By
HENRY RUSSELL MILLER
EE
Author of
“THE MAN HIGHER UP.” “HIS RISE
TO POWER," Etc.
SYNOPSIS.
Mark Truitt, encouraged by his sweet-
heart, Unity Martin, leaves Bethel, his
native town, to seek his fortune. Simon
Truitt tells Mark that It long has been
his dream to see a steel plant at Bethel
and asks his son to return and bulld
one If he ever gets rich. Mark applies to
Thomas Henly, head of the Quinby Iron
works, for a Job and is sent to the con-
atruction gang. His success in that work
wins him a place as helper to Roman
Agdzrejzskl, open-hearth furnaceman. He
becomes a boarder in Roman's home and
assists Plotr, Roman's son, in his studies.
Kazia, an adopted daughter, shows her
sratitude in such a manner as to arouse
ark's Interest in her. Heavy work In
the intense heat of the furnace causes
Mark to collapse and Kazia cares for
him. Later Roman also
Mark gets his job. Roman resents this
and tells Mark to get another boarding
lace. Five years elapse during which
ark has advanced to the foremanship,
while his labor-saving devices have made
him invaluable to the company In the
meantime Kazia has married one Jim
Whiting Mark meets with an aceldant
which dooms him to be a cripple for life
He returns to Bethel intending to stay
there. He finds Unity about to marry an-
other man and wins her back Unity
urges him to return to his work in the
eity Mark rises rapidly to wealth and
power in the steel business, but the 80-
<lal ambitions of his wife make their mar-
ried life unhappy The big steel interests
are secretly ar 18 to get hold of stock
fn the Iroquol ron company, supposed
to worthless Timothy Woodhouss
seeks financial assistance from Mark
the latter buys Woodhouse's Iroquols
atock at a small figure Henly forces
Quinby to Mark have stock In
Quinby company, Mark finds Plotr mak
Ing a soclal speech on the street
the ‘boy shows that he is still
against Mark Mark finds Kazia
is divorced and is now a hospital
caring for Roma who Is near
Mark is advised by his physician to stop
taking drugs and tak a long rest. He
gets six months’ leave of absence
day he takes Kazia out driving, an
meet Mrs. Truitt A bitter quarrel en
sues and Mark demand a divorce He
absents hin f » city during the
divorce proc fingks and makes no an
awer to the sensational charges brought
by Mrs. Truitt On his return he is
treated coldly by many former friends
be
let
who
death
Cyne
i they
CHAPTER XX.
The Red Glow.
Henley did not know what an
petus he had given with his “Pick out
the thing you want most and fight
until you get it.”
Mark had not Kazia
sought out
he had suffered during the weeks of In-
Justice. Suffering had for the time
dulled the longing for her. And be
hind that had been a proud reluctance
to offer a love tainted by the tongues
of scandal-moéngers. But now the hun
ger for a great love—born an
autumn evening of his youth when he
had come upon a frail = a girl
raptly gazing into the twilight, too
much a part of him to be stifled even
during the years of fierce blind strug-
gle and disappointment-—made itself
felt again, downing pride
on
ip of
told that Mrs, Whiting was not there,
but could be reached at a certain num
ber. He called up that number,
The response came in a low voice
that even the telephone could not rob
of its music for him. His heart leaped.
Kazia!"”
There was a pause, then the low
voice came again: “Who is that?”
“This Is Mark Truitt”
Another wait, so long that he thought
the connection had been broken
“Yes?”
“Is there any place 1 could
you—by accident?”
“Is there
dent?”
“If you think not, there
. Are you still there?”
“Yen . You can come here.” She
gave an address.
“This evening?”
“If you wish . Good-by.”
He alighted from a -car that eve
ning before a big but unpretentious
apartment house in one of the city’s
quieter neighborhoods
meet
He knocked.
door. For many
which was her card.
She opened the
seconds they stood
other, motionless, speechless.
fng that spoke of itself.
