-1
THE 8EMIAVEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA.
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The Ambition of Mark Truitl
By
HENRY RUSSELL MILLER
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(Copyrliiht, 1913. by Tho
u
CHAPTER XXVI Continued.
Ho bocamo conscious of Simon's cu
Hous gazo and turned sharply on him.
"Old man, you soom to know a sur
prising lot about making stool. Look
down tho valley thore, on thoBo IiIIIb.
Do you eoo anything that Isn't thoro?"
Simon looked and nodded. "I'vo
Wn seoln' It moro'n forty years."
Honley stared. "Humph! An epl
domic. Thoro's magic In theso hills."
His thoughtful glanco Bwept them
onco mora. "But d d alluring
magic"
Tho gentle, somotlmcs plaintive
Volco of tho preacher had no power
to distract from thought. His wistful
message could not reach tho man for
!whom It had been prepared in tho
hopo that It would como to him with
heajlng In its wings.
Tho bonodlctlou bad boon said.
Mark wont quietly from hiB rear pew
out of tho church and limped slowly
lalong tho dusty, wood-flanked plko un
til ho camo to a minor crost There
ho droppod on tho roadsido and turned
tils oyes to tho valloy.
Tho murmurous quiot of noonday
fwas about him.
Up tho rise, villago bound, creaked
la battorod old top-buggy, bearing a
Sassongor whoso grlzzlod beard and
nod faco, too, showed tho marks of
time's battering.
Tho buggy drow up beside him.
I "Did ho find you?"
"Who?"
Tho doctor chucklod. "Ouess ho
didn't, or you wouldn't havo to ask.
iHo's a vigorous party that doesn't
fctodarstand tho Joy of talk. I took him
jtxom Number Four to your place."
-Short and Btout "
"And not much for lookB," Hodges
fconcludod tho portrait "That'B him.
taas a way with him, though. And tho
- habit of taking what he wants, I guess,
Without waiting."
"Sunday truffle," tho doctor drawled,
la getting protty heavy. Numbor
JPoar brought a woman, too. Expect
ing any boggago of that klnd7"
Mark ehook his head absontly.
"No? That's too bad. Sho'a a now
hind for Bothal a right pleasant kind,
fcoo, though I'm not auro how our
Jtfomon'd tako hor." Tho doctor
"There'a
These Hills."
grinned, but his ploosantry won no
answering' smllo from Mark. "Woll, I
must bo mosoylng along. Bottor rldo
into town. Tho vigorous party'll bo
near to apoploxy by now, waiting for
you." ,'
Mark got In and tho buggy resumed
Its croaking Journey. Tho doctor
rambled on.
"A good many now sorts come to'
Jlothol nowadays. Good thing for un,
Jtoo givos us a poop into tho world.
Wo'vo you to thank for that. I camo
across a queer oho yesterday. I was
up on tho Hill I go thoro somotlmos
oven since tho fire. I found him
pampod out in tho old tool shod about
tho only thing tho tiro mlBsed, He's
a half-starved little rat, with a strag
gly brown beard nnd a club foot. I
fcekod him how ho got thero and ho
didn't seem to know. Said ho'd Just
Svalked and walked and walked till ho
found tho shed. I wantod to bring
tilm back to town, but ho wouldn't
como. His mind's moro than half gone,
H should Judgo. You'd bottor send
porno ono out to look aftor him."
"I will."
"And ho Bays," tho doctor concluded
his heralding of fato, "his name is Po
ller Anderson."
CHAPTER XXVII.
'( Cities Unbuilt.
' Ilenloy was pleased to bo facotloue,
"Tho groat Utopian in his modest
teottago living In democratic simplic
ity among his village neighbors. Very
protty I 1 suppose you do tho chores,
too."
"Somotlmes what wo havo."
"Very prettyl The Sunday papers
-would like that. But lfa a little too
theatrical, don't you think?"
