Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1891-07-24
tAPORTE, PA, FRIDAY JULY "a, 1891.

took it from 1t sheath, and holding it up
to the light saw that it was sharp. The
demon must have had full possession of
him in that hour, for he smiled as he
observed the glitter of the bright blade.
Placing it in the breast of his waistcoat,
he softly left his room and traversed the
passage. Listening at the door of his
victim. he heard his steady, regular
breathing, and noiselessly unclosing it
he entered and advanced to the bedside.
But his eyes fingered upon the tatle;
he could not withdraw them. They
rested on large family Bible, the gift
of his wife in happier days, and it now
lay open, as the hand of the stranger
must have opened it, to the sixth chap
ter of Matthew. At the top of the page
he saw drawn with a pencil in bold let
ters, but with irregular aud wavering
lines, as if by the hand of child, the
beginning of the thirteenth verse:
"And lead us not into temptation"
A change upon the instant came over
Randolph Perry. His face turned dead
ly pale, his limbs shook so violently that
the light in his hand was extinguished;
and, with all purpose of crime banished
from his heart, he feebly tottered from
the chamber that had witnessed this
strange scene back to his own room,
where he sank on his knees by the bed
side and penitently poured fourth his
soul in secret tn anksgiving to heaven for
his deliverance.
AS Randolph sat at breakfast with his
guest, a chase drove up to the door, and
from it alightcd Mr.. Murch, the hateful
agent. He entered without knocking,
and unceremoniously addressed the old
man, paying no heed to the stranger.
"Your time is up to-day, old fellow,
and if my client still owned the mort
gage, my business here would be to turn
you out But he don't; he's sold it to
somebody whom you'll probably see here
soon enough. | was going by, and
thought I'd call in and congratulate
you"
"Heaven will be done" calculated
Perry covering his face.
''It's just about time it was," Murch
reioined, with heartless insolence.
you've given trouble enought about
that mortgage, and it's quite time you
was set adrift on your travels"
''Leave the house. you scoundrel ]"
roarcd the guest, jumping up angrily and
menacing Murch with his fist.
"And who might you be, my lad2'
the latter sneeringly asked.
II am the owner of the mortgage, and
l am able and willing to punish you for
your cruelty to this old man.
And seizing the agent by his coat
collar with grip of iron, the strong man
spun him about like top-slamming
him with no gentle force against the wall
| till the breath was knocked out of his
body; and then opening the door, ne cast
him out into the wet grass. A minute
later the crcstfallen agent rose and limped
out to his chaise sore and bruised and
humbled in feelings. 1t was his first and
last visit to Northampton.
The stranger reclosed the door and
knelt beside the astonished old man and
took his hands.
Don't you know me, father2" he
asked in trembling voice. "Will yor
take back your prodigal son who de-
serted you so cruelly9 | never was bad
at heart, father; it was Robinson Crusoe,
more than anything else, that made me
run away. I've come back now, after
years of wandering, with money enough
for both of us. l've paid the mortgage,
and want to live with you here, al
Northampton. My heart has beer
yearning to you ever since set foot in the
house; I've been ready to reveal myself q
dozen times, bur it faltered on my lips
Forgive me now, father; forgive me
and let us dwell in peace and forget the
past.
His voice failed him and his head sank
on his fathers knee, and the glad old
man bent over him with streaming eyes,
fondly smoothing his hair and faltering,
"God has given me of His bounty when
| deserved His curse. May my Father in
heaven and my son on earth forgive
mel"