THE 8EMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
w
CYRUS TOWNSEND BRADY and CYRUS TOWNSEND BRADY, Jr.
Author and Clergyman Civil Engineer
Copyright bylFIcmlna fl. Reretl Co.
CHAPTER XXI.
13
The Testimony of the Dead.
Just no Helen Illlngworth mid Win
ters rcnclied tlio lower level nt tlio foot
of the mesa, thoy were joined by Rod
ney. "What has happened?" cried the en
gineer. Winters answered 'ns tho thrco hur
ried along without stopping:
"Meado blow up tho hogback."
Was that ho?"
"Yes."
"I thought thcro was something fa
miliar about him, hut I did not dare "
"I recognized him Instantly," said
Helen Illlngworth.
"That atones for tho International,"
continued Rodney.
"What docs?" asked his friend.
"Tho dam Is safe; tho water has
stopped rising. I bcllovo it's beginning
to fall a little. X saw somcono jump
up on tho pallsado and wavo his hand,
and then I saw them all gather around,
evidently cheering."
"I should think tho water would bs
loworcd," said Winters; "it's pouring
out of a nolo In tho hogback as big
as a church."
"It was a flno thing in Meade. Let's
hurry and tell him do," answered Rod
noy. "I'm afraid it's too late," said Win
ters. "Oh, don't say that," cried tho girl.
"Why, what's happened?"
"Tho second blast was slow in going
off," said Winters; "ho wont back to
look at It, and got knocked over. It
looked pretty bad from tho top of tho
xnesa."
Rodney would not havo been human
if ho had not felt a leap in his breast
at tho possibility, but ho was too loyal
a friend and too genuinely fond of
Meado for moro than a passing emo
tion, for which ho was moro than a
little ashamed.
"Let us press on," ho urged.
Ia a fow moments they stopped by
tho thrco men. Meado was still un
conscious, Tho big Irishman sat on
tho grnsB with tho engineer's hoad on
his knee. Tho deft-flngcred Httlo Ital
ian was trying to wash tho blood away
from tho unconscious man's forehead
with a sodden, rugged plcco of cloth.
Meado was unconscious, ho was breath
ing heavily. Thcro wns a cntch in his
respiration. His breath camo at Irreg
ular Intervals and was labored as If
painful.
A hugo rock had struck him In tho
breast Tho two men had torn open
his shirt and undershirt. Tho. engi
neer's chest wns bruised and bloody.
Evidently bones had been broken, and
(probably serious internal Injuries had
resulted, iflvory breath was an appar
HI
t
ent agony, nnd that tho oxqulslto pain
Id not arouso him to consciousness
Gas ovldcnco of tho terrlblo naturo of
10 Injury. A smaller, shnrpor rock
had cut him across tho forehead and
check, just missing his right eye, and
.thoy found out afterward that ho had
been struck by several othor pieces
dislodged by tho explosion, and that
bis body was covered with bru(ses.
I But thcro was nothing, not oven In
tho cut on tho forehead, to causa any
Wreat alarm had it not been for tho
A Huge Rock Had Struck Him In the
Breast.
crushed chest Winters and Rodney
,wcro both men of action, accustomed
to quick thinking and prompt decision
In (emergencies; whllo Helen Rung'
worth could only stand with clenched
hands staring In mental anguish that
paralleled ttio physical suffering of
the man buo loved, tho engineer nnd
tho rancher immediately inado prep
arations to get the wounded man to tho
ear.
Murphy woro In his bolt a short
woodman's ax. With It thoy cut down
two young saplings, trimmed them and
rusting them through tho sleoves of
heir raincoats thoy inado a fairly prac-
ible litter. Using tho utmost care,
ey laid tho unconscious man upon it
had Winters and Murphy, tho two big
gest men, took tho handles at either
OF
:By
end. Helen Illlngworth, praying as
she had never prayod before, sought to
support the unconscious man's head.
