™ a i "i v P'° BY EDWARD HUNGERFORD. * Copyright, 1910, by the New York Herald Co. All rights reserved.) r THE FIRST CHAPTER. HEN David Gordon was eleven he decided to be a brakeman upon the railroad; when be was seventeen be bad made up his miod to be a millfounaire. At other times In his ten der years be had picked out a variety of entertaining professions--driving a mail coach through the Far West, biring out with a circus as clown or acrobat, becoming captain of one of the great fréight. . #rs that ploughed the waters of the lake. But at sev. enteen be had po two opinions about his future. He was golug to be rich--rich far beyond the wildest @reams of other boys in Northfield. You see, things happened between eleven and seven- teen. David had learned to paddie his own canoe out on the broad river of life. and one great disaster had almost completely overturned it His mother had digd when he wis sixteen. The doctor had hinted -- David never needed more than a hint--that she might have been saved If she could have gone to one of those big city hospitals. That vas out of the questign, and the little canoe had all but turned turtle. When the boy was earning $6 a week clerking at Abbott & Bassford's--Groceries and Provisions--he felt that his bands were tied behind Mm. It made it no easler for him, however, to see the last of his kith and kin go away from him. The Iittie canoe was salling quite alone. ' Never agaln, he found himself saying to himself, would he be caught without money. He was golug to be rich, but being rich when he grew up could not undo that tragedy of his sixteenth year. It might, however. prevent a repetition of calamity. Thepe might be another time- another woman His blood tingled a wee bit. - Tthoda, his soul sang to his keen and calculating mind. Rhoda Clark was closer to him than kith or kin-- » you are forbidden to hate your relatives. She lived a litle further up the street, and somehow David could. not look far enough back to remember the time when abe had vot been almost part gnd parcel of his Me If this were a novel, written to be a best seller In fi gay red cover and not merely the record of a few years of a man's existence, I might have described Rhoda Clark as beautiful beyond nll measure of ordl- pary standards. and so have whetted the interest of the reader. But Rhoda Clark was not beautiful. She waa not even good looking in the easy golog use of the word in the Narth Country. She was a «lim, tired looking girl, with a heavy head of sandy hair. Her eyes were blue and dull behind the heavy lenses of her glasses. But there were redeeining qualities Her mouth, her nose, her chin were as gentle and os daintily formed as if some sculptor had formed . them. She had--but what 1s the use? David Gor don loved her--loved her as only a friendiess boy might love a sympathetic girl--and when, spurred by that love, he descended upon Abbott & Bassford with a firm demand, the firm rulsed nis salary to seven dollars a week. Seven dollars a week, and Abra- ham Bassford sald that David Gordon ought to start a saving bank account now that his salary had been raised. David Gordon did not answer--not then. He walked out from the dingy store, and when Le was well out of the hearing of his employer--who, belong a deacon, had tight scrupies--he swore, He Cursed Abbott & Bassford, and decided for the nine bun- dred and nipety-ninth time that be was golog to be rich. = And he was not going to be rich as Northfield knew wealth. Jed Burnett was Northfield's richest man, and David Gordoy had reason to know that precious old skinfijut. If being rich meant that he would have to be like Jedediah Burnett--thank you, the good looking young clerk In the grocery preferred to stay as poor as a church mouse. He would be @ifferent when be was rich--tbat was all. Rhoda His Confidante. ' "That was all be said to Rhoda as they walked home one evening after the close of his day's work. Thelr path lay up through Dexter street, chief residence thor- _ oughfare of the little city. It was a tree shaded way, quickly gathering the shadows of the oncoming even- ing and bere and there and everFirnere back on the steps of the houses In the lawns were splotches of white--the girls In thelr summer dresses on the porches--and they could catch the faint chatter and the bum of a banjo or & mandolin. Sometimes the : and the houses brightly J By » Edward - Hungerford. Resolves. nr 7 REE AGENT EING the Drama of a Man's Life in Which at the ' Beginning, Amid Humble Surroundings, Ase Mingled Love, Little Things and Big i v 1 | ie [ > ' LG "Zee garleec," he laughed to David 5 Gordon. ™1 haf not had ze likes of zis seence 1 left the south of France." of wealth--they kept a cow. He turned quickly to Rhoda, but he only spoke of Marjorie. "I wish you could have one of dhose fancy hats with the--um-<um--um"----- He halted He not adept in describiug women's finbry, "That's white tulle," she said He looked sharply into her eyes "Some day"----- he began. She lterrupted him. "I don't care for those things, David--that is, not aii awful lot. There are other tlilngs" Then she was disappointed, for