THE 8EMLWEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
iTKKfeKiKTiKnK1
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K-KWrem-K-&Waft?earK9
The Ambioon of ivSarkTruilt
HENRY RUSSELL MILLER
CTiK-raWCifcJK-WStfiK?
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(Copyright. J913. by The
14
CHAPTER XXIX Continued.
l'Jotr did not movo from his corner.
"Ah!" It was ftlinoHt n sob. "They're
lutill for you against everybody, against
i me. It wos always ho. Evorybody wan
ifor you. Vou had everything. It came
lousy to you. It catno hard to mo, ho
hard I could never do anything or got
anything. It "
"Yes, yoB, Plotr, I know. Hut wo'ro
going to chango that now. Come along
tho rain's stopped and I muat hurry."
"To got back to her, I suppose?"
Plotr Hlghed.
"I miiHt get back to hor. Come on."
"I don't think I" IMotr's words
camo between gasps. Something
eomed to be choking him. "In a
minute. I I must got some things."
Mark looked quickly back over his
nhoulder, caught by an odd chango In
the plulntlvo voice. Dusk was gather
ing rapidly, deepening tho shadows In
the shud, and ho could barqly bco the
flguro fumbling about In his corner.
There- wan a pause I'lotr's search
scorned to have been successful then
a motalllc click. .Mark whirled sharply
on him.
"Plotr!"
"Ah!" It was. not a sob now, but a
'low guttornl growl, throbbing with
Hiato and triumph.
Plotr, too, whirled. From his cor
mer a point of flame leaped out toward
(Mark, another another until six
IFrom Plotr's Corner a Point of Flame
Leaped Out Toward Mark.
tHhots had rung out. At tho last Mark'H
llicad drooped forward, hla body swayed
itilowly and fell In a crumpled heap
'acrosB tho doorway. . . .
When he awoko ho was being
dragged' by his wounded uhouldor In
.audi fashion that his head scraped
along tho floor. He did not realize
so much, merely that his pain had
Increased n hundredfold. Ho tried to
cry out, but could only Ho limp and
silent. Then ho felt a hand passing
ovor his faco and a voice that seemed
very far away muttering fretfully.
' "I wonder If you'ro dying or sham
ming. It would bo like you to Bham.
I didn't mean to ehoot thon. I didn't
'want you to dlo until you know tho
jmllls were gono. Hut I had to when
you looked nt mo that way, I had to."
. Mark heard, but tho words meant
nothing to him. Tho volco muttered
on; detnehed sentences camo to him.
"It Isn't so eaBy as I thought. . . .
"I'd better go now, while I can. . . .
U'm afraid. 1 novor drove a horso. . . ,
'Twice, coming hero, I fell. 1 thought
II was dead, but It didn't go off I
idon't know why. , . . I'd like to toll
you about Kasila's doctor. I saw thorn
ono night and followed thorn. You
i wouldn't belie vo It of hor, would you?
lit nearly klllod mo. ... It was your
IfaulL You ran away from hor. . . .
lit would bo easy to drive off the road
and fall in tho dark. . . . I'm tlrod,
mnd I tremble. Soolng you makes It
Iworso. ... I keep wondering what
(they'll do to mo. . . . When the mills
ro gono, I'm coming back to you. I
'guess you'll Btay. . . Maybe I'd bettor
finish you now you're so lucky al
ways." Mark felt the hand again, now at
fcls throat, pressing hard. Ho tried to
(protest, "That Is qulto superfluous,"
(but tho pressure would not lot him.
When blackness waB closing In on him
(onco more, the grip relaxed
Hut lie did not qulto lose conscious
ness this time Ho heard tho other
movo ubotit, i'.lll muttering, thon pass
out Tho sound of wheel and tho
horse's tramping through tho tall
voods dlod away in tho distance
At llrst Mark lay Inort. A mortal
veokuesa held him. Ho could realize
only tho pain. Ho wanted nothing but
to Ho prono and motionless. ... A
disturbing thought began to tug at his
Wain Ho ought not to bo thoro.
"hero was a thing ho must do, somo
tono ho must see. What wub It?