Tlio Italian gathered up the tools and
went ahead to open up tho path. Rod
ney followed after.
Their progress was slow of neces
sity. Thoy had to handlo Meado with
great care. Winters und Rodney, after
tho brief Inspection they had made,
could not seo a chanco on earth for
him. Neither could Helen Illlngworth.
They went along without conversation,
naturally, except for an outburst of nd
nilratlon from Winters.
"I tell you," ho said, "It wad n mag
nificent thing for him to do. Ho risked
his llfo a hundred times In that mad
rush with tho dynamite In his hands
and tho detonators In his pocket, Yet
if ho had only stayed back ho would
hovo been safe."
'It wus his anxiety for tho dam and
tho peoplo that brought him down,"
said Helen Illlngworth. "Ho can't die,"
sho murmured. "God surely will not
let him die. I lovo him so. And yet If
ho docs and I huvo lost him, Innocent
or guilty, he hus redeemed his fame."
"Ho saved others," quoted Rodney
under his breath, "himself ho could
not savo."
It was a work of great dllllculty to
got tho wounded engineer Into tho car,
but they Anally managed it By tho
woman's direction they laid htm on her
bed In her own private stateroom.
"Ono of us must go for a doctor at
once," said Rodney, "and that will bo
my Job."
"It's twenty miles to tho town,"
said tho conductor, who had helped to
receive them. "If ono of you could
telegraph wo could tap a wire."
Nono of them could.
"It's all down-grado and there's a
good roadbed and" I was some sprinter
in my col lego days," said Rodney.
"And thoro wna.novcr greater need
of hasto than now," Bald Winters. "I
wish I hod a horso here."
"Don't glvo up, Miss Rllngworth,"
continued Rodney, as ho started to
ward tho door. "Ho's allvo yet"
Just then, opportunely enough,
rounding tho last curvo beforo tho arch
bridge, thoy saw tho end of tho other
car rapidly approaching them. Had
thoy not been so excited they could
havo heard tho furious pulling of tho
cngtno as It drovo tho car at great
speed up tho heavy grade.
"Walt," said tlio conductor, "wo can
send tho cnglno down for the doctor.
That'll bo tho colonel's car."
In a fow minutes tho car stoppod on
tho siding. Out of it camo Colonel
Illlngworth, Doctor Scvercnce, Gurflss,
and somo of tho ofllclals of tho Brldgo
company In town. Thoy woro ull great
ly excited. Tho colonel did not stop to
put on his hat no ran to tho othor
car and climbed aboard.
"Tho dam's colnir." ho shouted. "Tho
brldgo and tho town will bo Hooded.
Wo got word nn hour ago by a racssen-
gor galloping down. Tho telephone
wires aro down. I ran tho car up hero
oh tlio quickest way to get oyer to tho
reservoir and tho dam. Somo of you
who know tho way como with me."
By tills tlmo tlio observation room
of tho car was filled with men.
"You need not worry about tho dam,"
said Rodnoy.
"What do you mean?"
"A mun blow up tho hog-back, rondo
a eplll-wny, tho wutor rushed out
through It Into tho ravine, you can
see It below thoro, rollovlng tho pres
sure qn tlio dam ut once. Since It has
held up till now It will hold for good."
"Thank God I" cried tho colonel, sink
ing down into a chair and wiping tho
sweat oft his brow. "Tho brldgo will
bo safo then. By George," ho gasped,
"tho Martlet company could hardly
hnvo stood auothcr loss llko that.
Who's tho man who blow It up?"
"His uumo Is Meado," said Rodnoy
quietly.
"Not?"
"Yes."
Thcro was a long pause. Every
man thero knew of tho falluro of tho
International nnd In what estimation
tho old colonel held tho namo of Meado
becauso of that.
"Well, It was a flno thing," said tho
colonel ; "It makes up for his blunder
ing work on tho brldgo."
"Beg pardon, sir," said Shurtllff, who
had stood wldo-oycd and whlto and suf
fering In sllcnco over sinco tho cngl
noor had been brought to tho car, "It
was not Ills blunder."