“How often | remember you so-—on
the threshold!”
“1 thought it was your step.”
rich color surged before the invita.
tion, lent meaning by his greeting.
“Will you come in?”
The quiet little sitting room was a
caress. He thought he had never
found, even in the wilderness, so rest
ful a place,
“l suppose,” he said aloud, when
they were seated, "it's part of the mys-
tery of personality.”
“What is?”
“This room,
ever been in.”
“I'm glad you like it. I've had it
for years. 1 suppose | oughtn’'t to keep
it, because I don't get much good of
ft except in vacation, But I like to
think of it as a place to come back
to.”
“You're on your vacation now?"
“Yes. 1 have a long one this year,
I take only Doctor Woll's cases now,
and he is abroad for the summer.”
He leaned back in the chair to which
sh® “ad assigned him and watched
her under cover of their inconsequen-
tial chat.
“Why did you ask me to come here?”
“Because 1 didn't want you to
think--" She paused uncertainly.
“That you believe all you may have
heard «»f me lately. Thank you, Kazla,
It's the homieat I've
But I'd have expected you to say that.”
Her eyes fell again to the sewing.
“Kazia,” he asked directly, after a
moment, “has any one ever connected
you with my scandal?”
She looked up quickly again. “Why,
no, How could they?”
“A mysterious woman has been men-
tioned. I've been afrald that every
one I've had to do with might be
smirched with me. I didn't want you-—
of all women—to be touched.”
“Do you care so much about it all?”
“1 wouldn't admit it to any one else,
She was silent, but the dark eyes
were very gentle,
him
For a long minute he held her so, in
silence
into a golden realm such as even this
Joseph had never dreamed!
silence,
“That I love you? Do I need
“No.” He kissed her again
I can't quite believe {t yet,
{| going through all the trials and dis
appointments and ugliness—to
{ this hour.”
Much later
he asked
me?”
She did not answer for a long while
Then she gently pushed him away and
slowly, though all her
needed force out
it did not seem long-—
“Kazia, when will you marry
spoke,
strength
word
as
were to
“l can not
“You can
stunned
She shook her head, mute
‘But why? You are
“1 am the
can not.’
“You love me, and yet
“1 can not.”
“But why?
you
He stared at
IMArry
not her,
free
free-—under law But 1
he persisted
have some reason Then he aroused
himself Though you may just as
well forget it. Do you think,” he cried,
I've found a real enduring love only
to let it go?"
“1 have a reason. | broke
off, looking away. Her hands clasped
tightly in her lap, unclasped, then
went out in a little appealing gesture
as her eyes came back to him “1
fsu’t that 1 don't want to [—1 love
you, But--oh, understand?
uld endure little
trials and , the nearness,
of every-day life
She
can't you
How ct the love the
frictions the
commonplaceness to-
gether?”
Ah! 1
“ a br for
as stagger for
He was staggered [
hadn't sald that.’
the moment;
wish you
to
him her reason was pol an empty one
But he went on firmly: “That
be true with us. It's never true where
is a real
And you and |
by our past, because
found the real love—until now
“Yes, it is real. 1 think it
From her
he had shaken her
hard ‘Of course, it
you see
"No, if It
wouldn't
to smooth
we mustn't judge
love
Way
Were
is. Then,
is real, then 1
risk losing it. I haven't
much, ever, except this love
And you don't know
fine and clever and cultured, like
You'd see
the lacks—" She was becoming Io-
coherent. “Oh, don't try to persuade
You only make it hard. I've been
thi and of when you'd
go long! And I know.”
But he did try to persue her
longing lent him eloquence, as he ple
tured for her their love,
I'm not
problem of dally intimacy.
Slowly it came to him
meant her refusal He released her
swayed and almost fell
swered sadly, “you must
true. If I could forget the
shouldn't love you as I do.”
He laughed harshly, and reaching
for his hat, turned toward the door.
