THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
The Ambinofi of Mark Truitt
By
HENRY RUSSELL MILLER
(Copyright. 1913. by Tho
11
CHAPTER XXII Continued.
"You Beo," ho concluded, "It Is crlt
rbol. I can not understand," ho ox
dfalmod strongly, "tho present attltudo
$f labor. It la utterly lacking In senso
6f gratitudo, of loyulty. I llko to think
of tho mills as tho means to II fo for
thousands of men. And It palnB mo to
nee them bocomo hostile and grasping.
What havo they to complain of?"
"Probably they feol entitled to a lit
tlo more than a baro existence."
"Didn't wo grant tho sliding scalo"
throe years ago?"
"PorhapB," Mark returned dryly,
"they guess from tho number of tem
ples to paleontology In prospect that
tho scale could fairly bo raised. It
could."
"I don't hold with you."
"What docs Hcnloy say?"
"Whnt would Hcnloy say but, Fight.
Ho is mad utterly mad In his hatred
of unions."
"Quito mad."
"In this case ho Is right. I havo
not deserved to bo compelled to stand
and deliver. I havo always been fair
to labor. I havo boon willing to com
promise our differences, to mako con
cessions. I havo felt toward thorn as
n father to hU chlldron. Thoy hnvo
now no Just casso to organize to fight
mo. And my plana for tho future do
not admit of a shrinkage In Incomo
from raised scaloo or costly strikes.
Oh!" Qulnby'a hands clenched In the
fltresa of emotion. "If I wero but as
rich an MacGregor! Ho has been well
nerved by tho moa ho has mado."
Qulnby. It Boomed, had forgotton his
late trlbuto to his young lteutcnunts.
"Who made him," Mark corrected.
"No," contradlctod Qulnby sternly.
"To whom ho gavo opportunity. As I
have glvon it to my partners. And
never baro I beon so 111 served as in
tho handling of this dispute." Ho
paused to let tho truth of this disserv
ice sink Into Mark's heart
"That Is where I need you. Honloy
lsvthe last man In tho world for such
a matter. It Is not a bully's task.
Truitt, I want you to toko charge of
tho situation, stand between Honloy
and tho mon, and settle it."
"Humph! Easier ordored than dope.
I don't hanker for the Job, Mr. Qulnby."
"You aro tho only ono of tho lot who
can meet labor in a human plaUslblo,
manner. It wae you, I bollovo, who
caved us from a striko throo years ago
1 havo novor voiced my apprecia
tion of that, but I do so now. You can
do it. And you owe It to mo to try.
Bo tactful, bo firm but gontlo. Sauvlter
In modo sod fortlter in ro. Mako nom-
"Truitt I
Place Myself
Hands."
Inal concessions. Even go a llttlo
farther than that. Dut, Truitt, abovo
all things thoro must bo no strike."
Ha leaned forward and put a hand Im
pressively on Mark's Unoo.
"Truitt" Thoro was a hint of ner
vous haato in tho mellifluous volco.
VTrultt, a strike would place mo In a
Mlis position. I am known to havo
Uttered publicly certain views on la
bor's rights. I still hold firmly to
thOBe views In tho abstract. I also
hold that thoy do not apply to this
case. Hut tho world would not under
utand that. It would say ' Ho paused
again, loavlng Mark to Imagine what
tho cruel cynical world would say.
Mark thought ho could Imagine it,
"Truitt!" Qulnby brought his hands
In a alow splondld gosturo down on
Mark's shoulders. "I placo myself In
your handB. My reputntlon Is dear to
mo. Not for my own sako, but because
pf tho work to which I have pledged
my life."
Mark turned a frowning gazo out of
tho window. Ton miles or moro sped
by boforo ho looked at tho waiting
Qulnby.
"I'll try It."
"I know you would." Qulnby smtlod
onco moro. "Succeed and you will
find mo not ungrateful. Henley, I bo
llovo, is thinking of rotlring " Their
eyes mot.
"Does Honloy know ltT"
Qulnby lgnorod tho question. "Hu
himself has sutd you aro the only man
f tho br&ad vision and "
"It isn't douo yot" Mark Intor-
MBK.aumm
raw
In Your
Author of
"THE MAN HtGllr.R UP." "HIS RISE
TO I'OWEK," Etc.