"Why, you said so yourself," cried
the colonel.
"I lied," admitted tlio secretary.
Quick as a flash Rodney had his
notebook out Hero was' tho proof at
lust
"Why?"
"To savo tho reputation of tlio man
I loved."
"And how do I know you aro not
lying for this man now?" asked tho
colonel harshly?
"Theso will provo it" said Shurtltff,
extending somojpnpcrs ho drew out of
his pocket where ho had placed them
that morning hulf intending to tell
Helen Rllngworth tho truth at last.
"What are these?" tlio colonel asked,
staring nt Shurtltff, who stood erect be
foro them, sustained moro by his will
Lthan anything else, for his knees wero
STEEL'
shaking and his body quivering; yet he
was glad after all, moro happy than he
had thought he could be, in making tho
revelation, In vindicating tho Innocent
in giving that satisfaction to Helen
Illlngworth, tardy, oven too late, though
It might be.
"Letters, sir. You will find thero a
blueprint of the design of tho compres.
filon members," nnswered Shurtllff
monotonously as If ho had forced hi a
mind to a certain action and It wn
working automatically. "With It Is o
letter from Bertram Meado to his fa
ther suggesting that tho hidings were
too light and calling attention to tho
empiric formula of Schmldt-Chcmnlt?
In proof of his argument. On the.
back of thut letter Mr. Bertram Meado,
Sr., mado an Indorsement you know
his hundwrltlng und can Identify It
'Hold until bridge Is finished and then
glvo back to tho boy. We'll show him
that oven Sclinildt-Chcmnltz doesn't
know everything."
Colonel Illlngworth turned tho paper
over. Thcro wns tho Indorsement
"Well, by heaven I" ho began.
"There's nnothcr paper In nn envel-.
opo addressed to tho editor of tho New
York Gazette. Will you read It aloud,
sir?"
Almost as If ho had been hypnotized
Colonel Illlngworth took from tho en
velope tho brief note. Uorcad.it:
I alone am responlblo for tho error
In tho design of tho International brldgo,
which has resulted In this terrlblo disas
ter. I know that my son, In an effort to
shield me, will assume the responsibility,
As a matter of fact, ho had previously
pointed out what ho believed to bo struc
tural weakness, but I refused to heed his
representations and overbore, his objec
tions. Tho fault Is entirely cliargeablo to
mo. Thoro la no posuIUe expiation for my
blundor. Tho loast I can do Is to assume all
tho responsibility. The blamo Is mine.
BERTRAM MEADE.
Ho laid It down with tho other pa
pers. "Tho demonstration is complete and
nbsolute," ho began spontaneously,
amid a breathless silence. "Tho proofs
aro adequate. Thoy would establish
young Meade's innocenco in any court
In Iho land. Whero is he? I havo done
him an injustice. I am ready to make
amends," continued tho colonel.
"And whllo you aro talking" said
Helen Illlngworth, who had been stand
ing, tho doorwuy too absorbed by the
uramauc recuai to interrupt it, "no's
dying." '
"Dying 1 Whero?"
"no wns battered to pieces by tho
last .dynnralto explosion. Wo brought
mm here."
"Wero you thero?"
"Wo saw it from tho ton of tho mesa.
Oh, don't talk any longer."
"Soverence," Bald Illlngworth, 'with
prompt decision, "you haven't forgot
ten all your old medical skill. This Is
your Job. Ono of you Jump on tho cn
glno nnd bring n physician up and"
"I'm going," said Rodney. "Who's
tho best doctor In town?"
"Doctor Frasor. Ho's a young man,
but very skillful," answered ono of tlio
local brldgo men.
"Bring our own Doctor Bailey up
hero from our hospital with him, nnd
tell that englno driver Ho get down
to tho town and back Just as quickly
ns ho enn go. Cheer up, Helen," snld
tho colonel. "I know that a man Is
not going to rchnbllitato himself by
such an action nnd havo tho ovldcnco
of his Innocenco brought out at bucIi
u moment just to die."