The dreamed love had gone the way
of his beautiful philosophy.
But at the door he looked back. She
was standing as he had left her, pale,
in her eyes both fear and the glow of
the flame he had lighted. The hand,
held out to him in Involuntary ges
ture, was trembling visibly,
“Why--do you go?”
“But you said"
“1 didn’t say--1 wouldn't love you.”
He laughed again. “What is love
by itself?”
“We could,” pititully she put forth
the suggestion, “we could be friends.”
“Friends! I'm no bloodless poet. 1
want a whole love.”
Her hungering look was calling him,
drawing him across the room to her.
It bade him take her. He took her,
wonderingly, dazed by the seeming
surrender, In his clasp she seemed to
find a new courage.
“Then—then--1 will give you a
whole love—if you will take me as |
am.”
“No, no!” he muttered. "Not that,
Kazia! [I've hurt you enough. And
it wouldn't be a whole love. It couldnt
be a lasting love. Love can't live ex-
cept in the light of day.”
“Love, if it is love, 18 its own light.”
“But the risk you fear! It would be
greater your way.”
“This is my risk, not yours.” Her
arms encircled his neck, drawing his
hot cheek down to hers. "And there
is no one else. 1 am alone. No one
would be hurt, It wouldn't—it couldn't
-—bo a blgger love if given in the
world’s way. And it is all I can have,
all I can give. Let me have it until—"
She ended in a gasp that was almost
a sob,
CHAPTER XXI.
Arcady,
He went to sleep that night, fearing
the awakening. Dut as he woke to
the summons of the early summer sun-
shine filling his hotel room, the
dreaded reaction did not come. He
could think only with tenderness of
the woman who had yielded to him,
the love that did not haggle, with a
sort of awe—and the query, Could he
match it?
He arose, and going to
phone, called her number,
“Is it you?" He heard the
catch in the low volce.
“Who else could it be?” He laughed.
“Kazia, If you should happen to in-
vite me to breakfast"
“Oh, will you? Come econ. II
am always walting for you."
But as he turned away from
something caught in
“Poor Kazia!” he muttered.
cut out a big job for our
the tele
eager
the
“We've
selves.’
He did not have to knock at her
door. While he was still mounting
the last flight of stairs, it was thrown
open ghe stood awaiting him
the little entrance hall
in his
to
’
and
close clasp, she
forehead and
into his eyes.
what she saw
put
looked
He
there
his
that
she murmured from
“I'm glad you called me
"Oh, I'm glad,”
his shoulder
up.”
“Of course 1
think |
again?”
did. How long did you
could wait to hear your voice
“lI was afraid you wouldn't, If you
But I did.” He kissed her
Afterward, when the table had been
and the washed
an awkwardness
comic—he broached
dishes
very
plan
“Kazia,
woods?
No
tell me
have you ever been in the
But
of
used to
came from
I remember
hills
you
the you
“Oh, yes, they're beautiful. But
live I meant clear out
the edge of things as you know them.’
So told her of the
had visited of
that became noble lakes and
rushed madly narrow rocky
chutes: of vast stretches of untouched
forest, pathleas all but the
there
he
calm pellucid rivers
down
to
of its silences
trapper,
and ragings.
“let's go thers, Ksazia”
The suggestion left
breathless for a moment
“Why not?™
Why mm
“Th
ners
there,
her
not she repeated
be nothing to
nothing to conceal
slowly
would fear
“Longer, if you like it
“But 1
live
*But 1"
“Hush!” She lald a silencing hand
over his lips
It was easily arranged
must.” she smiled
On a Jutting Point They Found a De-
serted Cabin,
io believe that his counsel had been
taken and Mark had gone away to let
gossip run ite course and die, Kazia
had no explanations to make.
They met in Toronto and there took
w train together. They alighted far to
the north at a rude little lumber town
where the smell of fresheaawn lumber,
mingled with the fragrance of balsam,
swept down a long narrow lake, After
one night in the home of a lumberjack
to whose simple mind It never oc
curred to question the status of his
Yankee guests, they started up the
lake by canoe with a guide who was
to leave them when they had made a
permanent camp.