Bobba - Merrill Company)
ruptcd. "Hut if I pull It through, I'd
rather you'd lot mo build that now
city." Ho laughed queerly. "Stfango
as it may seem, tho notion appeals."
"But that, I fear, is out of tho ques
tion." Qulnby shook his head sadly.
"A beautiful dream but paleontology
has claimed mo."
Thoy loft the matter of roward for
future determination.
At Buffalo thoy loft Qulnby, whoHo
car wns attached to a New York train.
CHAPTER XXIII.
Philanthropy.
Tho Qulnby strike Is now history.
It Is, however,' no pnrt of recorded his
tory that during tho anxious months
proccdlng one man was tolling, plan
ning, spending himself to avert tho
tragic outcomo ho foresaw. It was
qulto hidden work. Even had It suc
ceeded It would havo been no moro
widely heralded than In failure.
Ho did forosce tho outcomo as trnglc,
but not bocause a philanthropist's rep
utation hung in tho balance.
There was ono man who saw and
understood his efforts. Ho was Hen
ley. Thoy wero together ono day, Mark
arguing earnestly for a compromise
Henley listened, not becauso ho was
Impressed by tho arguments, but be
cause ho was studying tho pleader.
"Aro you for us," ho Interrupted a
long period to domand sharply, "or
for tho mon?"
"I'm for both."
"You can't bo for both. Are you,"
Honloy Jeered, "still trying to play the
man of peaco?"
"No. I'm trying to obtain a llttlo
Justico and to Bavo tho Qulnby com
pany from ItHe mlllB."
"They won't bo Idle long. And wo
can afford Idleness better than tho
men can."
"Thoy'ro growing bitter. Thoro will
bo violence."
"Then, lot there bo violence I'll
know how to moot it." Henley's Jaws
sot. "There'll bo ho compromise Lot
us light It out now, whllo wo'ro ready
and tho mon aren't. Tho hardor tho
fight the hotter I'm satisfied, becauso
tho longer It'll tako tho union to re
cover." "You'ro hopolosB."
significantly. "I eeo
peal to Caesar."
"Moaning Qulnby7
Mark eyed him
I'll havo to ap
Caesar's ghost
must feol llattered 1"
"Ho has an Interest In tho premises.
I should think It would bo to your in
terest "
"Is that a kind of a threat?" Henley
Inqulrod harshly. "I'm not afraid of
Qulnby Just now. Sooner or lator I
expect to bo kicked out of this com
pany. Dut ho can't kick mo out of
steel, And I don't propoeo to boo tho
Industry run to Biilt tho whims of
tough walking dolegatcs and grafting
labor bosses. You seem to bo In Quln
by'a confidence I'm freo to say I don't
I llko It. It looks to mo as though you'ro
hedging, so you won't havo to go out
with mo."
"What do you oxpect?"
"I mado you. ro glvon you all you
havo. I oxpoct you to stand by mo."
"You domand moro than you glvo
others. Tho men glvo you all thoy
havo and you rofuso "
"Tho mon work for their living, no
men must. Most of them got a good
living. When thoy'ro worth it thoy get
moro. You got more. If thoy don't
llko our terms lot then) find better
somowhoro else If thoy can. As for
Caosnr, don't count too much on him.
Thoro aro blggor IntorestB than his
vanity at stako Just now, and you'll
find when It comes to a point they'll
hold. Qulnby's a blatherskite, but
I've novor Bald ho's a fool."
Mark eald nothing. Henley's words
but cchood his own foars. Honloy re
garded hlra frownlngly.
"What," ho domandod abruptly, "has
got into you tho last year? Uoforo
that I could always count on you. Now
I don't understand you."
"Whor- It comes to that," Mark
laughed shortly, "I don't understand
mysolf."
Mark had boon partly right when
ho attributed tho mood of their return
to reaction A lighter mood followed.
Kazla's work allowed them to meet
but soldom and then often far only
hurried visits; tho ORHornoss bred by
separation drovp euch problems as
Qulnby and tho moaning of thoir rela
tion into tho bnckground. But tho
shadow novor qulto lifted. As winter
woro on Kazla began to porcolvo grow
ing up In Mark'a heart a new Inter
est, so strong that sometimes It in
truded oven into tho brief hours that
should havo been given wholly to lovo.