"Knzla!" Tho itaino gavo him a
thrilling shock thnt sharpened tho pain
tut cleared his mind a little.
And tho mills! Tim mills! Knzla
Hid the mills! Tho two thoughts were
it extrlcably mingled.
With n rush cumo realization of his
jMeK Uotr, tho puny whimpering
!i (l 1IkS1
' 1 iHrT-rinii 'rf-T BWW8SIH-- I
Author of
"THE MAN Ilir.llMl UP." "HIS RISE
TO I'OWBK." ICtc
Bcbbs - Merrlll Company)
madman who cringed before n squall,
had shot him and was on his way to
blow up tho mills. Plotr must bo fore
stalled. With nn effort ho forced his
eyes open and hold them ho until tho
first giddiness passed. Ho rnlHed his
head; it foil bark with a thud.
"I can't do It," he groaned.
Hut tho mills and Knzla!
"I'vo got to do It. I must stop him.
I must got to her."
Then began a light to sit up, to
stand, to beat off tho invisible hands
trying to drag him back into the black
ness. How long the strugglo lasted,
by what degrees ho progressed, ho did
not know; but when It was over ho
was leaning weakly agnliiBt tho door
Jamb. Ills brain was reeling, ho
breathed sobblngly, but by bracing him
self desperately with tho cane, recov
ered In tho struggle to stand, he man
aged to hold what he had won.
Ills brain cleared again, a little
steadiness camo to tho trembling
limbs. Summoning all his will, ho
passed with uncertain dragging stops
out of tho shed. A cold damp wind
breathed refreshingly upon him. Ho
gripped hla cane moro tightly and
started slowly down tho weedy road.
Ho reached tho foot of tho hill and
sank down In a Httlo rain pool, rested
pantlngly and laved his hot faco a few
mlnutos, then staggered to his feet
and limped on until weakness over
camo him onco moro and he fell. . . .
Moro than an hour later ho was still
lurching along the road. Kazla and
tho mills! Thoy were In danger, they
woro being taken from him; ho must
savo them
So ho beat hla way Blowly along
moonlit stretches of rough road,
through darkened ravines where only
Instinct found u path, until at last,
rounding a curve, ho saw tho furnaco
looming hugo boforo him.
As hours pnssed and Mark did
not return, a sonso of an approaching
crlslB, of a danger, cumo to Kazla. Tho
squull died away, full darkness fell,
tho train alio was to have taken with
Plotr rolled to a stop at tho station
and out again, and still ho had not re
turned. Tho genso grow heavier, pas
sive waiting unbearable To escape
hor foreboding sho wolit out Into tho
night and wnlked about again In tho
placo shu had onco thought of as a
haven. Hut Bho quickly loft tho ram
bling old vlllnge, eccn for tho llrst
time, yot holding so many momorles
of which alio must not think, and wont
over to tho now Uothol with Its wldo
paved streets and rows of protty little
cottages. Muny of tho cottages wero
dark and untonantod as yet, but she
uw.tliom ns thoy would bo whon they
woro tho homos of a happy folk who
tolled without exhaustion or fear, with
kludnoss in their hearts one for an
othor. Sho left tho cluster of homes-to-bo
and retraced hor Btops over tho street
that led past tho mills to tho brldgo,
started to cross. But at the ontranco
sho stopped. Everywhere It was tho
unmo, a redolence of him. After all,
to her Bethel, tho haven, was just
Mark Trultt.
All her lino resolutions and philoso
phy had becomo lnsulllciout. Tho sight
of tho river, tho woods la their au
tumnal glory, tho song of tho rapids
had revivified tho scones of her one
happiness.
Sho did mij. think that thoro might
bo somo to sco. Sho was weeping,
head bowed on tho bridge rati.
"Oh, I shouldn't havo coino. I want
him him. vAnd I havo no right to
have htm. It would bo tho cruelost
thing I could do to him oven It ho
cared. 1 wub wrong to como."
Thus sho told hopo tho Immortal!
It must not live. , , .
Old Simon hud no Bklll for it and
henco no part In tho building of tho
mills. But ho spent his days watching
them grow. Often nt night, whon
Bethel was sleoplug, ho would slip
across tho river to realize again that
after bo many years his dreams woro
coming magnificently true.