SuS liIS mJlwmvim I n
Author of
THE MAN HIGHER UP." "HIS RISE
TO POWER." lite
Bobbs - Merrill Company)
"Not conspicuously so. Tho placo
wao horo, and It sorved my purposo
very well. I don't nood much room,
you know. I'm not a Wall street
hero."
"Humph!" grunted Henloy, still a
skeptic.
"What," Mark asked, "did you como
hero for?"
Henley gruntod again. "Cordial, I
must say! I camo to rostoro your
sanity." Ho rose, mopping his rod
fa( with a silk handkerchief. "Take
me out of this sun and I'll begin. I
hear you're protty far gone."
Mark lod him Into a cool office-like
room pleasant enough and made
him comfortablo with a cigar and a
chair by n window from which a view
of tho valloy was to bo had.
"Not sybaritic," Honley grudgingly
admitted, "but good enough for a man
who has no women. Now toll me
what you're trying to do horo."
And Murk began, simply, without
enthusiasm or sentimentalizing, to set
forth his Idea.
Tho explanation camo to an end.
Mark awaited his auditor's comment.
"Of courso, you know," Henloy said,
with an easiness that was outward
only, "you won't put It through."
"I do not know that," Mark an
sworod quietly. "This valloy Is well
situated with respect to tho market.
Its transportation facilities are good.
Our fuol Is hero, and I dan get oro
horo cheaper than Qulnby or Mac
Grogor. I can mako steel cheaper
than anybody in America, and there's
no plant of Its slzo that can equal
mlno in capacity. In ten years, with
a fair flold "
"With a fair field. Exactly!"
"You moan I won't have it?"
"You won't havo It"
"Why?"
"For ono thing profile. "
"I'll mako money horo."
"It Isn't a question of your profits
nor of profits alone, but tho size of
profits. No," Henloy shook his head
vigorously, "you can't havo it I'm
horo to toll you that."
"Woll?"
"I havo no objection to your safety
appllancos. They're practical. They'll
savo twlco their cost In damages oV-
ory year."
"That's obvious."
"I'll agroo to tho batho. If tho men
want to clean up aftor work why, I
regard bathing as a very proper
habit"
Mark smiled. "Tho man will bo
grateful."
"I'm not Joking," Henloy romlndod
him sternly. "I'll go nB far as to
agroo to tholr olght-hour shift as an
experiment I'd like to sco it tried
out"
"Yes?"
"Your company stores, company gar
dens and company homos aro well
enough. Thoy can ,bo made profitable
properly handlod. But your profit
sharing plan Ib all wrong and" Hen
loy loaned forward and rapped on tho
arm of his chair to emphaslzo each
word "and you can't havo It I
wouldn't caro If you gavo thorn only
a nominal share. It would bo useful
at flrat to got good mon up horo. Aft
erward you could cut It out. But why,
In God'B name, give them half?"
"Bocausa I'll neod tho other half for
somo things I'm planning."
"I'm not Joking," Henloy repeated.
"Why glvo them half?"
"Oh, that's an approximation. It
seems to mo a protty fair division of
tho spoils. I don't -insist on its accu
racy. Howovor, that's not tho point.1'
Mark stralghtoned up In his scat by
tho desk, facing Honley squaroly.
"Havo you forgotten that my money
and mlno only is Invested in this
plant? I can quoto good authority,
.yoursolf, that a man ought to bo al
lowed to run his own business to suit
hlmsolf."
"As long as ho hurts no ono else."
Mark smiled ngaln at that. "You
said you weren't Joking. I supposo
you aren't. That's tho Joke of it. How
ovor, tho point Is, you forbid mo to
conduct my own buslnoss in my own
way. And your authority?"
"Tho power," answorod Henley qui
etly, "to smash you and tho will.
We've got labor where wo want It In
this business and wo propose to koop
It thoro. What you propose would bo
a dangorouB precedent. If wo lot you
succocd, wo'd havo tho men all ovor
tho country yammering for tho sumo
freak conditions. Thoroforo, wo won't
lot you succeed,"
"I soo. And you?"