I nero wnH an evening when ho camo
to her apartment, tired and discour
aged, but with an air that sent her
memory back to n sleudor youth going
doggodly forth each day to labor meant
for strongor mon. Sho, too, was tired
from a long exacting case whoso elosu,
allowed them this leisurely meeting,
tho first In wcoks.
"This wook," she told him after ho
had boon thero a llttlo whllo, "I was
offorod tho suporlutendency of nurses
at ho Todd hospital."
"That's fine I I'm glad. When do
you begin?"
"Havo you forgotten? 1 think It
cornea through Mr. Qulnby."
"Tako It anyhow," ho answered
promptly. "Slnco you won't let mo
help you."
"I don't llko to bo under obligations
to him."
"Tako It. If he meant mischief, I
think wo'd havo heard from him be
fore now. And it's only fair for some
body to get something out of him.
God knows I'm doing enough for him."
"You mean with tho men?"
"Yes. Though, if ho only know it,
I'm not doing it for LIb sake. I bo
llovo It was for the men 1 undertook
tho Job." Ho shook his head gloom
ily. "Dut tho worst of It is, I'm al
most certain to fall."
"Oh, I hope not"
"Yes. Sometime! I think I'm tho
only sane man left on earth. Each sldo
thinks It's bound to win. Ono sldo is
and it Isn't tho men. Dut thoy won't
listen to mo. It makes mo sick to
think what they'll havo to pay if thoy
go into this hopeless contest. You
don't know how tho thing Is taking
hold on me. You think this qucor talk
from mo?"
"I don't find It queer."
"It Is queer. I haven't como to tho
why yot. Do you bellevo," ho asked
abruptly, "that lovo can awaken all
tho Bympathlos?"
"I bcllovo that it cnn."
"Wouldn't It bo Btrango," he went
on musingly, "If through Qulnby tho
philanthropist! I'vo found my big
Idea?"
"Your big idea?"
"Yea." Ho forgot that no Itichard
Courtney had over defined It for her.
"I'll probably fall In this wranglo. But
after that why not? tho happy city,
and in Dethol. Tho thing's getting Into
my blood, dr am I, after all, the ono
who Is mad 7"
If sho was white, ho laid it to weari
ness. "If you aro, I lovo your mad
ness." A sllonco. When sho broke It he,
absorbed in the train of thoughts sot
In motion by mention of tho -unbuilt
city, did not catch tho odd strained
note in tho words.
"Then you think I'd bettor take tho
position?"
"Ah!" Ho camo back remorsefully
to tho subject. "Of coureo, you must
tako It"
"Even from Qulnby?"
"However It comes, you'ro fitted for
It You've earned It"
"But," she Insisted qulotly, "I'd have
to live aty the hospital. I'd have no
excuse for keeping this apartment"
"Oh, no, surely not! You niusn't
glvo it up. I need you, Kazla theso
hours " Alarm had driven all but
love ho still called It lovo from his
hpart for tho moment. Ho leaned over
and caught her to him.
"Not at onco, perhaps," sho mur
mured weakly. "I could como hero
sometimes until tho lease expires "
Ho laughed. "Do you think lovo is
determined by a landlord's contract?"
"Not by that!" WitlKa llttlo gasp
ing cry she reached up nnd clung to
him.
During tho last days of the negotia
tions Mark almost hoped the striko
could bo avortod. Then men, listen
ing to his persuasions, agreed to ac
cept a merely nominal Increase In tho
wago scalo. But tho agreement must
bo signed, not by tho men as Individ
uals, but by tho union for them; from
that stand tho young organization, its
vory life at stako, would not bo moved.
Throo men woro In Honloy's ofllco
on that last night boforo tho decision
woe announced. Ono had Just made
his final plea for tho compromise
Honloy shook his head firmly. "I
will not recognlzo thermion."
"But they aBk so little."
Both glanced at tho other man, a tall
stntoly figure, pacing, hands clasped
behind his back, up and down the
room. A troubled despairing frown
roughened tho lofty brow.
"I'm looking ahead," Henley replied.