Thnt night ho left his seat on tho
stoop, whoro ho had boon wondorlugly
but patiently awaiting tho absent
Mark, and trudged down to tho river
and across tho brldgo. Ho saw tho
flguro loaning on the rati nt tho farther
end, but not until ho was close did ho
see It was that of a weeping woman,
lie would havo turned aside, but ho
perceived that sho had heard him nnd
lifted her head.
Ho stopped short, staring In nBtou
Ishmont at tho woman, a sort that had
novor beforo como within hla ken.
After a moment's hesitation ho went
to hor.
"is anything wrong, ma'am?"
Sho shook her head.
"Is thero anything I kin do fur yo?"
Again tho silent gosturo?V
"If thoro Is," ho porblsted: "I'd llko
to do It fur yo."
Sho found hor volco. "It Is noth
ing." Sho tried to smile. "Somotlmoa
women cry Tor nothing, about Httlo
things."
"Somo women do," Simon answered
gravely. "I guess yo'ro a. Btrungor
horo, ain't ye? I'm Simon Trultt."
Sho stnrtod. "You'ro hie futher?"
Simon noted tho unconscious uao of
tho pronoun. "Mark's, yo moan? Yes,
ma'am. Did yo know hlin, back there
in the city?"
Sha nodded, not trusting herself to
speak, and turned hor fnco from tho
moonlight. Sho Bccmcd to bo strug
gling again with n rising sob.
Simon found hlmaolf peering, closely
and unintentionally, Into her eyes. He
stepped hastily hack nnd hoard him
self speaking witli n boldness ho did
not recognize.
"Mcbby It was ftfr him yo wero
Hut I hadn't oughtcr ask that. Mobby
It's fur yo lio's bo'n grlovln'?"
"Itcouldn't bo that."
"I've wondered. Often I'vo como on
him when ho thought ho was alone,
Jest Bcttln' and lookln' at nothln' an"
grlevln', I know." Simon's faco, too,
sought the shadow. "I know."
"It might be because of mo but not
not for me."
"Not because ho wants ye, yo mean?
Hut It could be thnt. 'Tnln't likely
ho'd And two such women as ye, oven
In the city. An' 'tnln't likely ho'd
trouble so much, If thero wasn't a
woninn In It. I wish yo could give him
what ho needs."
"What he ncods Is to havo his life
mado over from tho beginning. Ho
can't have that."
"If he's Jest wantln somo ono,
there's a wny ho could havo It."
"You don't understand," she said
wearily.
- "No, I don't understand. That's the
trouble. I'd like to help him, to gfv"e
him what ho needs. But I don't know
how. There's nothln' I can give him."
He turned his faco away from hor,
looking up at tho furnaco, big and
menacing, outlined ngainst the sky.
There wns silence among tho mills.
From the old village behind them camo"
faint vnguo sounds of life a distant
tinkle of laughter, a crying child, a
neighing horse. From tho now town
beyond the mills came no sound but a
single voice In song, a wild eery chant
thnt had been brought from another
land. Tho song was finished. Knzla
and Simon stirred, as though they had
beon waiting for Its close to bring
tholr strange encounter to nn end.
"What's that?"
Both started. From somewhero near
them bnd come a sudden muffled
cackle of mirthless uncanny laughter.
"Sounds 's If It como from tho fur
nace. Thero hadn't oughtor bo nny
body 'round here. But I guess It's Just
tho watchman In tho power houae. Tho
still night-makes It sound llko that."
But even as he spoke they saw tho
llgurc of a mail crawling from behind
tho furnaco. He scrambled to his feet
and began to run, with nn awkward
hobbling gait, up tho tracks toward
tho bridge. The moonlight fell full on
his face.
"Plotr I"
As tho cry, In a voice ho knew,
reached him, the man stopped sud
denly, stared wildly about and saw tho
two figures advancing on him. Ho
raised his hands in a frantic gesture.
"Kazla! Oo back go back!"
Sho did not heed his warning. "Plotr!
What arc you doing?"
"Go back!" ho screamed. "You'll
bo killed. It's dynamlto!"
