Thomas County cat., 1886-08-19
.tters, the wordss "Family sBiole-

letters. the wordss Family Biols-
Maytham.
.:Caleb!' 1 cried. reproachfully,
You never told me of this.
There was a reason; here is the
reason"
He opened the volume to the family
| record There was the record of the
births of our father and mother; their
marriage; tine births of US two; and be-
tween Caleb's and mine, with a date
| which showed the person to have been
three years younger than Caleb was the
name: ..Dennis Maytham.
looked up in amazement
-Our brother. Regy," said Caleb.
Then his strength left him; he
dropped into a great chair, covered his
face and sobbed like a woman. Iwas
on the floor at his feet in an instant,
with nay arm around him.
Tell me all. brother" 1 said.
A'Tll make it short story, Regy-
and Dick: there can be no more secrecy
| about it now-but can't bear much
more myself tonight. He was wild,
bad and wayward; he nearly broke
mothers heart, and at last father dis
owned him. This was soon after you
| were born, Regy. think the sorrow
of it hastened fathers death: and it
has been the shadow on my life. This
afternoon, poor wreck of man, rag
gcd and consumptixe. stopped me on
the street and implored aims. looked
into his sunken eyes and saw-my
brother Dennis! 1 called carriage; l
took him to the hospital, and had him
washed. dressed and shaved. and called
the doctor. If it's anybody You are
interested in, Mr.. Maytham,' was his
decision. you have only to make him
comfortable for few days. Medicine
can do nothing for him. And then
l brought him home"
He could say no more. l pressed
his hand; and after we had sat in
silence for some moments, urged him
to 60 to bed, telling him that Mrs.
Wynn should provide for watching
with Dennis, and in the morning we
would see him together.
Il do need rest" he said, very
wearily. He kissed me and went up
stairs. Neither Dick nor could find
words in which to say much to each
other just then about this tremendous
revelation; and as it naturally excluded
every other subject from our minds
we made the evening short one.
For what happened during the night
am indebted to the account of Mrs.
Wynn. 1 do not believe that Caleb
had been in bed at all; for about
eleven o'clock he went softly into the
room where his brother-our brother
was lying, and taking no notice az
all of the housekeeper, softly called h
name. Dennis was asleep. but the
voice awakened him. Caleb drew a
chair TO the bedside. and laying his
face upon the pillow by the poor
wasted one, took hand in his own.l
You're too good to me, Gale. l
don't deserve it" said husky,
whispered voice.
Never mind about our deservings,
Den. You've as much right here as l
have. In the morning you shall go all
over the old house again: and you shall
see Regy, who was only little thing
when-when you left u.s.
''You are very kind, brother; but I
shall never leave this room till they
take me out. O Caleb! it's terrible
record of sin and crime that l have
made for myself. Can you forgive me?
Perhaps -
''Yes Denny, gladly, aad God will,
too, if you ask Him. But can you for
give me, Dcn?"
"YoM! for what?'
Il failed in my duty to you III those
Il fN hp 1
have realizs d it since. and it has haunt
ed me. Voices in the night have
awakened me with the cry-where is
thy brother? 1t seems to me now that
l could have won You back, Denny, if
had tried. | was careless, indifferent
about you. Mother asked me more
than once to look after you. an1-and
i did not Foryive me, Den.
The weak, wasted form raised up in
the bed; Calcb's hand was flung away,
and the husky voice poured forth a
torrent of words.
''Cale, you don't know what it is !
ask you to forgive. You do not know
that after wandering about and seeing
the inside of many prisons, l came
back here. ten years ago. was reck-
less, wicked, savage. l heard you had
every thing. l broke in here in the
night, and rifled the drawer where faith
er used to keep money. You caught
me at it: l fired at you, and escaped.
I might have killed you: did not care
then. With this knowledge caa you
forgive me?'
II knew it was YOU, Den, all the
time"
You did! How?"
"Who else but you could know that
money was kept in thut drawer.
knew your figure, too. Dennis; l never
doubted it was you. am glad the
policemen didn't get you; l wouldn't
let them in; sent them away. Poor
brother! indeed. l did know you all the
time. Why should not l forgive you?
am much to blame tor it all.
Their heads lay together on tn. pill
low again: each had an arm thrown
over the other. Mrs. Wynn heard
their whispered voices for some min
u:es, but not their words. When they
had been silent for some time, she APP
preached the bed. Caleb was fast
asleep; but Dennis-Dennis had
awakened to another life.
[ began with Caleb: let me close