"Labor organizations never go back,
unless you catch 'era young and kill
'em off. Recognize them now and
threo years henco thoy'll demand a
rnlscd scale Next, It will bo tho closed
shop. Then anothpr raise, and bo on.
Wo'll bo running our mills for the ben
oflt of men who have no Btako In them,
never knowing when they'll bo after
ub with now outrageous demands. I
will not havo It," Henley spoko with
feeling.
Tho pacing llguro stopped, looking
at Mark. "What havo7 you to say to
that?"
"I say, tho mon aro dosperate
Thoy'll etop at nothing to win the
striko. It will cost us millions."
uneaior now man ever, ueniey
interrupted.
"I say," Mark wont on, "this Indus
try, this company, can afford to grant
any demands labor will ever make.
And there's such a thing as humanity.
If that Isn't enough " Ho paused,
looking steadily at Qulnby. "If that
Isn't enough, I say the public Is on tho
men's side and It hasn't forgotton tho
Siamese twins of production and other
beautiful Bontlments publicly uttered
by a cortnln fumouB philanthropist"
Qulnby groaned and resumed hla
anxious pacing. But ho was halted by
Henley's next words.
"You had a visit from soma mon In
Now York last weok."
"How do you know?" Qulnby was
visibly startled.
"I advised them to boo you," Honloy
rejoined. "Thoy'ro mon of power. They
own newspapers. They can mnku and
unmnko men and reputations. Thoy
can destroy you as easily a thoy
would a corner grocor. Thoy'ro Inter
ested In the future of stool. Thoy'ro
moro Interested, as ovory controller
of proporty must bo, In tho light to
stamp out this epidemic of labor agi
tation. 1 remind you, it iBn't safo to
disregard their advice"
"What Interest havo they in my reputation?"
"Humph! Thoy think as I do
damn your reputation I"
Quinby started, glared. His tongue
fumbled vainly for words to answer
this astounding lese-majosty. Ho took
a step toward Henley, menacingly.
"Humph I" Henley grunted again.
"You can savo your wind. I'm not
ofrald of you just now. And I won't
let this company be crippled by giv
ing in to tho union. Tho men who saw
you won't permit it either without
punishing."
"I suppose you think thoy can keep
yo;i In CIiIb company, too?"
"No," Henley nnswered steadily.
"Botwoen you and mo thoy won't In
terfere Dut between you and them
between your expensive reputation and
their interest they will lntorfere Tho
labor unions aro your common enemy.
8 Rj?1
MBshSL
wop I'yfl WTwKI II Bli
Then Men Listened to His Persua
sions. If you let them get a foothold hero,
you may as well Ho down and die
For thoro Isn't a spot on earth whore
tho truth about Qulnby" hatred gave
savagery to tho threat "tho pIouB
fraud, tho bounder of women, the
traitor in business dealings, won't
reach."
Qulnby's glare had no power now,
as at another tlmo, to subduo Henley.
Ho sank Into a chair, stretching out
his hands to Mark in a helpless ges
ture "Can't you say something?"
"If you aren't a coward and a fraud,"
Mark answered with undisguised dis
gust "you'll know what to say. If
you are " He concluded with a shrug.
It was an Intolerable momont for
Qulnby. Ho roso, mado a pitiable ef
fort to gather tho tatters of his van
ity around his naked cowardice.
"I leave you in charge. I go to Now
York tonight. An expedition starts for
Tibet tomorrow. I shall Join It"
Ho stalked stiffly to the door. There
ho stopped for a second, looking back
with eyes that wore not good to Bee.
Henley turned to Mark. "As for
you," ho began sternly, "I've let you
play your game, becauso you could do
no harm. But now, having learned
that you can't pin faith oven to the
vnnlty of a coward "
Mark met hlB gaze qulotly. "I havo
learned moro than that. But, at least,
tho feet woro of Iron, after all."
Tho next day tho failure of negotia
tions was announced. On the next
tho striko was ordered.,
Henley waB ready. On the morn
ing of tho third day dotached squads
of strangers' appeared In tho vicinity
of tho mills, trying to eaunter along
with the air of cusual ease They wero
Henloy's strike breakers, gathered
from many cities.
And the strikers wero ready, though
few of them wot of preparation.