Instantly tho others guessed what
Impended. Kazla heard u low moan
bosldo her, saw Simon run, na fast as
his agestiffonod limbs allowed, toward
tho furnaco, ns If he thought to avert
tho Imminent destruction.
"You mustn't!" she cried. "Como
back!"
If the old man heard, ho did not
oboy. She flod after him, In instinctive
purposo to drag him back out of
danger.
Thoy reachod Plotr, passed him. Ho
stood bewildered, glancing uncertainly
toward tho rofugo of tho woods. Thon,
With a low whimpering cry, ho, too,
Joined in that moonlight rnco. Ho
could not havo overtaken her, had sho
not tripped nnd fallen over a switch.
He flung himself upon her, moaning
shuddorlngly.
"Knzla, I didn't want to hurt you."
Simon sped on.
Thnt was what Mark Trultt, crouch
ing where he had last fallon, saw Just
boforo tho explosion camo. Thoro was
n hoarse deafening roar. Tho groat
furnaco seemed to reel, then toppled
nnd foil.
Thoy found him weakly trying to
romovo tho debris from a placo near
tho odgo of tho ruin. Thoy drow him
asldo and a hundred strong hands took
up his task. Soon thoy found tho dead
Plotr nnd under him Kazla, still
breathing. It was not until daybreak
that they camo to Simon.
Kazla was carried to tho vlllugo and
laid In Doctor Hodges' own houso. All
through the night nnd in tho morning,
until the groat surgeon from tho city
came, ho fought off death. Thon tho
Burgeon took up tho light with a
kuowledgo and skill the old doctor did
not possess. For two days thoy did
not slcop but watched and battled.
In tho adjoining room a man, him
self tho object of tho doctor's enro,
passed through his Qothsomaue. Tho
dead, his own pain and weakness, nil
olso, woro forgotten In his agony for
tho ono who, It Boomed, could not live.
Somotlmes ho would rlso from tho
couch" whoro thoy had laid him and
croop Into tho other room to join tho
wntchors thoro until tho sight of tho
Btlll, bandnged form becamo moro than
ho could bear. Then ho would let
them lead him back to his couch. His
lips moved constantly, In what words
ho did not know. Their burden was
the cry of all QothBemnnes.
"Lot thlB cup paes from mo."
So tho mlrnclo was mado perfect.
Toward tho last of that watch his
weakness began to overcomo him. Tho
doctors supposed ha slept nnd said:
"It Is best." Ho did not sloop. Ho
had lost sonso of his surroundings but
his brain was nllvo. Ho was fighting,
struggling- supromoly, to hold her back
from tho proclplco over which sho was
slowly falling, Onco she seemed to bo
slipping from hla clnsp. Ho heard her
plteoun cry to him.
Ho roso with a Btart and tottered
Into her room.
"8ho called me," ho whispered.
Hedges thought It was delirium and
would have led him back to his couch.
Hut Mark resisted.
"I tell you, she called mo. I must
son hor."
"Let him," said tho surgeon. "Prob
ably it's his last chance."
Hedges released him and Mark went
over to her. Ho dropped to his knees
by tho bedside and kissed, very gontly,
tho arm outlined under tho sheet
"Kazla," ho whispered. "My wife,
my love, don't leave mo! Can't -you
hoar, dear? tho miracle has como!"
He thought that sho sighed, as docs
a tired child when it sinks to sleep,
nnd that a little smile touched the palo
lips.
Tho others did not seo, but then
thoy had not heard her call.
CHAPTER XXX.
The Ultimate Purpose.
It was an Indian summer day, when
tho sun paused to smllo genially back
over his shoulder at tho earth he was
leaving to winter's cold mercy, and a
warm wind blew softly. Toward noon
Kazla, leaning on tho doctor nnd his
buxom wife, was helped to tho front
porch, whero tho Matka was waiting
with cushions and shawls. In a big
rocking chair tho convalescent was
mado comfortable, with' cushions nt
head and feet and the shawls tucked
carefully around her.
"You'ro suro you'ro warm enough?"
queried Mrs. Hedges, with needless
anxiety.
"Quito sure. You all spoil me with
kindness."