"Will you glvo mo thoso papers, colo
nol?" Bald Rodney. "You'll want this
written up nud "
"Take them," said tho colonel.
"Will you como along with mo, Mr.
Shurtlllt? After I seo tho doctors I'll
wunt your ullldavlt."
"Yes, sir, anything," said Shurtllff.
"It was flno of you," said Wlutcrs,
"to try to shlold your employer and
tlio man you loved, but thank God, you
spoko out beforo It was too late. I'm
sorry I pulled that gun on you; you're
a mnn, all right, oven If you don't look
It," ho added to himself as Shurtllff
bowed and followed Rodney.
Winters stood at tho door of tho pas
sageway lending to tho stateroom whllo
Helen llllugworth nud Soverence, who
had been educated ns u physician, and
tho old colonel, who know a great deal
about wounds und accidents from his
war experience, entered tho stateroom.
A now spirit had como Into tho rela
tions between fnthor and daughter and
both wero glad. Thoro was no ques
tion now about tho future Thero
should bo no opposition from Colonel
llllugworth. Within nn hour tho pa
pers would havo tho -story of how ono
man had saved a great dam, tho via
duct, tho town, nnd its people, and
they would havo nt tho same tlmo tho
story of who was responsible for tho
full of tho International bridge. They
would hnvo tho story of tho attempted
self-sacrlflco of tho son to savo tlio
i father. They would havo tlio story of
tho old man's splendid and magnanlm
ous avowal of responsibility beforo ho
died. Tho United Stntes, tho world,
would ring with tho dramatic tale.
It was as much to tell that story in
his own way as to summon medical
aid that Rodnoy had gono for tho doc
tor. And so tho futhcr held tho daugh
ter clasped to his side whllo both bent
Qvor tho still unconscious mun, whom
Doctor Soverence quickly nnd careful
ly and with wonderful skill, consider
ing his long withdrawal from practice,
examined.
"What is it?" asked tho colonel ns
tho vice president looked up presently.
"My daughter Is engaged to bo married
to him" and ho was rewarded by the
thrill and quiver thut shot through his
daughter's being which he felt as ho
presged her to his side "wo can't lot
him die now."
"He's In God's hands," answered
Sevcrenco gravely. "Ho's been terribly
pounded everywhere. His brenstbono
is shattered, somo of his ribs aro brok
en. I don't know."
"That awful cut on his forehend?"
"Thnt's nothing."
"And the other bruises?"
"They count but little, but the blow
on tho chest" ho shook his gray head
Kiully, ominously.
"Do you think anything has pene
trated his lungs?" asked Heien Illlng
worth, ns sho pointed to her lover's
lips, to n Httlo bloody froth thnt enmo
therefrom.
Tho old man nooded.
"Perhaps," ho said.
"Oh, ho can't die, ho enn't, ho can't I"
wniled the woman, sinking down on her
kn&s by tho bed.
"Not if any power on enrth enn keep
him from it, my dear child," said tho
colonel tenderly, bending over her.
"Send me tho porter of tho car,"
said Severance, "nnd tnkc Miss Rllng
worth nwny. I want to get him un
dressed nnd "
"You will cnll mo bnck tlio ralnuto
I can come?"
"Certainly, my dear girl," said the
vico president, who had known tho
young woman from childhood.
CHAPTER XXII.
At Last to tho Stars.
All tho men except Curtlss and Win
ters had discreetly withdrawn from
tho enr nnd had gone over to tho mesa
to look nt tho lnkc nnd the outlet. In
deed tho wntcr wns ronring down be
neath tho steel nrch brldgo, filling for
tho first tlmo In generations tho chan
nel of tho Kicking Horse. Fortunate
ly It could flow that way without dan
ger to tho town or tho viaduct below.