From beginning to end their stay in
the woods was without cloud or flaw.
The narrow lake narrowed still further
isto a smooth clear river that wound
in and out among ever wooded hills,
They passed the region where the
cruel ax had swung and scarred; the
trees became bigger, the forest denser.
Here and there they came to a rapids
where the canoes had to be lifted and
carried,
Her almost awed perception of pach
unfolding beauty touched him. On a
jutting point they found a deserted
little cabin, some trappers winter
abode. There the journey ended. When
the hut had been cleaned out, they dis-
missed the guide with
turn évery three weeks with
supplies, . . .
they might be perfect for her,
out of his groove of thought, as never
before,
and disappointments receded; they
seemed part of another existence. If
might have one last uninterrupted pe-
riod together. It was a& mistake, an
anticlimax.
They wern at breakfast when, glance
ing up, Mark espled a familiar figure
at the doorway of the hotel dining
room-—a flgure of courtly and noble
mien; moving with slow thoughtful
stride and head slightly bent, as
though, even amid the commonplace
functions of life, hie mind never
ceased to dwell on momentous phil
anthrople projects; and withal
over the room or of the many necks
which a dangerous
for its victim.
Now it may be that the philanthrop
ist was not quite so unaware as he
seemed of the interest evoked by his
object often
freedom,
habit
happiness was slowly prying
other and firmly fixed habits,
Two moons waxed and waned.
He did not guess that the
a second time, On his third appear
him back. She did not seem to notice
the change In plan
On the day when the guide should
have returned again, he did not come
That evening a storm arose, such as
visite even those northern
woods,
watching the masses of black clouds
gather over the hills at the head of
the lake There was a rumble of dis
tant thunder
5
ous vapor, appeared a lower plane of
clouds, flying before a wind that str
the water and sent a
churning down the lake
out, but though
their light craft
like a cork before they
k
ic
ite
line of wh
They
they
Waa
were
paddled
tossing
reached shore
They made their landing, dragged the
and fled to the cabir
as a wall of
upon
je fury was soon spent. The storm
the lake Btill
» of thelr long silences
looking
She paused.
swiftly,
+ to safely
green and darkness
down them
passed beyond they
and stirred,
“Have 1 hurt
‘Hurt me?”
“By loving you
“No,” he cried “How could any
one be harmed by a perfect love? And
can
got.”
His heart ached
ant tenderness for her They
silent again But
drowsiness overcame him and he slept
She did not Until morning
sha kept her vigil him. Some
lean over and
with a deep
sleep
beside
touch
utflung hand
When he awoke the sun was well up
the hills. Kazia was standing In
doorway, looking down lake
heard him stir and turned. He
saw her eves
‘1 belleve you haven't
over
the
she
slept at all!’
Bhe did not answer that but smiled,
pointing
The guide is coming
it is time for us to go.”
No!" He sprang to his feet
Please,” she put out an appealing
hand, “let us not talk of it, but hurry
fetus h
urry
it is beat”
They breakfasted hurriedly and be
the brie! preparations to
in order and stow
into the canoes the little
would need on the trip down the river
They were soon ready
They were about to embark when
went back to the cabin, Many min
Mark followed her.
on the plle of pine
boughs that had been thelr couch, face
buried In her arms. Harsh dry sobs
shook her
beside her, gently stroking her hair,
trying to soothe her grief.
with her to stay
Soon she had regained control
gat up, facing him
“How can you think of going? Back
there we won't find it as it has been
here.”
“We must” she answered. “And
It has
not a thing to regret. I've
If 1 must pay
And you
have given it to me, Do you think 1
haven't seen how you've watched over
me, thought only of me, to make It
perfect for me? 1 can never forget
that. And maybe, some day, | shall
have the chance to repay you. 1 pray
that I may have the chance”
“It is 1 who will have to repay you
But why leave such happiness? Let
us stay here, where love Is free and
clean and strong.”