Mrs. Hedges gavo a Inst pat to the
cushion behind Kazia's head. "You
take a deal of spoiling, I think, dearie."
Kazla sighed. "I'll hate to leave
you." Tears, for some reason, were
treacherously ready that morning.
"Then," drawled the doctor, "you'ro
thinking of leaving us?"
"I must soon." But under tho doc
tor's twinkling gazo a girlish flush
sprang into view perhaps to keep tho
tears company.
"Too much color," chuckled tho doc
tor. "Let me feel your pulse."
Tho crimson deepened and as In
stantly vanished.
"I'vo a cako In the oven," Mra.
Hedges suddenly remembered. "Doc
tor, I'll need you."
"Need mo?" The doctor started.
"Am I n "
"At once, Doctor," enmo a stern
command from tho hall.
"Eh? Oh!" A light broke In upon
him and ho chucklod again. "Coming,
my dear, coming!"
Tho Matka, too, would havo left her,
but Kazla stayed hor. "Don't go," she
said In tho Matka's tongue.
Tho old woman halted, Irresolute.
"He, your lover, will be coming soon."
Timidly she laid a thin knotted hand
on tho scarf enshrouding Kazia's hair.
- Kazia Ignored that. "You will hate
to leave this place, won't you?"
The Matka nodded. "There 1b peace
here. Even tho old smllo and make
Jests, and they grow old easily, as a
child grows Into youth. And my Plotr
Is here." Her oyos sought a distant
hillside, where white stones gleamed
In tho sunshine
"But wo must go. I don't belong
here. What would these kind people
think If thoy know" tho voice broko
a little "what you know."
"They would think aB I do. And I
I know nothing, except that you love
and nro loved. Such lovo I have never
Boon. It Is not the lovo your mother
and her lover had. All here know and
"This Is the First Time Since tho Ac
cident That I've Syen You Alone."
aro glad of It. I do not think you can
go nnd lenvo him unhappy." And tho
Matka etolo awoy.
"it came too lato."
Kazia's lips anld that and tho wait
ing tears overflowed, lingering gem
like on tho fringe of closed lnelres. A
thousand times she had repeated the
wordB to horselt since tho first hour
of consciousness whon Bheniad Boon
him bonding over her. Sho tnwight
sho believed It. But hor fast-beating
heart, as sho awaited her lover's com
ing, sounded nuothor answer.
Tho heavy throbbing ceased, began
ugaln, keeping time with a trampling
of hoofs from down tho street. Hor
closed oyes did not open ovon whon
tho trampling ceased and sho heard
his stop, punctuated by tho ring of
cano on gravel, until his step, too,
censod and sho felt htm near her, his
gazo upon her. Sho dreaded to moot
that gazo.
Slowly tho roluctant lids oponod
. . . and dread took wings, like a night
bird that had ecen the first light. And
the light In his oyes, transfiguring him
for her, thrilling her with Its summons,
was .not to bo mistaken for tho flro
that had flamed there at other times,
or for the pity of ono seeing his cruel
ties working out.
"it Is not too late," her heart was
crying, nnd Bho tried in vain to stifle
Its song.
But ho did not press her then with
Impetuous wooing.
"Do you roallzo," ho said gravely,
"this Is tho llrst tlmo slnco the acci
dent I'vo seen you alone?"
"Yes, I " sho bogairstammerlngly.
"The others havo Just gono In. If you
cnll them, they will come."
"Then," he smiled reassuringly, "I
will call them at once, for 1 havo many
things to show you todny, nnd tho doc
tor set3 an absurd limit to our drive."
Ho rapped on tho door and tho doc
tor appeared, and behind him the
Mutkn. Then, while tho Matka piled
tho cushions In the Bent, Mark and
tho doctor helped Kazla over tho little
walk nnd into tho buggy.
"And mind you," the doctor adjured
them, ns Mark got in and the horso
stai t" two hours at tho most If you
cni track of tho tlmo!"
'i e gently led tho Matka Lack
Into i..i' house. For alio, who had for
gotten how to weep for sorrow, was
weeping now for tho joy awaiting
Kazla.