Tho colonel led his daughter to a
chair and then turned to Winters.
"You wero thcro?" he began. "Tell
mo about It"
Graphically tho big cattlo rancher
told tho story of Meade's mad rush
over tho rocks with his two compan-
"Certainly, My Dear Girl," Said the
Vico President
ions, of tho despcrato assnult on tho
hog-back, of tho success that had met
their efforts to open tho improvised
spillway, and then tho final disaster.
Tho recital lost nothing in his graphic
relation.
"It wns flno, It wns magnificent,"
said tho colonel, patting his daughter's
shoulder. "Whero aro tho two who
went with him?"
"They'ro outsldo thcro," said Win
ters. Tho old colonel went to tho door of
tho car nnd called tho two men into tho
car.
"In tho bank down In Coronado
thero's a thousand dollars of mlno for
each of you," ho said promptly.
"Wo didn't do It for money, sor,"
said tho big Irishman, "although 'twill
bo welcomo enough, but how is Mr.
Roberts?"
"You mean that man who blow up
tho hog-back?"
"SI, slgnore, a greata man lib ecs,"
said tho Httlo Italian.
"I wish I could say ho was all right,
but there's a doctor with him und wo
havo sent for tho best physician In
town. Ho's horribly hurt"
"But plnlso God, ho may pull through,
sor. Tho Holy Virgin nn' tho Saints
prcsurvo him," said tho Irishman, mak
ing tlio sign of tlio cross.
And in his own langungo Httlo Fun
nro brenthed u similar prayer and with
his grimy, toll-stained hand ho mado
tho sumo gesture.
"Murphy," shouted a voice from tho
pines on tho side of tho hill between
tho car nnd tho mesa.
"That'll bo Mr. Vandoventcr, tho
resident engineer," said Murphy.
Colonel Rllngworth turnod to the
door again.
"Whcro's Roberta?" cried Vandevcn
tor, stumbling down tho hill. Ho was
haggard nnd worn nnd wenry to tho
point of exhaustion, but as soon as ho
had been assured of tho snfety of the
dnm and beforo ho left tho wnter wus
visibly receding ho had stnrted out to
seek tho engineer whom ho had, in his
mind in tlio excitement of tho moment,
accused of desertion. '
"Ho's hero in my car, sir," snld Colo
nel Illlngworth.
"And who nro you, may I ask?" said
Vnndoventer, crossing tho track und
swinging himself upon tho plntform of
tho cnr.
"I um Colonel Illlngworth, president
of the Martlet Brldgo company."
"But Roberts?"
"His namo Is not Roberts. It's
Meade."
"What? The International man?"
"Yes."
"I know he was an engineer. .Well,
he's mado up for his falluro there."
"He did not fall thero any moro than
ho failed here," said tlio colonel.
"Whero Is he?"
"It's a. long story."
"It can wait," snld Vnndoventer
brusquely. "I wnnt to thnnk him for
saving the dam and tho lives of tho
men on it, and the town, and the rail
road, and the bridge."
"I don't know whether you can thank
him or not," snld the colonel.
"You don't menn "
"Ho was terribly hurt by tho last ex
plosion and they brought him here."
"Can I see him?"
For nnswer Colonel illlngworth
pointed to tho door.
"This is my daughter. Your namo Is
Vnndeventor, Is It not? Helen, this Is
tho engineer who Is building tho dam.
Ho has como to nsk after his man."
"I'vo dono everything I can for him,"
said Soverence, coming out of tho
stateroom, followed by tho porter, as
Vundovcntcr shook hands with tho girl.
"He's still unconscious, but seems to
breathe n Httlo easier."
Into the Httlo room tho woman and
tho four men crowded. Vandeventer,
accompnnled by Murphy and Funaro,
followed tho colonel. Neither of tho
workmen would bo left out Thero lny
the engineer, his face as whlto as tho
linen of the pillow or tho bandago
which had been deftly tied around his
head. Ono hand, still grimy nnd mud
stained, lay on the sheet. Helen Il
llngworth knelt down and kissed It and
laid her head on the bed.
