| OCR Text |
Show BY LOOtS ;W. - V- lLRC2iT The Quistmei New Prize By Loaia W. ',f Unn. HI LIP WAR- REN stood on a high hll In tha midst a rolling passe meadows and (lalda It was a bleak day In December. Tha w I S d rasped aharp against his face and set him rigorously whipping his arm to ' heap the blood tingling swift and warm through his rains. He liked the out- -i ting edge ot the gala and tha nlpj of tha cold. It was in vigors tl on superb. Ha breathed the keea air to jlha depths ot his lungs and felt surging ot through him the match! , conquest. The man was monarch of all ho surveyed. The forest was his and the gray hills; ths river that wound at his feet aad the Infinite stretches of pasture land. He looked away toward the horison la every direction and thrilled at the little vanity that he could not see beyond the purlieus of his own domain. And yet he knew that hie pc sets sions did not encompass the world; that out them beyond an obscuring ridge lay a chain of fertile farms not his own. Once they, too, I iad jbeea a part ot his hilly emptrn; ut circumstances had forced a re ln- -; quiahment of a few choice acti ma out ob the border. Ho iru atili a granger of vast holdings, however. Few men of the Intermount tin country wem his poem In agrlcultu wealth. The acreage he had title mounted to thousands; his sleek rattle were scarcely numerable. Warren was rich and Influential, with the beet yean of His winning manhood yet before him. But forced disposal of a part of his at a tlmo whon ho had fust roun out by hsrojo conquest an Meal had remained a fhorn la his side It was the only rebuff ho had k at tho hands ot Fortuno, a defeat that rankled, a tom that could ho atoned for in only one way. His contracts with ths ranchers put beyond tho dim horison wem treaded. Warren had seen to that. And things wem not going smoothly with them just now. Several yearn of falling prices and diminished yields had drouth forced suspendthrough ed payment on their notea Hem was a conspiracy of circumstance that might, had Warren chosen to take about the readvantage of It, bringsooner than he trieving of bis lands bed dreamed. Thus far ha had exhibited a kind of grim tolerance toward his debtors, well aware of thdr Inability to pay. Them had been, until this hour, no notion of such extreme action lag foreclosure. But with the keen exultation of tho swooping survey of hie hie mind possessions, them crept Into cams to It the insidious thought. was an open him In a flash: hem would chance, perhaps the bed he toilers have, to oust the hampering from hi groundand thus redeem pie should he not! proud estate. Why meet their PayThey had failed. to ments. And the law, which was got of Ma making, provided ( such course. Warren's elation passed grant thought struck stinging tentacles into his mind and became! a Ho ceased the horrible obsession. of hla arma; hla rhythmic swinging whole being tonsed In n quick strugback tho mobilizing Ingle to fight , stincts of his better self, Then of a sudden he broke Into an and followed the trail eager stridehome. Fired with a dark, toward hto he went forward impelling purpose, until H should hto pace, quickening have seemed to aa onlooker he wem unseen terror. fleeing from aa He goaded htaaaelt on the way with lot allent arguments of tho injustice"inhto debtors Ho Ukod tho word deon tho him tt smugly justice:" and put gave hto purpose the Imfensive Hto conscience of pulse must bo clear. He would hot by means come down of respectability. Is ths moment of Ing h cams to thlsk of Ma tenants oa utterly recreant aad without at th or. He mumbled petulantly tolqulty of tt all. They , had been gpdndthrifts, they had; unspeakably , -- j t j far-flu- I i i I " I it-. ; , slothful and lasy. With utmost dls- - dlnarlly hta visits them record of hts dues, they had Purchas- - ' ual enough and to,dolt: Phono- What could be bringing the children and , such flurry of lasts! graphs, frocks forV..trct..r Barely the man James: be worst improvidence of all occasIn distress and bad coma to thorn dont her was ional ticksta to tha movie" in la for help. O' and Ive out Uk neighboring town. -came forward with eager for The radiantpicked Thom was John Kadlock. What ' i Hadlock girl -Wbrda-taoe In and his Inquiry btsarm a proud aha snortfloo had he made to moot his display "What can tha trouble be, Mr. NU greeting aaraurlsd in payments on the land! True, - the Warren T" ho gsked. crops had fallen short the past sev"Tea aad what ms eral years aad prices dropped tola "Trouble! Trouble enough, believe ' disheartening level; true, he hada me, Warren grumbled : as he leaped roat" piped halt doaen children to clothe, feed from his horns. . the list. Didnt yo amf . - gg i and send to schools; true. moreover, j His mapner was brusque aad unae-The aueettou aad ns that misfortune had lately come Into - countable. i to- aourrlad Tha children la rapM-firbsfom Ids homo In the stark guise of