First Mark drove, very slowly and
carefully, through the old vlllugoand'
across tho bridge until ho enmo to its
mlddlo point. Thero ho stopped.
Tho mills woro no longer lifeless
and silent. A row of giant stacks
spoufod clouds of heavy black smoke
that fluttered lazily away In the breeze
In long wavering pennons. Through
the power houso windows tho watch
ers caught a glimpse of great fly
wheels whirling and bright pistons
plunging. From the rolling mills be
yond camo a low monitory rumblo of
engines stirring tentatively, testing
their blnews as thoy waited to pounco
upon and torture tho coming steel.
And before them towered tho rebuilt
furnace, alive now and discordantly
vocal with Its flrsl labor. Thither Mark
pointed.
"Watch now! We're just in tlmo.
Our llrst tnp!"
As he spoke, the shriek of tho
checked blast rose, drowning all other
sounds, and tho crew of men working
at tho furnace mouth Bprang back.
Out of a circle of darting fires forth
leaped a molten dendly flood. A chan
nel In tho sloping sand-bed received It
and bore It swiftly, in a dozen
branches, to tho waiting ladles. Little
gaseous flames played Impishly over
the golden surface. The stench of
burning sulphur nrose. As tho cascad
ing flood filled tho Indies, drops
splashed out upon tho ground and burst
in n thousand tiny points of light.
Almost before KnaJa realized It, the
flood had subsided and the full ladles
were moving away.
He diove on and took the long wind
ing rond that led past Hedges' Hill
though he did not remind, her of his
meeting with Plotr and after many
miles circled back to tho village Thoy
talked little, and perhaps that Httlo
was hardly worthy of a record. Kazia
lay back In her cushions, hor eyes fol
lowing his hand as ho pointed out
some now beauty to her.
"How could yau leave It?" she mur
mured, as often sho had exclaimed
when sho had heard of It from the
adventuring youth.
"But If I hadn't left It, I shouldn't
hnvo found you. So I'm glad I went."
She made no answer to that.
Farther on thoy came to a branch
road that once he had known. Ho fol
lowed It a while until thero came to
them a delicious spring-like fragrance.
He stopped tho horse again.
"I thought I could And it. See!"
He pointed to an old tree that stood,
a mass of fresh green leaves and
snowy blossoms, a little nway from tho
roadBlde.
"What Is It?"
"A pear tree."
"But U'b autumn and I thought "
Sho glanced up at him wondcrlngly.
"Every fall that tree puts out a now
set of leaves and blossoms. You see,
thero Is new life even after spring has
gone."
Sho looked long and earnestly at the
blossoming tree. "But winter will
come and the blossomB will wither
fruitless."
No longer could he refuse words to
his louglng.
"Ah! my dear," ho cried, "let ua
forget signs and symbols. Thero 1b
siuh a thing as new birth. And It's
always spring whoro thero Is love. You
will forgive me," ho laughed unstead
ily, "If 1 talk like a vory young poet,
for I am very, very happy today."
A touch of the old ready color was
glowing faintly In her wair cheeks.
"Have you looked enough?" ho
smiled. "For, If you have, we must
go. It will be getting chilly soon. And
besides, they are waiting for us."
"Waiting- ?"
"Yes. Didn't ou know? Doctor
Courtnoy Is to marry us tonight."
Tho color vnnlshed nnd sho shrank
bnck from him, lifting piteous pleading
eyes to his.
"Oh. Mark, don't ask mo that. I
can't I can't. Couldn't you let mo
havo this day "
"Did you think I'd let you go again?
Did you think you could? Only ono
thing In tho world could make mo lot
you go if you can say you don't lovo
me. And you enn't Bay that."
"No, 1 can't say that. But don't
nsk mo. - Don't you see, it would bo
cruel to you It would bo worso for
me. You forget now but somo day
you would remember that I Ah I
don't force mo to say It!"
