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THE 8EMI.WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
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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!).)
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