Tho first squad slipped unnoticed
into the mills, and a second. Then
along tho mile or more of street an
electric word passed from watching
crowd to crowd: "Henley's strike
breakers!" Tho third squad reached
tho reugo of tho mills only by a sud
den overbearing dash. Tho fourth
found Its way blocked and Itself
pressed back by a surging cursing
mob. Tho remaining striko breakers
rallied to this point and In a body
tried by bruto forco to drive a lano
through tho resisting pack of men and
womon. But tho mob grow fastor, gath
ered around tho Invaders, roughly
Jostling thorn and shrieking taunts and
blasphemies. Blows wero struck, mis
siles hurled. Then abovo tho clamor
a shot was heard.
A cry, "A woman is killed! an
swered by a hoarso frenzied bellow.
Many weapons Hushed from pockots
where thoy had lain hidden. Other
shots wore heard, fired polntblank at
living targets. Tho melee becamo a
battlo. Whon It was over, tho strike
breakers had fled and two score and
moro lay dead on the streets. Through
tho labyrinth of silent machinery and
chilling furnaces a mob that panted
with tho thirst for blood hunted out
nnd shot down thoso of Henley's men
who had reached tho mills. . . . Mad?
Mad as though a basttlo waited to be
taken.
Two days tho terror-lasted. Tho mills
sacred proporty! woro wrecked.
Timid posses woro driven buck. Crazed
orators harangued tho mob and took
for Ironic text "the Slamcso twlnB of
production."
Then with measured trond and
glenmlng bayonets camo tho forco of
tho law, and peace tho peaco of tho
strong hovered onco moro ovor Quln
by's mills.
CHAPTER XXIV.
The Pressure of Truth.
Tho Btrlko wbb broken. Engines
crunched and furnaces glowed again.
Tho mon, starved out, had cropt back
to tho mill gates, begging for work.
Tho troops mnrehod away and tho
union, at lt'nst In Qulnby's mills, nevor
ralsod Us hoad again.
But at what a coBtl
Jeremiah Qulnby returned not
however, with a blare of trumpets. In
fact, ho came almost secretly, though
not wholly out of modesty; no re
porter b bold or so shrowd aB to win
to his well-guarded presence The
cynical public had latoly become
deeply Interested in tho Siamese twins
of production and upon tho devoted
head of thoir author had hpaped its
cruel satire.
But Qulnby's return was not with
out Us objects. Ono of them was to
unseat tho arrogant Henley, nnd to
this Qulnby, without concealmont or
delay, bont his energies. In tho other,
which seems to provo that In mattors
of sex nro neither prince, priest nor
peasant, but only man and woman,
moro ilnesbo was employed. Only one
porson had an Inkling of this project
and sho kept well tho sccrot
Thero was heard a merry cracking
of whips. Ono by ono Qulnby won
tho minor stockholders over to his
prlmnry object and approached the
point where ho could deal tho blow.
Henley grimly waited. Mark waB not
approached on the matter, for tho suf
ficient reason that ho, too, had been
singled out for vengeance
"Qulnby la back," ho told Kazla
once.
Thero was a perceptible pause be
fore she answered. "Yes. Ho visited
tho hospital the othor day."
"Keeping hla hand in, I suppose," ho
said lightly. "Unhappily, Qulnby is
cut off from public philanthropic ex
orcises until tho present cloud passes."
She achloved. a smile
"Dut humanity's loss iBn't our gain,"
Mark grinned wryly. "He's gottlng
ready to eliminate Henley and mo
from the company."
"Oh, that'B too bad. Will It make
you poor?"
"No. Dut It will leave mo consid
erably less rich than I'd llko to be."
"I thought you didn't caro for
money?"
"No man cares so llttlo for It that
ho's willing to lose It And I'll need
ovory dollar I havo."
Sho guessed what ho had In mind.
"You say you will need It?"
"For my happy city." Ho laughed,
then grow serious. "Kazla I'm going
to build It. At least, I'm going to
start it."
"Ah!" She turned away with a sharp
Intako of breath. "It It would bo
something worth while."