"Ho Is to bo my husband if ho lives,"
sno saia simply.
"A mnn and nn engineer ho Is," whls
pered Vnndoventer.
"I misjudged you, Mende," snld tho
colonel softly, spenklng ns If tho un
conscious mnn couia nenr. "I con
demned you. I wish to henven you
could hear mo mako amends now."
"Begob," whispered Murphy, "you'd
ought to seen him run wid tho dlnna-
mlte."
Tljo volco of tho Italian murmured
words which they know wero prayers
and though they camo from humble
lips they brought relief to all. They
entered .deeply into Helen Rllngworth's
heart nnd mingled with her own peti
tions, frantic, fervent, Imperative, al
though sho offered them to Almighty
God as from n woman broken. Pres
ently they all filed out of tho room,
leaving Helen Rllngworth alone with
what was left of life In tho crushed
body of tho man sho had never loved
so much before.
In tho observation room Vandeventer
told them of tho flght for the dam and
how they hnd renched their mnxlmum
power of resistance and more, nnd that
tho relief camo In tho very nick of
time. Mennwhllo tho engine driver
had burned up tho track going and com
ing and In less than an hour ho was
bnck with two surgeons nnd n trained
nurse. Was it their skill nnd enro nnd
wntchfulness thnt flnnlly brought
Meado back to consciousness, or was It
tho passionate, consuming intensity of
will and purpose of tho woman who
loved him, who could scarcely bo driv
en from his side? Well, whatever tho
reason, after many days he passed
from death Into llfo and camo back
again.
no wns conscious of Helen's pres
enco nnd lny quietly enveloped In her
lovo beforo ho could talk coherently or
question. Indeed, with Rodney and
Winters, nnd old Shurtllff, who sworo
to himself that ho would never forglvo
himself If Meado did not recover, and
tho colonel, and Vandeventer, and all
tho men of tho force, who used to stroll
over after hours and just sit on tho
sldo of tho track and stnro at tho car
whero tho man who had saved them
was fighting for his life as desperately
as they had fought to savo tho dam,
Meado was surrounded by such an at
mosphere of admiration and devotion
ns might havo stayed tho hand of death
itself. Thero camo n day when tho
physician said ho could talk a little.
"I saw you," Helen whispered. "I
was standing on tho high hill watch
ing, looking down upon you just be
fore" "But I shnll look up to you all tho
rest of my life," said tho man, ns tho
woman knelt, ns was her wont, by tho
side of the bed. Sho kissed his hand,
thin, wasted, but whlto and clean now.
"No, I to you," sho murmured, as
sho pressed her Hps to his fingers.
"Look up n Httlo higher, then,'' whis
pered Mcndo with soma of tho old hu
mor. "You menn?"
Tho voiceless movement of his Hps
told her tho story. Sho raised herself
and kissed them lightly.
"I haven't dared to ask that before,"
said tho mnn, closing his eyes. "I
wnsn't strong enough to stnnd that."
"But you'ro going to get strong ; you
must I'd llko to kiss you forever,"
snld tho womnn with pitying tender
ness nnd grent Joy.
"It's henvenly now, but I shall hnvo to
go nwny again when I am able and "
"Wo nro never going to bo parted
again."
"I cannot let you mnrry a discredited
man, n failure."
"Don't you know," snld. tho womnn,
rising, "that tlio wholo United States
rings with your exploit, that the splen
did saving of tho dnm has caught the
fancy of tho people as it deserves and
you are a horo- everywhere nnd to everybody?"
"But tho Iuternntlonal bridge and Its
falluro?"
Unbeknown to the two tho colonel
hnd stood In tho doorway.
"Wo know tlio truth now, my Doy,"
snld tho old man, coming Into tho room.
"It was your father's fault, not yours.
orlstlc nf Monde's tem
per and temperament that llls white
Hps closed In n straight line nt tms.