"I? 1 made you havo you forgot
ton that? and I'm responsible for you.
I holped to put labor whoro It is, nt
some rlBk to myself, and I don't pro
pose to havo a man of my own mak
ing undo tho biggest thing I'vo ovor
dono. Therefore, I won't lot you suc
ceed."
"You aro qulto suro you can do it
smash mo?"
"Trultt, evory stool company In tho
country will mako It Its business to
put you out."
"And you won't stand aside and lot
m fight It out with tho rost of them?"
"No." Honloy Boomcjl astonished at
tho question, "Certainly not. What
did you expect?"
"I had hoped," Mark answered
slowly, "that you'd stay out of it 1
reallzo I had no reason to hopo that"
Henloy stirred restlessly, turned to
look out upon tho valley, upon tho city
that had not yot arisen. An uneasy
qualm movod his heart, continued with
a sharpness that was almost akin to
pain. Ho found himself restating an
absurd, an Incredible impulse a ten
derness such as ho had used to know,
stealthily and unadmlttcdly, for a
young half Invalid with tho habit of
triumphing where robust mon fell,
multiplied now for this man.
"Trultt, I " Honley stopped, an
embarrassment n unwonted as tho
Impulso upon him, and turned again
to tho window.
"Trultt," ho began ngaln, very
gruffly, oyes still fixed on the city tho
magic of tho hills rcvenled to him, "I
well, I Uko you. I've always counted
you my friend. I don't want to havo
to fight you. I don't think you want
to fight mo. Thoro Is there may bo
another alternative." Ho turned to
faco Mark. "Tako mo In with you."
Mark looked his astonishment
"I say," Henloy wont on, "L might
do it. I'vo seen something this morn-lng-i-Bomething
you've been seeing.
Tho city out there. It's big big!
And if tho figures you'vo given mo
are correct, It's possible. Tills place
was intended for a city. And with us
working together, It could be ten times
bigger oplc stupendous!"
Ho got to his feet, and shooting up
tho shade, stood looking thoughtfully
out of tho window.
"Wo'd mako It," Henley seemed al
most to bo thinking nloud, "a qlty
from tho beginning. Wo'd got the gov
ernment to mako tho rlvor navigable
to tho mouth and Bhlp our coal by boat
to the gulf. I can think of a dozen
concerns I could get to move their
plants here and contractors who'd un
dertake to house tho people. In flvo
years wo'd havo fifty thousand hero,
and coming as fast as wo could put
roofs ovor them. But wo'd build on
steel. Wo'd quadruple your plant at
onco for a start We'd mako this tho
steel centor and this overgrown trust
with its graft and favoritism and slip
shod methods would havo us to reckon
with. Wo'd leavo Qulnby and that
Scotch bagpipe, grown fat on other
men's brains, In the shado. By God!"
Henley's voice was ringing, as ho
wheeled on Mark again. "It would
bo tho big thing of tho century mak
ing a city to order. And I guess for
that you'd bo willing to glvo up your
llttlo two-by-four paternalism."
"That would be stipulated?"
"Certainly! Wo'll " - Henloy
seemed unconscious of tho chango of
mood and tenso. "Wo'll leavo fads to
tho cranks. Wo'll build this city on
a rock on a sound financial founda
tionand use tho profits for exten
sions." "I think you don't understand what
I"
"Understand? Of courso I under
stand. That'B why tho idea grips.
You'ro a born battler; things were
coming too easy for you. You, neod
obstacles, tohave to extend yoursolf.
I neod that I'vo got a hold In Wall
streot I can tighten my hold. But
I'm out of placo thore. I'm a builder,
not a money-grubbor. I've got to soo
things growing under my hand. What
I'm at now Is Just a game. This would
bo a work, tho kind I need. Will you
consider it?"
"Aro you offering It?"
"I'm offering it as a possible alter
native to putting you out of business.