For an hour, unconscious of cruelty,
he discoursed of his plans, eagerly and
eloquently. Hla eloquenco wasnot In
vain. Sho listened without comment,
but as ho talked the. picture ho saw
grew before her, convincing, real the
happy city rising In the beautiful val
loy, a placo where men tolled and were
not consumed, found refuge from wear
InesB not in vice, but In clean con
tented homes and wholesomo sports,
gave of their best to the labor becauso
of its earnings they had a just share,
living hopefully. . . . Sho measured It
by tho life of the steel maker as she
had seen It, and him by the quality
of his dream.
"Do you see it?"
"I Beoit"
"One of tho things I've learned Is to
understand men of wealth, Their cruel
ties are the cruelties of cowardice
tho fear of thoso who have that those
who havo not will forco a distribution
of tho spoils. They're afraid of any
thing now or different. Therefore they
will fight mo as only cowards can un
til thoy'ro convinced even humanity
can pay dlvidonds. That," he frowned,
"Is where Qulnby will pinch me Every
dojlnr ho takes from me will lessen my
chances of pulling through the first
fight"
"Can't you stop him?"
"As easy stop a mad snake. Quinby
has much to tako out on Henley and
me. And wo'ro helpless."
"Perhaps a way out will be found."
Tho Hat lifeless voice, so unllko hers,
recalled him to her.
"Aro you disgusted?" ho exclaimed
remorsefully. "Hero I'vo been clack
ing away llko Qulnby himself, never
noticing how tired you are. Lot mo
tako you back to tho hospital."
"No. I arranged to stay here over
night to begin packing my things up."
"But your lease "
"Even leases," sho answered quietly,
"don't always run their full course.
Tho agent has a tenant who wants
this apartment and I promised to move
out next weok."
"Kazla!" Ho found himself flush
ing. Only by a strong effort could ho
mako his eyes meet hers. "That raeanB
you think I'm forgetting you in my
now plans."
"I think," sho answered, "only that
you'ro a man and that lovo, eBpeclally
such lovo as ours, Isn't enough."
Ho looked at her In silence for a mo
ment "Kazla," ho began very gently,
"I could Ho to you, but thoro must be
no lies botweon us. Lovo Isn't enough
oven euch love as ours. A man must
do his work. It's tho Inescapable
law. But that doesn t menu that lovo
that you won't always havo a big
placo with me, a place all your own."
Ho drew her closer, so that her head
rested on his shoulder, and smoothed
tho thick dark hair. "It never occurred
to mo you wouldn't bo as Interested
as I In my plans. You'vo given me so
much, you've seemed so much a part
of what I'm to do I've thought of It
as our work"
A hand stolo over his mouth. Sho
raised hor head, and sho was smiling.
"Don't! You mako mo ashamed.
. . . And now you must go."
"Can't I stay to help you?"
"A man pack!" aho laughed gaily.
"A man," ho sighed, trying to bo Jo
cose, "has so many limitations. But
It'a all right, Kazla?"
"It's all right"
But when ho was gone tho gay man
ner vanished. Tho strong llguro
drooped wearily. Sho fell to her kuuos
beside a chnlr, burying lion fuco In hor
arms.
"What does ho know of lovo?"
Tho next ovening, returning to his
hotel for a late dinner, Mark found a
memorandum to call up tho Todd hos
pital. From tho hospital ho roceived
word that Mrs. Whiting had gono to
Rose alloy and asked him to follow
per. Somo ono wns dying. Ho did
not wait for dinner, mil nnmng a cau,
set out on another journey to Roso
alley.
Ho stumbled hastily up tho gloomy
staircase to Roman's door and rapped
lightly. It was opened by nn unke'mpt
foreign woman, doubtless a neighbor,
and ho entored. Savo for hor tho
kitchen was empty. But by tho light
of n smoky lamp that stood on the
tablo near an Inner door, ho saw a
group dimly outlined. On n narrow
bod lay a hugo dropsical figure, seem
ing to Mark already dead. Tho Mntko,
moro faded than over, sat at tho dy
ing man's side, motionless as ho, her
gazo fixed rigidly upon him.
"Thank you for coming," Kazla said.
"I'm glad you sent for mo. Is thero
anything 1 can do?"
"Yes, got Piotr. Ho went away early
thlB morning and doesn't know. It
was very sudden. You'll probably find
him at " Sho named a corner a mllo
or moro distant. "He makos speeches
thero every ovening."
