Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-05-03

if his eyes were dim.
..The lady said to wait for an an
swer." said the boy.
Oh. yes. There was that note. He
would read it.
dear John-Come and see me To-
day. l can not believe it.-Beth."
Who was Beth? Oh! he remem-
bered now; she was the girl who had
promised to marry him, the thief The
word, he thought, sounded well, SO he
said it over and over again. Thief
Thief! Thief! The boy asked for the
answer.
''Well." he laughed wildly as he
said it; "tell her will be there"
John sat down again. and again
began glazing at the wall. It was
nearing ten o'clock now. and John
got up and put on his overcoat and hat,
scrupously brushed them and went out.
He again took cab and went to Beth's
house. This time he paid the cabman,
and as he went in was about to speak
to the servant when he saw that it was
Beth herself who had opened the door.
He. however. was not at all surprised,
but said good-morning to her much as
he would have done to the servant
'Oh. John, I am SO glad you have
come-why, John. are you illP"
He laughed and again said good
morning. He preceded her into the
parlor, and sat down in the same chair
he had occupied the night before. He
was laughing quietly to himself all the
time. His head was aching terribly
now. and that was very funny.
John. dear John, tell me it isn't
true. l know it is not 1 was hasty
last night. John; wont you forgive
me?''
John looked at her. brushed speck
Of lint from his knee and laughed
little louder.
"John. John, why don't you answer
me2 Why don't you tell me it isn't
true? But no, Iwon't ask that, know
it isn't" She threw her arms around
him and sank at his side.
He did not move, but stopped laugh
ing. Oh! how his head did ache. No,
it had stopped aching. Where was he?
Oh, yes. Beth was with him and was
sobbing. Why was she crying? He
didn't remember. but thought that he
was connected with it in some way, he
didn't know how. He lifted her head
from his knee. bent down, and kissed
her. Kissed her many times, and
drew her mp folding his arms about her,
and telling her he was sorry. What
he was sorry for he couldn't have said.
He got up and drawing her to him,
kissed her again and said: "Good-bye,
Beth"
He could see her lips move, but he
didn't hear any thing. He went to the
door, opened it, and went down to the
street and wondered why the horses
and wagons didn't make any noise.
How silently they went along; how
quiet every thing was. He couldn't
even hear his own footsteps. He looked
at his watch and saw that it was al
most twelve o'clock. The bank had
been open two hours. He would be
late for business. Well. he would
hurry.
John had forgotten that he was no
longer cashier of the Droyers' Bank,
he only remembered that he would be
late at his desk. He reached the bank,
walked in. took off his coat and hat
and started to go behind the desk.
Mr.. Knicker confronted him and he
suddenly saw it all again. The note,
the newspaper, and the night before at
Beth's. This man. this benevolent
looking old gentleman who was frown-
ing ut him now, had branded him as a
thief
Its lie. It's lie," he shouted.
Great God. how his head ached. Well,
he had told MIR. Kricker that it was a
lie: he could go now.
them on, and went out into the street.
How was this? This wasn't the city
street he had just left; this was the old
grass-grown lane running before his
old home. How the sun shone. How
the birds sang. There was the yard
with the old farm wagons and hay
stacks standing at one side. and yes
yes-there was the old tortOise-shell
cat summing himself on the fence.
There were the old milk pans. bright
as silver. standing in row on the
grass by the kitchen door, But best
far best of all-there was his mother;
his mother who had lain in the church,
yard up on the hill for ten years. hold
ing out her arms to him.
''Oh. mother! Oh. my dear old
mother!' All was black.
When John regained consciousness
there were many faces around him,
but the light was SO dim that he
couldn't see whether he knew them or
not. He heard some one say. in a soft
voice: "He has opened his eyes"
Then one of the faces leaned forward
and kissed him. 1t was beth.
John. John. don't you know me?'
John lifted his arms and pressed the
sweet face to his breast.
John. here is Mr.. Knicker come to
tell you it is all terrible mistake