Thoro may bo magic In theso hills,
but If tho thing works out on study
as I beliovo now It will, I'll do It What
do you say?"
"And you say," Mark Insisted; "it's
tho only possible alternative to fight
ing you?"
"To being," Henloy corrected grimly,
"put out of business."
It was Mark's turn to go to tho win
dow. Ho stood there Bllont, for many
minutes, looking not upon tho city
that might bo but upon tho little vil
lage that was.
"What do ypu say?" Henley demand
ed lmpationtly.
"It doesn't tempt" Mark faced him
steadily. "You woro mistaken. I
don't want battle. I don't want ob
stacles. But I do want to put that
through." Ho nodded toward tho vil
lage and tho mills.
"Humph! -You'll find plenty of ob
stacles and battles ovor there."
"Yes. But thoro would bo com
ponsatlonsi" "I would glvo you compensations.
Do you moan," Honloy demanded, "you
chooeo to hobble along with a llttlo
ono-horso plant nnd philanthropy
whon you might go with mo Into some
thing really big? Compensations!
You'll end In losing nil you have."
"All tho money I havo," Mark cor
rected. "That Is possible. But I'm
not worrying about tho poor farm. I
oxpoct, when that happens, I can find
a good Job somowhoro."
"Then," Henloy fired his last gun,
grullly, "then you chooso thoso pooplo
ovor thero against mo who made
you?"
"Thoy holpod to mako mo to mako
you, too. You,' Mark answored qui
etly, "don't tompt
"I'd like you to undoretand," ho con
tinued after a llttlo pause, "slnco
you'vo mentioned friendship, I don't
llko to think of you as an enemy. But
this plan, this Idea, Is worth a good
deal to me, oven though tho chance of
Buccess is Binall. It camo to mo be-
foro tno strlKo. A nil nt first it was
only the shallow sontlmontallty you
think it Then It became a rafugo. I
camo horo because thoro was a
thing" Henloy saw tho shadow that
passed ovor IiIb face "a thing I want
ed to forgot, something I needed to
earn. But now It's grown beyond that
It hns a value of Its own. It's my
nlcht', the thing I must do. You'vo
holpod mo to mako that clear.
"Yau ought to understand It, for you
hoa It. It's what saved you from be-
triir Itlra tYin nthnp mnnnv frnhliAi-a
I .fl ...W VMW WW M.VVI . . WW. U.
You camo closo to being one of thorn.
Why, once when Qulnby crocked his
whip you you cringed llko a
whipped dog before tho old blather
skite becauso you loved your monoy.
You remember that, don't you? And
then you ran afoul of him again, over
the strike, when tho same threat hung
over you, nnd you didn't cringe. You
beat him down. Why?"
"I couldn't lot"
"No, you coildn't You believed op
posing him would cost you much. The
strlko you forced did take hundreds of
thousands from tho value of your
stock. But you didn't think of that
then. And now you'vo claimed my
friendship. How much does It mean
to you?"
"A good deal, Trultt," Henloy an
swored slowly. "It's tho only friend
ship I over wanted. It was my reason
for making you what you are."
"Friendship means obligation
you'vo Just reminded mo of that.
Would it add to your obligation if I
told you thatf you got away whole
from Qulnby because of me?"
"What! What's this? You nover
told me"
"It wasn't I who did it but a wom
an." Henley saw tho shadow again.
"I'm Offering It as a Possible Alterna
tive to Putting You Out of Busi
ness!" "But she did It for me. I took for you
an advantage I wouldn't tako for my
self. Docs that squaro what you did
for me?"
"Yes. I don't understand. But it
does. It more than squares it"
"Then my success here can't hurt
you will you stand aside and let me
fight it out with tho others?""
"You're aBklng me to lot you undo
tho best thing I've ever dono!"
There was a long silence in the llttlo
room. Henley sat stiffly, staring at
tho man who had passed out of reach
of his Influence. And tho pain was
unmistakable now.