"Where's Shurtllff?" he nskeu, niter
a silent communing with himself.
Tho old man had come In nnd out of
tho room llko u ghost during his slow
"I Saw You," Helen Whispered.
recovery. Colonel Illlngworth turned
away and summoned tho secretary,
Rodnoy and Winters came, too.
"Shurtllff," said Meade faintly but
firmly, "tell them again who is re
sponsible for tho failure of tho Inter
national." "Forglvo me, Mr. Meade," said Shurt
llff, "but It was your brave old father1!!
fault."
"You see," said tho colonel.
"Wo knew It all tho time," said Rod.
ney.
"But Mr. Shurtljfl bravely gave ns
the final proof," s&io. Winters.
"Thoso pnpers?" sold Mendo.
Shurtllff nodded.
"And your fnther's own letter that
ho wrote tho pnpers beforo his heart
broke," snld Rodney; 'Til rend It to
you presently." a
"Why did you do it, Shurtllff?"
"To right a great wrong, sir. I saw
thnt wo wero mlstnken to try to spurs
tho dend nt the expense of the living,
to wreck your life nnd tho future, nnd
the hnpplness of Miss Rllngworth. God
bless her for her kindness to n lonely
old man. And so when you were
brought here dead I told them the
truth and gave them tho papers."
"Gentlomen," snld Mende, mnklng a
Inst try, "it Is useless to deny it now,
but for the snko of my fnther's fnme
you won't let anyone know?"
"Old mnn," snld Rodney, "It wns on
tho wires nn hour afterward and tho
whole United States knows it now.
Your father made the mistake; his
letter admitted It bravely. The world
honors him, It honors you."
"Rodney," snld Mende, "I wish you
hndn't done It"
"It wns for Miss Rllngworth's hnppl
ness nnd yours thnt I did It," said Rod
ney. "And how much thnt cost me,
he added, the confession being wrung
from him, "no one can ever know."
He turned and left tho room. Winters
followed lilm full of sympathy and
comprehension. v
"Let mo go out alone, old man,"
snld Rodney. "I'll bo bnck presently.
This Is the Inst flght I'vo got to mnke."
Winters wntched him from tho steps
of the car ns he disappeared In tho
plno trees en route to the mcsn to flght
it out under the open sky alone. Tho
others left the room also, last of all
Shurtllff.
"You forglvo me, Mende. Tva been
through hell Itself," snld tho old mnn,
"In these Inst six months."
"Freely," snld Mende.
And Shurtllff went away with a
lighter heart than ho had borno for
many a long day.
Tho two lovers wero alono again.
"You see," snld Helen, "thero's noth
ing cun keep us npart now."
"Nothing, thank God," whispered tho
man.
"But I nm sorry thnt It nil camo out
this way. I'm sorry not only becauso
of your suffering, but for other reasons
Rodney for one. He it's too bndl
It was not necessary for you to get
yourself nlmost killed to win me, I
mean, for wherever and whenevor I
found you I wns resolved to mnrry you,
willy-nilly."
"And Is it true thnt poor old Rod
hnd grown to enro?" ho nsked, putting
by tlio academic discussion.
Tho woman nodded.
"I'm very sorry. I can't help It Wo
wero always together, talking about
you," sho snld.
"And he couldn't help It, either," snld
Mendo. "Somehow I believe he wns
tho better man for you to hnvo taken."
But ho looked nt hor wistfully and
anxiously as ho spoko.
"I won't nrguo with, you," snld tho
girl, bending closo to him. "Til only
eay that I know I hnve thp best mnn
In all tlio -world, but If ho wero tho
worst, I would rejolco to havo him just
tho same."
(THE END.) .
Attainments.
"How's your boy Josh getting on at
school?"
"I dunno" replied Farmer CorntosseL
"But if he Is really as smart as his
conversation sounds, he's ronktn' some
o thoso perfessora hustle to keep, op
wUfaulm."
i
