark returned coldly, "can be easily cured. We can wind up our affairs. And I'm ready to resign from tho company." "You can't euro the fact that wo havo been together. And you can't resign. Are you going to add, to tho scandal by marrying that woman?" "What woman?" Mark's voice was cool and steady. "Tho ono,that turned your head and your wifo was smart enough to dis cover." "You've heard names, then?" "No," growled Henley. "She's aB mysterious- as tho rest of your ,dj does." "As mythical, you mean," Mark an swered in a voice that did not betray his relief. "There was no woman." "What! You mean these storleB aren't true?" "You'd seen mo almost evory day for years. You might havo guessed that." "But last year those women " "An experiment In Idiocy nothing worse. Thero wero no women, except at arm's length." Honloy surveyed him keenly. "Then how did theso stories get out? But you needn't answer. I can gueBS. A woman Is never clever except when she's up to mischief. "However," he went on, "this puts a different faco on the matter. As you" eay, I might havo guessed tho truth." This, for Henley, was abject apology. Mark shook his head. "My reslgna 'tlon holds just tho same." . "Aro you going to let a little talk drive you out?" Henley demanded. "It isn't that. I had decided before I knew of it. I'm tired of tho scramble. I want peace." Mark laughed dis cordantly. "And I'm getting It with a vengeance." "As much as you'll over get It," Honley roturned promptly. "I know what you want. Who doesn't? Somo tlmo or othor every man wants, or thinks ho wants, peace. And If wo had" It, we'd want to die. I told you onco before things aro. Accept them, lit yourself to thom, forget theories that lead nowhere. Pick out tho thing you want most nnd light until you got It. Then light to keep It. Besides, you aren't a mlsllt. Tho trouble with you Is, your strength Is your greatest weakness you'vo too much Imagina tion, And you're not a well man yet Go back to your woods until you'ro cured. Then you'll feel tho Itch to got Into tho scramble again and break a fow heads." But Henley tho philosopher had done. He resumed his usual crisp manner. "Moreover, you can't resign. Tho now agreement with tho mon comes up next year and tho Qulnby company faces tho light of its cxlstonco. Woil need evory good head we've got. And if that isn't enough, your withdrawal would leavo mo to light Qulnby alono. And I mado you, don't forgot that. You'vo got what you wanted out of tho company and me. You can't drop out easily now and shirk tho respon sibilities." "You say, can't?" "I Bay, can't. You'vo got a sense of obligation, haven't you?" "If I have," said Mark grimly, "lfa the last proof that I am a misfit" (TO BE CONTINUE!).) A i .' l ' 't -fl ,, ss-.. ,