“If we only could! But we must go
Because it wouldn't stay perfect. There
are storms even in the wilderness. A
time would come--you are a man
when love wouldn't be enough. You
would begin to want other men. You
would chafe against the loneliness and
inaction. We would go gladly then
and we could look back on this only
as a dream that falled. But now-—-oh.
And you will hava sometifing to remem.
ber. . See! You know I'm right.
+ +» » Come.” :
CHAPTER XXII,
The Cleft Stick.
In Canada's capital, thinking them.
selves etlll safe, Mark had persuaded
| “Can It Be—Of Course,
entrance, |
eves al
“Can it
This
extended a genial hand
Mark took it
| are you, Mr. Quinby
{ of his daze
r a pair of furtly
hied Mark
be course,
is an unexpected ple
upon
’
i
) How
ittered out
mechan!
™ he mt
“1 suppose I am well Jeremiah
| Quinby smiled benignantly “A
little time
busy
i life leaves to consider the
You are
ever seen you
state of one's health
better than |
“I'm better than
There a pause during
| Quinby glanced tentatively at Kazia
‘Ah!
Quinby smiled humorously
knows his anywhere is
sured
Mark brought his
to a stop No
{| Whiting
duction
naive
looking
have ,
beer
I've ever
was which
Perhaps | am intrud
as one who
welcome as
ights
Mrs
performed intro
impres
He
Quinby’s bow
‘1 see you
He
nave just
paused
In Bure
Kazia
posedly
This is kind,
hould Quinby
Lazia, “blame Truitt
fe took the
he walter
ided
Though 1
again to
for being selfish.”
sr him by
ng from Mark's sun
Kazia's i
under
indeed
not." bowed
chair held out f«
glanc
{ browned face to
have both
Your party
Has just separated Mrs. Whiting
is rather informally, to be
| sure-—convoy her home.”
And what of it, since no one is the
| wiser? The conventions,” Quinby wit
tily accepted the explanation, “are
only for public consumption, though I
being in the public eve, #0 to speak
may rarely ignore them So you,
| too, are from our city, Mrs. Whiting?"
Kazia admitted it
‘Ah! 1 wish | had known last night
that wera here The governor
general The phrase rolled linger
ingly on bis lips The governor-gen
eral gave a reception. You would
| have been pleased, i am sure, 10 see
how our city, in my person, was hon
| ored.”
“I'm very sure of it
about it”
Quinby told them about it
wealth of detall
sen
the
you
been out sun
to let me
you
Please tell us
his hearers and their situation;
by instinct, settled into conviction,
And the event
need,
eclipse his better fortified but
original rival in beneficence, a cloud
no bigger than a man’s hand had crept
above the horizon. And if that cloud
grew bigger, not MacGregor but
Quinby himself might be eclipsed
and, alas! forever, A crisis, then,
when “harmony” more than ever was
needed in his forces. There are, Quinby
gratefully thought, more ways than
one of insuring harmony. He felt of
his whip and got ready to crack It
During a temporary lull Kasia,
pleading some unfinished packing,
made her escape. Quinby's eye fol
lowed her admiringly to the door, then
bent upon Mark a look in which re
proof and a certain ponderous wag:
gishness struggled for the upper hand.
“Ah! Truitt! A sad dog, | fear.”
“Not at all,” sald Mark coldly.
Quinby was blandly skeptical "1
find you, brown as an Indian, at break-
fast alone at a hotel with a woman
dusky se an Indian maiden. The party
«was it a party of two, Truitt?
“Mr. Quinby,” said Mark not
coldly, “your tone! My word"
“Ah!” Quinby waved a pacific hand.
“If your word ig passed, that is enough.
I smn happy to believe it. Mrs, Whit.
ing seems s charming woman. A well
poised woman! Am unusual woman!”