death. ward ths hovel, while the parents of able to ebeek tbo tbo m v4.n i. But he had not dono his beet, ar-- 4 ftlijlHl stared blankly at their guest. gued Warren, against odds; had not '! them o" reins Warren threw .the strained every resource to Pay off the mount over a fence van notes. By ths time ho had reached turned toward Mm. Mattock tha house, Implyhome he had whipped hie meagre arworn things' to oonlev HgutoS to t ing there guments Into an Impregnable defense. Mrs. Kadlock Indoors. about rMMritsr, He mounted tbs steps of his Ms srvaad aad had him through tha door, flu nod TU arvaago with ths lavfy "clearing Vhe wy"iidWn'lig' her cruel a and ays belet host to urehlna thdr in'hle kMp oa' The other aide of the picture ho hevtor. well, sir. well ho on hand to Whats h eoomo tor. manna, whatshad ruled from hie mind. The misTbs man ana wared with as he come ferr th whispered excitedmuch fUk' ery and privation that must corns to iy. aad ehsirts ss It h had husyaasy the Hadlock family, aad tha others tott driven a wouM act bargain that A In turn, he had blotted out by tho But Ms wtfe saw Hadlocks Mmhm migrM. yuthlooa method of unmason. Ho silence. ssa-'K-ieoacolvod himself aa a tolerant one. sr Then she turned and bads ths a man driven to tho last ditch of guest to have a Chair by tho Warren grata Hadlock forbearance. Had Philip took a sent opposite looked behind the tenuous veil of - and turned on him a pair of interroThen followed a scons is ths Had- took household that caa best he is. a pair of inner gating eyea easy MTiaed eyes of greed would have stared him Warren? "Well. Mr. by those who have through. But ho wrapped about him was prepared to hoar high h tho shielding cloak of rectitude aad which worst ho how half they've worn a gloomy air ot injured inno"I'm sorry to ham to do tt. Bad- - monnd team some tamMtew j cence. Warms jndo Off towards to ham to do It hut sorry lock, He entered the door with an ominIve get to have book my toad. snortenelag a doubtful . ous step, a warning- - to Ms wife, who Though It was a startling annouaoe- - ; triumph. He was exultant and he ground hla tooth angst sat in tha midst of luxurious fancy menu the hoot did not wince. But thought of the rshirff he Mrs. Hadlock could only half smother work, that he was In one of his terriIn the defiant attitude of John Had back a cry of alarm. bly determined moods; that he exHadlock was too proud to truckle pected opposition to a certain project, opposition he would not la tha least- - or offer palliation. Ho conceived this edHla visit to ths Hadlock place passthrough his memory Is grist, crisis aa s plain iease of dealing, man wise brook. V hs panorama, from tho moment ts man. Naim soa of tho poll, hs ho away tor a T going over had firm caught sight Of tho Rad- - yielded to s whimsical impulse to reto see said, '"going -shawl clad woman sM verts In tho buke the dissimulating Warren. lock." that Permit us to say. then me and yard to the plucky good-nigOh? Mrs. Warren lnqulr Nell that we're quite touched by had marked his departure. Beery My, not daring to formula., word - . sonand every gesture of tho your sorrow, Phillip Warren. question his words bad provoke' with them sang through hto Warren got the Irony of this aad vernation Looks like Ive got to fomeleeo mind In vivid drama. oa John. Hate to do It. hut right's grew angry. They wem. making Mm scrape of the childrens prat- - ' a toughing aleck him. Philip War- tieBran He put hie defease at the right. ren. whs held In his hand the power not la the background, which ho hadoutset on safe moral grounds leavtho time boon swam of hoarat to to penury sad turn strip them ing little tor hla wife to aay In prae them naked tito ths street. It was an ing. flashed on hla rnimnlnsvnms What what was that Hadtoek kid " not brook scarf had fa lea egregious affront; he would The . aaylag about a' press at fur my Dkr , . It. j. Into her lap: she watched Warms , I had meant to compromise." ho Ho found himself opeaklag thto , with kindly, calculating eyse while ho and bringing Ms home alaudibly now. Hadlock. damn but you. said, down and the up paced' masterfully most to a atarttod la stop, Ho out hto had to orison room- you go. contemplation. feet in emitting thto totoohsod. ns If And eo near to Christmas. Philip? By the. tuns hel had mount to drive them out forthwith. she ventured with trepidation. oft, somehow, as If bo bad Not eo fast. Warms, not so test! 