he did not respond as quickly as was ordinarily his way. "When 1 am rich," he said, "you shall have Mar- Jorie Wells wondering what you are going to wear next." Maulike, he had expected her give a little thrill of delight at that promise, to cateh his hand in a single, «quick embrace. In the way she had. But She ouly turned her head from him and did not answer for the moment. When she did she said: : _ "That hurts, David. You seem to think of nothing, dear boy, but money these days." And then be told her for the first time of how his mother had died because he could uot afford to send her for long months into a big city hospital. * » . . . - . A little later David Gordon came inte his patrt mony. There had been a fearful amount of lilga- tion, a huge number of sealea pupers tied in red tape, in order to hand him the $110 that caore to him as the little remnant of that which was by courtesy called his mother's estate, But $110 was $110, up matter how you might count it, and David Gordou had pever higld so much money in his lite before. He took $10 and bought » bine vew purse for Rhoda--a gaudy, glittering thing. such as she had never owned before or never would again: She bad to bite her lip when he gave it to ber--it was really a borrid thing--tut she thanked bim as if he had offered her a king's ransom snd bade him never be as foolish again. Then, woman like, she asked him what he was going to do with the $100. "1 am going to make each of those dollars earn ten for me, Rhoda, girl" be sald to flex. with av as. su of gayety unusual to him, "und ther | sm going to make each of those oiler dollars ean ten more for me--and then--then----you." : To Be His Wife. She laughingly evaded bis caress and pursed her brows in computation. She was versed iu figures was the bookkeeper down in the Boston store. *Ten thousand dollars, David. Id we have fo wait He nodded s==ent. = ! . "I'm pot golug to bave you do your own work. You're going to be a lady. Do you understand, Rhoda, | ™ ay - wus "It costs." » -- she began. nn week, girl? lady in all Nortl You are going to be a isdy---the very finest eld." "No, that is got the thing, boy," am golng to be your wife, praise God." . But he was blind or did not gvish to see. . . . . ii - + was ber repiy. John Meg el had been David Gordon's companion behind the couuter at Abbott & Bassford's, and Johu Merkel, tiring of the firm's pelty tyrzunies, had left John Merkel and he could them and sel up in busivess by himself. had capital --nearly a thousand" dollars start out ou an ambitious seale----with gd store of his David looked up to hlin as a cay then When It was given David left his own talist, sought Job at the grocery store, but Abraham Bassford pre dicted that back afte? it inside of a mouth. The hundred dollars bought a little pack of gew gaws and David set out as a pedier up the military liz advice he would be road that ran lonesome miles to north of the county seal. 'Rhoda looked: dublously upon the entire pro- ject. She would fave preferred him to Invest his in- ritance without forfeiting his position, but David in his headstrong way was never to be gainsaid. He started bravely forth, and §be, dear girl, kissed him goodby thrice--ouce for health, once Tor success, once because of the very depth of her love. The story of that expedition remains Jocked within David Gorden's memory. There is a town twesty- five miles up the military road frown Northfield called Catlertviile, and to this day David Gordon cannot Dass through Cutlerville on the train and look 'out of the car whalow at the place without wincing It was from Catierville thar he returned 'as Napoleon re tuiued trom Moscow--defeated. Bat there was some thing Napaleonit lo his heart. That beating organ of fe hod not Fiknowledged Uefeat. He went bak te his old job, Bassford (old Abboft that he had tary to the very day. They gave hitn his job read Hy ~he was always popular with the trade. and while Abraham saleulated the re- goed grocery clerks did aot grow on every North field tree but his salary went back to six dollars Bassford said that diseipfine was good for fresh and high handed young men. He was all that shire trying to break down John Merkel whe bad bad the audacity to leave them and start in' business for bhaseif, 2 : It would have been posdible pight here for nine men out of ten to fil their cande into a serene chau- pel of the river of Life and float softly there until the day came when they grossed the "ast bar and BE DAILY BRITISH WHIG, MOXDAY, OCTORER at of ten would have buried. their would have David Gordons aiubitjous af such an experience, trusied Abraham Bassford to forged that expedition and to gradually raise the weekly stipend, would married. their Rhodas, thrown away such hopes as hired girls and carriages and lived happily at the head of a large brood of delightful children. such there would have been no life drama have a4 cise the tel z But David Gordon was the tenth man? His canoe was grooved into a swiftmoving channel. The 'river of life held much for Lim; it promised to float him through gleat sunny wide waters, ahead were more - worth ling 50 # rapids--the danger signs well have been planted close together He kept his temper and he almost held his breath through five long, hard years at Abbott & Bassford's. Abbott died and Abrabam Bassford seemed to take a new hold on life--he gréw meaner each year. David Gordon's life grew the harder. There was another thing that set hard spon David Gordou's heart. Time 'was telling a wee bit with Rboda. He could see her lose her girlishness; her slim figure was acquiring the faintést sort of a stoop. He would swear In. wardly at every thought of that and demand that Bassford ralse his pay--Bassford did--a dolar a week a year--and Bhoda could not see what David did with the money, "The Woman Waits. There were many, many things that she did not see----and at her mental vislon was clear. She conld till he was ready. That has been woman's role for ages past--the waiting posture. . - * . - * . might least ouly wait ~ She gave a little cry of joy one night when David Gordon came to her and said that he was to be John Merkel's partner around in Bank street. John Merkel, after the hard fight that his oid employers had given him, had finally succeeded In establishing his busi But his triomph was short lived. A coudh had de Masterson, the best surgeon*in the whole north ceuntry, was ordering him off into the hige Adirondack peaks. Before he could look around for some one to help him David Gordon stood before him. David Gordon was talking invest bad not bee Scorched already. BWA David Gordon talked investment with modéy---be had his savings hank book in his fingers, and John Merkel looked upon Bim as a savior In a crisis. ok 8 J "A store of your own, David? It seems lke a fairy dream come true" Rida told him, after she bad fin- ished her little minute of joy. bq surl does" he auswered 'They were agaln walking iu Dexter street under the arching maples. The lapguor of August was once more upon North field and {he boys and girls were sitting out upon the steps. It all seemed so much closer now. Rhoda gave his hand a iittle squeeze of very ecstasy. He must have divined her thoughts, for be said. -- "It will keep me closely tied--tied for time and cap- final for a loug time. And you know that we must have the hired girl and the pony cart." She di vot answer, but his mind must bave been troubled, for he continued: -- "1.am ouly twentyiwo. Think of the long years ahead of us" : Bess, veloped went drifting off info the unknown sess. Nine. Again she did not suswer. And be continued: -- La In t again, as if he . - . "You find It bard to wall; girite™ he said a Miy. "But you do trust we "With all my faith snd soul," she repiled. ~ » » » . - - * The little store in Bunk street prospered more after it went mts David Gordon's control than' ever it had dose in the fairly capable mands of John Merkel, David was a deep thinker and a good thinker. He was A broaden man than John Merkel, a mau capable of doing clever things in a mare clever way. | Ju the weary hours that he bad stood behind the CQuilter at Abbott & Bassford's he had been planking all the while, plannieg for the eomfort and the con- Yeulence of customers, and those must have been good plans, for customers passed the big Showy front of the old store to find the rather humble it competitor around in the side street, He sent bigger checks up to the Merkels ac Saranac than ever he had promised, and he began 10 dream the great @ream. He figured long hours over stray slips of paper. Another twelvemonth of this business and be--they--could tave the horse and carriage--the hired i ou! in the kitchen. : As Merkel & Gordon prospered the bus bot! & Bassford began to slowly nutans af Ab. Bassford prepared for battie. He was a douguty old warrior. and John Merkel had never been moe than a fleabite to him. Gordon was differenc Northfield was beginning to talk. Gordon was & ciever adver Hiser--a thing that bid been beneath 'tle dignity of the vider cancern. I had other methods It began the use of those wethods. But there were weeks befyre David Gordon knew that the screws were belug set upon him. : i A J. . ~~ . . - hoda rejoiced In his prosperity and inward wished that be might see his pe ray early ho riage. She baked him a glorious cake and wondered why he need walt for a hired girl after that. And thew weijey be told tier "a little longer, girlie," she was ARTY ----human fesh and Riged do Fay Ing. after a while, 90 wave vases tury ; Some day, David," she said to him (laughing with ier delicaie mouth and her eyes, but never a bit with her heart), "some day I am golng to run away and iéave you" But he was blind still, or did not wish to see. Ae - » - * * . Some time along In the spring John Merkel wrote him and asked for an extra check just $20 to meet Some upsprung emergency. Daxid Gordon sent it to him "he could have refused the lanvalid nothing --but Le sold his watch to do It : The Grinding Screws. The screws were set hard upon him. The Merkels did not know It: even Rhoda. who was begluulng to be piqued and angry most of the time, did not know It. Abraham Bassford knew it He began bowing to David Gordon with