“Yery."
“You leave today?”
“Yes.”
“Then, since 1 have your word In
the matter, | feel safe in inviting you
and Mrs, Whiting to shars my car as
far as Buffalo”
“Mrs. Whiting have
may a pref.
Quinby received this with the sur-
prise of one whose invitations partake
of the peremplory quality of royalty's.
I hope she will not prefer a stuffy
Pullman to my car, which has been
praised. | should be deeply hurt by
in fact,” Mark looked up
as though he had heard a
warning crack! overhead, “1 «€hould
construe a refusal as jut
let that go. company mat-
ters 1 wish you, and
occasion.”
each other stead-
evidence —
There are
to discuss with
The men regarded
ily for a moment
“1 shall
Mark concluded
“With my compliments™
amended
Whiting?
“I'm
present your invitation”
Quinby
is Mrs.
familiar”
ecard of her
EUCCeSE
know
who
not
sure you
Very
let
1 belleve
answer.”
one, you
y rose and Ma had the en.
ching with
long
distinction of
niah Quinby
room,
v :
JOTer the
where
of the
whisper great
presence had been hap
ell,” said Mark g
had found Kazia in their rc
i oi
Le
Ye
audience 1o purpose
“ v vy A ne with
just informed me, with ex
# a charm
Woman, an
begun, made no reference
in the woods. His engaging mann
the « 80 pro
a pretty
sald
un sd] A n 1@ BIreRencs
: } D
OVIOUSs,
oF
woman were d layed
fection Even Mark's
lulled
At first the pl pist gave him-
0 Kazia He showed
f his car,
self almost whe
her the splendors from the
kitchen, expert ad
niration brought a grin to the
udgy face of the Japanese cook, unto
plaster cast of the hthyosaurus
Quinbyi
side of the
little her
where
even
conspicuo
Morar
Truit
are
A fittls
J fittin
tender
you
iave you ever
important serv
poorest paid. |
Quinby sighed,
in my power to give every
man and the just
reward carned by their service
Ah'"” breathed Kazia, “that
be something to do
Quinby bent a benignant smile on
Kazia Mrs. Whiting, you must leave
an address. As it happens, 1 am
a trustee and it may be, an influence
in the Todd hospital Surely the pro-
fession of healing offers a woman a
larger-—and a better paid--fleld thas
Aere individual nursing?
To those who are fitted
You are modest of course
am sure | have not judged
ost
always the
have often wished
that it lay
deserving woman
would
me
But 1
you too
led Kazia
the
He to a big cushioned
chalr at observation end of the
car, had the Jap bring magazines and
the latest novel
She lay back in the chair, smiling
her thanks up to him, as frankly as
if she had not a suspected secret to
brazen out. The philanthropist smiled
back--and the light In his eyes, as
they swept the figure beneath them,
was not philanthropy.
His smile became guizzical He
are a plucky woman, my dear
a short memory-—sometimes.”
He went back tp Mark
“Truitt,” he began, “does your re
I have
ing back into harness?
“I don’t know,” Mark answered
ehortly. He had witnessed the tableau
just described.
“You must get back. You are needes
Have you kept track of our labor site
uation?” .
“No.”
Quinby sketched that situation, with
a terseness of which Mark had not
believed him capable
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Pipe Worth Malf Million Dollars.
Among the royal treasures of Pep
sia i= a pipe set with diamonds, ro
bies and emeralds, to the value, it is
estimated, of no less than $500,000.
This pipe was made for the late shah,
and it is sald to be even more val
uable than his famous sword. In the
matter of swords, It is sald that the
gaekwar of Baroda who, on the ocoa-
sion of the coronation of George V in
India, added to his fame by snubbing
that monarch, possesses the most pre
elous blade In existence. Its hilt and
belt are incrusted with diamonds, re
bles, sapphires and emeralds. and its
valup has been put at $1,000 don