'SN1 Chrtstmss! Christmas and be The , wards of ths was on hto feet, confronting damned what's that got to do with Hadlock wtoOH . Ms U bis oppressor with admirable esnrtho esse? ho stormed In reply. Ms haunted us Toava tho ago, laomary. Ms i got right to pat Oh nothing, nothingr at all I supj . out. and whoa you say ths word well night, and nest day any allusion ts hto visit to tbs go; hut youve get to aay tt docent, like Her mention of Chrietm aa a poe tot Sit our down and keep Bible barrier to hto plan was exasperThe srteraooa found him la Bw law aad come to an understanding. ation; her subtle reservation and bends teas of Roberts dk Rob arts f tbo Hadlock was dominant sad comIrony were quite Intolerable. Philip IPs. mand Warren of Wellington. Ms bad settled to .. book Into wilted City was provoked to aa abandonment of bis chair; a rancour - too fierce for the stubborn deteruilnsttoa to aarry . fury. hto out had words taken ot him. purpooo, tot comm trim might ' poagiaMon listen here. Ml ha; Ive been Ha would now drive Haro a chair, Philip, old bay, sad hla purpose ts mighty patient with them loafers over . yourself ubal- - , last hard limb of execution. Mrs. begta to uaburdoa tho hill, mighty pationt: given 'em ths Hadlock aat In ever can bo on your mind? mid the trembling It was very chance In the world to makg of her frightened children, f th junior number of tho flraa ad-good: waited on em for two long not them's Hadlock, Then, much dressing the cl lent. They worn Old years taken their notes for interYou haven't met your payto any. friends and talked with the tatlaaaur est, gnd all; and yet you talk this ments and I'm going to foreclose." of Christian names. nonsense Christman about tuff and Ton am dead set on that ? Nothing, nothing at all just lit- Christmas bah! I mean to bring if Quite," 4 tie affairs of burinoes. to a showdown now, right now un Have wo not dons our boot to "Well then, be cheering ap; aad . deratand ? make we sot some and good w aint before launch os burinma. juat you Ho ended the tirade with an ex righto left oa this place? have- - a look at these I" Robert was . clamatory hang that made Mrs. WarTou've sacrificed them sill" Waran asserted peek gingerly shuffling aa wem one ( hla ren gloated. If she ren feet Christmas of arreting carder He ofharm seed debtors herself. Rut youll nay na something on our fered them for Warmne appraisal Tea. yea. I understand, Philip,? equity, Mr. Warren, surely you mean Ive no Greeting carte bah! tints she answered In meek triumph. to do that?" ' He path i for i a them Mad of ret." that Ton know the law." came tho anWelt, then, what've you got across hack tahto ths a with come gtataro anv? If they haven't through r swer. with biting finality, , obhormsee. Ths law of ths land. yog. - and of What with their contracts, and I've comdid tt all mass? At ovary promised to the last limit, and now . another- - law, too. Phiyn Warren. turn in this business of for cl Poors want to taka mv land back, my owiis which la not binding on 'you. Had- was running plump Into Ml land Tve got the right to, haventI look flung this at hla guest M fierce Warron talk of sifts, greetings and Christaccusation. I?" It seemed them was a tt rapt Warren glowered ia alienee for a man "To he sure vetive got the rteht. from It. Everywhere be west folks moment. He had mad hi purpon you that. But Philip; Pm not. denying wem strangely now preoccupied wtth (heir and . , I did think , reverted to detail of j of good will. It was a j Warren had been moving toward the pending action. There would be token note dissonant challenged his the door. He hurried not now and quitclaim paper to lgn and th rv. purpoee, balked that Ms plans and cos- lammed It shut cutting hla wife off Ice of a law firm. It would rehim fronted old with the dilemma. a to In the midst of her word. He wen th quire trip city of WelHe made abort shrift of hta era alington and tha legal affixing of mounted atralght to hts stables, and bade the dased rand, e Roberts a half doaen name. The Morin had horse red rode with vlndir-lvsoeed curt good-daIt was arranged that in the direction of the Hadlock farm! passed now. Th two men dismissed the ot final details should bo He applied the spurs to his mount ths matter without disputation or apattended to on a daysigning of the following'-wee1 parent rancour. ruthlessly, as 1? to produce the IlluHadlock would be them, with Meanwhile the Hadtoek children sion of Unrelenting purpose. He fell hla wife; and Mrs Warren s presence ' to chattering about th approachthat some nt range power wag trying felt Christmas time, quit oblivious ot would berequlred too. to circumvent hi plan. The words ing Warms walked down tbs street Is of hts wife kept ringing in hto ear; their Impending fat. They eves dram .. -- s- o, pm-ced- ed rd ... 'SSTTS !" lsd . t ' j l. r i ht t -- bolty-etlteh- , j llri. if --- -- - i r. elr y. k. -- tuns hi. prMe; tbo of her aurmNed Import woU struck deep into his eotwelence. , When Warren brought hto horse to a precipitous atop panting la Hadlock yard, the family ca rushing out in startled surprise. Or-1 rtrtfritea tte s motley Array sad affixing Is sack Its appointed name. Their jargon was fitful and ecstatic. And mother, met her. . thto no this for Edwin stokea." sputtered tho oldest boy. , - - m out of my gam. ftorurty on ths concrete point to hto words. tryterf te, of bis pans? (Coatiausd sa pags e Things r.) V |