"I see," ho said at last, as If reluc
tantly. "I guesB I'm the only one of
tho monoy grubbers who could under
stand. It seems to be your idea
against mine. I'm sorry."
"It seems so. I'm sorry, too."
"My city I guess it was Just tho
magic of tho hills, aftor all. I don't
want to do It without you I'm sorry."
Thoro was a heavy pause. Then
Henloy drow a long breath that whs
almost a sigh, glanced at tho clock
and rose.
"I'll take another cigar," ho said,
grimly facetious, "if you don't mind
giving aid ana comfort to tho enemy.
Then I'll go back to my money grub
bing." When thoy wero standing on the
station platform he aBked abruptly,
"Can you tell mo about that woman
business?"
"I'd rather not"
Honley scrutinized him keenly.
From around a curvo camo the cres
cendo whlstlo of tho approaching
train.
"You'd hotter," ho said as he Btopped
for his grip, "get hor up here. You'll
neod her. And whon you'ro down and
out como to mo and I'll glvo you a
Job."
Mark watched the train, regretfully,
until It was caught out of his sight.
Then he lot his gazo dwell Hngorlngly
on the mills and villago ucross the
river. A wave of protectlvenesa swept
ovor him, of tondornoss as for a deeply
loVod one.
And quick upon that wave, ere it
obbed, surged another, as though un
der the shock of tho first contact with
opposition a dam had fallen, loosing a
torrent that flooded hie soul, lifting
him high, filling his need. Conscious
ness, distinct, deflnlto, thrilling, filled
him of a now power and mottlo, of
tho vitality of his purposo, of an ulti
mata purpose Into which his fitted. A
weight fell llko tho pilgrim's pack
from his shoulders. His spirit stood
erect, steady. Ho liftod his eyes to
tho hills.
"I can put It through. I will. . . .
I havo faith."
CHAPTER XXVIII.
White Water.
The woman who alighted with Hen
ley from tho train had come with an
errand. Sundry inquiries from tho
station nnd at tho now hotel bo hide
ously garish amid tho gray tones of
Its surroundings convinced her that
she would need Mark Trultt's help.
But sho had overheard her fellow pas
senger's questions to tho doctor and
guessed that Mark would bo with him
for most of that day.
Sho stayed In hor little hotel room
until dinner time. After that meal,
eaton in n noisy dining-room filled
with Btlll homeless men who had come
to build or work In the Bethel experi
ment, sho went out nnd wandered
about through tho old villago, of which
yeurs before, hearing of It from an un
appreciative young adventurer, sho
had UBOd to thiuk as a sort of ante-
room to heaven. Thero had oven boon
a porlod in that far-off, innocent girl
hood when she had thought of It as
a beautiful restful haven, to which,
somo dny when ho should havo tired
of tho greedy city and Its grind, hor
lover might bring hor. Always, it
seemed, sho had needed and wanted a
haven. If only ho had brought hor
then, what might havo been saved!
"What might have been saved! But
I mustn't think of that."
From down a nnrrow lane sho caught
a gllmpso of tho river, smiling in tho
sunlight It beckoned to her and sho
obeyed, turning her steps upstream.
A thick grovo of oaks and chestnuts
shut her off from tho village and sho
was nlono with tho river and forest
Itlver and forest hold many memories
for hor.
Hours passed. A few fleecy, tum
bling clouds floated over hor. Heavier
and Jess silvery masses appeared over
tho western horizon. Tho wind fresh
ened. Sho did not notlco. . . . And
suddenly sho know that sho was not
alone.
Sho turned and saw him stnnding
near, staring, bowlldered yet Btrangely
eager, toward her. Her lips parted,
her bosom lifted in a sharp Intake of
breath, as their eyes met Then she
got slowly to, hor feet, trying to look
away that sho might regain a lost-self-control.
Ho started toward her, with tho pe
culiar halting step sho never could
see without a tender maternal im
pulse. Scarcely two yards away he
stopped.