Tho cab came to a halt at a corner
where many people passed. A small
changing crowd had gathered around
a mnn who from his soap box ha
rangued thorn. Ho proached a gospel
that, beginning with a germ of love,
had grown In him into a creed of hate.
It wob a rambling incoherent ha
rangue, full of bitter denunciation and
vague generalities that never camo to
a point tho grotesque but pitiful out
pouring of a feeble mind obsessed by
a senso of injury real or fancied and
cracking under tho effort to lnoculato
others with Its venom. Mark listened
a moment
"Tho man must bo mad," he thought
pitifully.
Piotr In his rambllngs camo to the
late stride. Ho began a roll call of
tho masters of tho Qulnby company
Qulnby hlmsolf, Henley, IHgsbee,
Hare
"And Truitt!" The hoarso voice bo
came, If that were possible, even more
bitter. Ho fairly writhed as he shrieked
out his charges. "Truitt the wlfe
beater! Tho rounder! With hie'
womon J" For several minutes he
raved on, regaling his audience with
an array of disgusting but apocryphal
details of Truitt's life that to his dis
eased fancy must havo become proved
facts.
"Go tell him to como here," Mark
ordered tho cabman. "Toll him his
father is dying."
"Aw, hell!" growled a big Irishman
in the crowd, audlblo even to 'tho cab.
"Shut up! Truitt's th' only wan av th'
lot wid bowils f him."
"Fool fool!" Piotr shook clenched
fists at tho Irishman. "Aro you taken
In because ho tried to stop the strike?
Who was ho working for then, you or
Oulnbv? Where was he when Hen-
'loy's strike breakers camo to steal
your jobs and shoot down your women?
Whore was his money when your
children wero starving for bread?
Where"
But tho cabman had reached him
with Mark's message For a moment
Piotr stared stupidly, trying to takq
in Its meaning. Then ho uttered a
wild piercing cry.
"Dying!" Ho leaned toward tho
crowd, hands and faco twitching In his
frenzy. "My father's dying, but ho
can wait while I tell you about this
Truitt. When ho was starting out
ho came to our house, because my
father took pity on him. My father
loved him, better than he did his own
son. He watched over him, cared for
him, taught "him all ho knew of his
trade. Then tho old man broke. He
wouldn't have been old anywhere else,
but ho had burned himself up trying
to mako Qulnby's furnaco hells pay.
Thoy throw him out, of course and
Truitt took his Job. Truitt partner
of Qulnby! Tho old man's heart broke.
Then his mind gave way. And now
ho's dying do you know where? ' In
Roso alley!"
Tho crowd had become' very still.
To them, too, tho tragedy that tor
tured tho madman was clear; infinite
repetition could not tako away its bit
terness. '
"And that Isn't nil." Tho emotional,
delirium reached Its climax. "In that
houso was a girl Just an Ignorant
Hunky girl but the kind mon love And
Truitt made lovo to her. But when bo
left us, ho loft hor, too another
broken heart! To forget him she mar
ried a worthless rummy sho had to
loavo. Then Bho went out Into tho
city to make her own living you
know tho fight nnd the price women
must pay or go down. And she tho
girl he wouldn't tako up with him
sho paid "
Bewilderment choked back tho
stream of words. For a man whoso
pallor was not duo to tho garish arc
lamp hnd leaped from the cab and
was elbowing a way Bwiftly toward
him. The crowd fell back to let tho
man through, then pressed closer.
Only Piotr and tho Irishman recog
nized him. Mark caught Piotr by tho
arm and Jerked him roughly from the
box.
Tho Irishman's heavy hand fell on
Mark's shoulder. "Lot be, sor." Then
ho fell back before tho livid counte
nance Mark turned on him.
"Keep out I'll do him no harm. I'm
only taking him to his father, whero
his placo is Instead of here black
guarding women ho isn't fit to touch."
Piotr Jerked his arm free "I won't
go with you!"
Dut the Irishman caught him. "Ye'll
go as Misther Truitt tells yoz. I'm
thlnkln ho's just loony, sor."
(TO BR CONTINUED.)
One tine of Cradlt.
"So your grocer refuses to glvo you
credit for another thing."
"Not oxactly; ho Buys he'll give mo
credit for any cash I ay on account"
Boston Transcript
A