a more elaborate politeness than ever before, all the tine keeping his velled hands upon those grinding screws. And David Gordon kept a stiff upper lip He saw. whai Basstord was doing. Bassford had big influence with the wholesalers. He was supposed to possess a big integest tn a house down Iu Syracuse that supplied the greater part of the north country. Bassford was underbuying him, What was far, far worse, Bassford was underselling him. Bassford b credit and the wholesalers were pressing. On the top of his little desk, facing his very eyes, rested a letter from the Syracuse house---a polite letter, told as jce-- which stated that unless that Mttle account of $12 were pald within three days the house would be com. pelled. regretfully, of course, to seek a judgment. One hundred and twenty-five dollars! It was nothing io the business world. Yet for lack of that little sum David Gordon's canoe was tumbling, He read the letter over and over and over again. How he did bate that Syracuse concern! He might bave been able to send them that check and with it a scathing letter that would have made them shrivel for a time If It were not for ' / He let his head turn slowly toward the rear ot the store. Plied there within his Ice box was $200 worth of butter. Butter, did be say? David Gordon had not learned the all of the grocery business. He had hought the butter from a sample tub and it was good butter--the sort that the groceryman took real pride in setting before his trade. But when that bwiter had come and the farmer, "after the manner of some farmers, had gone over to Abraham Bassford to tell the whole story and to, put a tab of oleomargarine under his buggy seat to cart back to his family, David Gordon had found that there were more chapters to the grocery business than those that he had mastered. His customers sent it back as fast as it went out wpon their orders. He was perplexed.--angry. He cut deep Inte a tub another, still another. They all told the same story. He had been cheated--'wold" was the word the farmer had used to Abe Bassford. 'Those cows had strolled off into an onion patch, The butter was be yond redemption. And on Yop of that had come the "dun" from Syracuse. No wonder his eyes would not * keep from that refrigerator door Late that afternoon he began to prepare his letter asking for more time from the wholesaler evs appeal. As he swept the very corners of his weary mind for its phrasings a new customer entered the door. This customer was not of the sort that ordinarily - found their way lato the little store in Bank street. He was a foreigner --a Frenchman evidently. He intro- duced himself as a buyer from a big commission house down in Greenwich street, New York. He wanted but- ter, and David thanked his lucky stars that be bad re- ceived that diy the beginning of another consignment. The Frenchman took the tryer with the light touch of experience, thrust it down into the fub, brought out a long tube of yellow butter, tasted It as delicately as a woman. David rolled out another tub. The Frehchman thrust the tryer into it. Then he shook his head. David was perplexed. Then, with . tion born of desperation, he went back to the big ice box and rolled out ope of the tondemped tubs. It was rank foolhardiness, but he chanced it. The Frenchman for a third time dived in with the slender tryer. He passed the butter under his keen nose. A smile began to suffuse his face. He eagerly bit into it. Phe smile broadened Into a laugh. "Zee garieec," be laughed to David Gordon. "I hat not had ze likes of zis seence 1 left the south of France." "That," sald David Gordon gravely, "is 'our extra fine triple X brand." - - - . » * - Abraham Bassford peering out from the window of his store saw the commission house man turn out of Bank street and chuck to himseif. "I wonder," he saldf half aloud, "if Gordon showed him that onion butter?" g Gordon had. David Gordon had sold the entire consignment at a clean profit. of two hundred and fifty dollars. At that moment be was writing the scathing letter--with| check encloséd--to the Syracuse firm and he did not have to sweep his-mind for its phras- ings. : That night David Gordon {ook the cars for Buffalo, A drummer to whom he had once given a good order had hinted that there was a Buffalo house auxious He bad few resources, but unbounded enthusiasm. He feit sure of success, and that was half the game. He was going to be rich--oothing could stop him. He felt that the fetters were begluniog to fall from him. jt of "I am going to be a free " be kept saylog to himself that night as he bed of a Syracuse railroad. hotel that rose right above the tracks of the . . - . - . . One thing troubled him. v Rboda had sent word to him at the store through ber, cousin, Btells Burgess, that she wanted to see him that evening about a very particular malter. Ia the excitement of his new possibility he bad forgoties to go up there, Stil) he reflected, as be tossed upon his bed in the noisy' hotel room above the ralivoad tracks, be could go to ber when he returned successful from Baffale and make the entire dmtter right. ; ~ ke td ni a 8