"Kazla you!"
"Yes."
"But I," ho stammered, "I don't un
derstand." Self-control was coming back. "I
camo to got Plotr."
"To get Piotr," ho repeated mechan
ically. But he did not comprehend.
Ho passed a hand over his eyes.
Tho apparition did not fade. Gradu
ally ho realized with a dazing Jumble
of gladness and pain and reluctance
that it was Indeed she, In tho flesh.
"I can hardly reallzo It," he said at
last. "I was Just thinking of you.
Often I am thinking of you. A hun
dred times I'vo been on the point of
going to seo you, to find out "
"To find out?"
"How badly I hurt you."
"I told you I haven't blamed you."
"But that Isn't true it can't Nbe
true. It wouldn't bo human not to
resent me, what I'vo brought you. You
do resent, don't you?"
"Why do you press mo with what
is ended? I don't want to think of
it or to bo unjust. I " Sho turned
sharply to faco him. "Yes, if you
must know It, I do resent."
"You havo every right to resent,"
ho answered sadly.
Sho started swiftly along tho bank
toward tho village. Ho followed, try
ing to keep' up with her, and with a
real effort managed It A quarter of a
mile was thus traversed, neither
speaking, sho keeping always ono pace
ahead so that ho could not sco her
face. Then she observed his heavy
breathing and slackened her pace.
"I didn't reallzo I was walking so
fast" Her voice was qulot again.
"I don't mind It.' Ho assayed a
laugh, a poor, mirthless attempt. "I
need a countor-lrrltant Just now."
"And I didn't mean what I said back
there. I haven't felt that way often,
at least. I havo no resentment against
you only against myself. It was In
mo to keep clean and I deliberately
it is nil so clear now chose the worst
thing."
"That is true of all of us."
"I don't know. I only know it's true
of me. And so you needn't go on tor
turing yourself with thoughts of your
mt. ,
"Kazla? You?"
responsibility. Oh, I don't want you
to do- that. It can help neither of us
and It will cripple your work here."
"It Isn't facing the truth that can
hurt, but tho truth Itself. Kazla, why
did you como hero?"
"I told you to get Plotr."
"Plotr? I had forgotten him. I
heard this morning he was here."
"Then ho Is hero? I asked at the
station and hotel, but no ono had seen
or heard of him."
"But why is ho hero? And why
havo you como?"
"Ho came back to us a fow weeks
ago, tho forlornost waif I'vo ovor
seon. I don't know how ho had been
living wo'd no trace of him since
Uncle Homan died. Ho was starving
and hU mind was clearly gone. I sup
poso he wouldn't have como to me
otherwise I ought to havo put him
away somowhoro, but ho was harm
less and it seemed so cruol. He Just
sat around poring over books aa ho
used to when ho was a boy. Ho seomod.
to havo forgotten all tlmt'B happened
slnco then. And then thrco days ago
ho awoko. Ho asked mo for somo
monoy said somothlng about a debt
ho had to pay. It was little enough
and he's had so llttlo of everything,
poor Plotr!"
"So very llttlo."
"Ho went out and didn't como back.
And yesterday I'd seen sho was
worrying, but thought it was becauso
he hadn't appeared again tho Matka
told mo sho thought from something
ho'd said that he might have como up
hero to try to harm you In somo way.
Do you know where ho Is?"
"Tho doctor hero, who told me abouj
him, said he's camping out in an old
shed over there in tho hills."
"If you'll help mo to him, or send
somo ono "
"I will go myself."
They had reached tho lane that led
to the main streot and tho hotel. She
would havo turned thero, but ho put
out a hand and stayed her:
"Kazla, was it only on Piotr's ac
count you -came?"
Her glanco wavered, sought wist
fully and sadly tho hills across tho
valloy, camo back to his. "You mean,
did I think of meeting you again? I
why should I deny it? I wanted to
seo your work 1 had been hearing
about and you again. But it doesn't
mean I wnnted to chango anything.