Her thin wasted hands went to her
faco, but hi drew thorn away that Bho
might soo ho had not Itindietl,
"Knzla, Just this onco wo'll speak
of tho past, and then we'll put It for
ever away whoro tho pnat belongs
Ono sin Is much llko anothor. .And
for every senr you havo I can show
many. I ask you to forglvo, you havo
forgiven much. Can't you truBt mc to
forgot n Httlo? Aud, dear, all that
all tho sins nnd shadows woro part
of-a man nnd woman wo havo left be
hind!' Sho seemed bo weak and fragile
lying there, thlswralth of tho old
Knzla.-torn by lovo nnd fearl A sud
den mist shut her from his sight. An
unspeaknblo tenderness welled up
within him,' lending to his husky
hrokon phrases a supreme eloquence
she needed to hear.
"But this love tho Kazia that called
It to life are part of tho now life. It
began thoso days whon wo thought
you couldn't live and I lenrned what
love is and what it would mean to loso
!jV,L
"Ah! Take Mel"
you. It will nevor end. Is It I you
doubt? Dear, I know I know. And
I need you. Can't you understand, I
need you? You won't, you can't, fall
mo now?"
"You don't know what you ask," sho
whispered. "But I can't fight ngainst
It any longer I want you bo. Only
promise mo when you remember
you won't let me know."
"I promise. Kazla !"
"Ah! Take mo."
A sob shook hor and she swayed
toward him. Ho cnught-her and drew
her very gently to him. . . . After a
Httlo she smiled through her tears.
It was evening and the others had
gone, leaving them alone again.
Thero was no light but tho glow of
embers on tho hearth In tho Httlo cot
tage that was to be their homo for n
while. But It was enough for them, In
whose hearts tho unquenchablo torch
was glowing, revealing beauties nnd
glories they never had known. They
sut very close, watching 'and listen
ing. For tho silence of the hills waB
ended' "forever. Throughout that day,
as tho Iron thoy had seen flowing ad
vanced toward its deBtlny, the new
creature that had como into tho valley
had been awakening to full life. Sec
tion after section had received the life
giving power, until now all tho hugo
mechanism was In motion, driving,
whirling, pounding at top speed. Tho
earth quivered in answer to its pulsa
tion. Crunching metal, raging blasts,
flres such as served at tho croatlon.
lifted their voices lu chorus an odo
of tho elements to man the master, tho
Bong of steel. A terrible song whoso
beauty only thovunderstandlng might
discern singing madly of power and
passion and purpose, of struggle and
death, of birth ana life, of triumph
and steadfast strength.
To the lovers, rich in the knowledge
that comes only after sin and payment
and release, the song camo not In vain.
"Ought you to be there?" Bho whis
pered. "Not tonight, dear."
"Could we see it from here?"
He helped her to a chnlr by tho
south window and stood nt hor sido
while she saw.
The night sketched the drama of
steel for her. Again tho great fur
nace was setting free its lambent'
flood. Under open sheds woro gleam
ing the Bun-bright mouths of other
furnaces whero tho Iron boiled and
boiled and became steel.
"Ah!" Wonderment and adoration
wero In her cry. "And It Is yours It
Is you!"
"Not I, not mine! I don't know how
muny generations of men gave them
selves that wo might have that. I
know It Was not for mo. for any man.
For all who suffer and toll."
Ills face was set sternly toward the
mills For a long tlmo ho was silent.
"What Is It?" And bIio broko the
silence with a whisper. "What do you
Bee out thero?"
Sternness melted into tenderness.
"A parable," ho smiled down on hor,
"of ourjlvps of life. Desiro nnd dis
illusionment, battle nnd toll, conquest
nnd failure, evil and shame the flrca
and pressured that burn us and shape
us." His hand rested on her hair.
"And tho purposo In which tho real
Hfo begins."
"Ah! I wouldn't havo you different.
But to me to me life Isn't a parable
It Is you. . . . This peace, this content
I can't believe yet that they are
truo, that thoy alwayB will bo true.
Ah! Teach me, teach me!" . . ."
THE END.
Wlnthrop's Toast.
Our Country whethor bounded by
tho St. John's nnd tho Sabine, or how
over othorwlso bounded or described,
nnd bo tho moasuros moro or loss
still, Our Country, to ho cherished In
nil our hearts, to be defended by nil
our hands. Hobcrt C. A lnthrop, July
4, 1845.
A ,.J
.J A. W
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