Please believe that And I didn't want
to trouble you"
"You haven't troubled mo."
"Will you please leavo mo now and
bring Plotr to tho hotel? I must leavo
with him tonight"
When sho had passed out of his
sight, ho Btarted quickly vlllagoward.
At the cottago ho harnessed his horse
to a buggy, drove across tho brldgo
and took the road that led to Hedges'
Hill.
CHAPTER XXIX.
The Miracle.
"I shall know it," ho had thought,
"when it comes."
And as ho drove thero came to him
the knowledge of his miracle. It came,
not with tho lazy luxurlousnesa of
youth drifting, ignorant and caring not
for wisdom, toward a mate, nor yet
with tho ecstatic feverish excitement
of tho passionate man, but with a deep,
solemn, all-pervading Joy. Peace fol
lowed It tho peace of certitude, for
ho know that In tho woman who had
sinned he had found the ono who fit
ted Into him ns a member into its
body, completed him, with him formed
tho perfect unity of content, for ho
knew that from Its Infinite precious
ness neither trial nor failure, disap
pointment nor misstep could subtract
"Sho must know," he thought. "She
must be made to know that nothing
else counts that wo are to begin over
agalg together." ,
Ho remembered his mission.
Thero was a rumble of thunder. He
glanced overhead and saw tho black
ened sky, heard tho rushing wind. A
fow scattered drops fell. Ho urged tho
horso forward.
He was miles away from the villago
and near the foot of 'a hill that tow
ered woll above Its neighbors. Ho
smiled as ho saw a trace of an old
road, almost obliterated by weeds, that
led zigzagging up tho eminence. It
was Hedges' Hill and near the crest,
he remembered, was tho outhouse that
sheltered the unhappy Piotr.
The storm overtook him before ho
was half-way up the hill.' When ho
reached tho clearing on tho odgo of
which stood the shed, he mado his
horso fast to a tree, and drenched to
tho skin by tho pelting rain, entered
tho shelter.
At first, In tho shadows of the win
dowless shed, he saw no signs of Piotr.
He stood In tho doorway, watching
tho storm. '
Ho had been thoro several minutes
whon a queer choking sound camo
from behind him. Ho turned quickly,
and as his eyes becamo used to tho
darkness, made out tho figure crouch
ing half hidden behind a bench in the
far corner.
"Hello! Is" that you, Plotr? What
aro you doing over there?"
The nolBo enmo again.
"Is something wrong with you?"
Mark went closer to him. "I'm Mark
Trultt. Don't you know mo, Plotr?"
"Y-yes," quavered Plotr.
"What's tho matter sick?"
"I'm a-afrald," camo tho whimpering
reply. "U'b tho storm."
Mark smiled pityingly. So this poor
nerve-broken creature, who cowered
before a llttlo wind and rain and light
ning, was ho who had sot out to harm
him.
'Ho's In a bad way," ho thought
"Thero, now," ho said, gently, "I'm not
going to hurt you, Piotr."
Piotr was in his corner, half crouch
ing, staring fixedly at Mark. His eyos
made tiny points of light in tho deep
shadow.
"D-did you come horo to got mo?"
"Of courso I did. I heard you woro
hereabouts and I wasn't going to lot
you Btay up horo and starve to death."
"Wh-what are you g-golng to do with
me now?"
"For ono thing," Mark answered
gravely, "when this rain lets up I'm
going to tako you back to town and
get you in tho habit of eating thre
squaro meals a day. I think It's be
ginning to let up a llttlo now."
"Who," enmo Piotr's quavering
voice, "who told you I wns hero?"
"The doctor who found you yestor
3ay and Kazla."
"Kazla! She she is here?"
"Yos. Sho camo to get you."
"Sho knows?"
"Sho guessed she and tho Matka
guessed you wero up to some mis
chief. You frightened the Matka with
your wild talk. But wo'll discuss that
later. Come, we'll make a start now "
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
