Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-02

don't do things by halves; I'd treat my
father as nv father, and hang the odds
He had pluck. like to think how he was
taken fghtingl Whatever he did, he had
grit, and should be unworthy OF him-no
matter what he did-if played the coward.
1t would be worse than cowsrdly to disown
your father, whatever be had done, and ]
wouldn't disown mine-I'd sooner shoot
myselfi No, I'D take him in, and be a son
10 him for the rest of his days, that's what
I'd do-that's what will do, if ever he gets
out on ticket-otleave, and comes to mep'
Tine young man spoke with feeling and
intensity of which he had exhibited no signs
before, leaning forward with his pipe be-
tween his fingers. The old man held his
breath.
"But it would be devilish Awkward" he
added frankly. People would remember
what they've been good enough to forget;
and everybody would know what now
next to none know. In this country, thank
God, the man is taken for what the man is
worth-his father neither helps nor binders
: him, when once he's gone. So I've man.
aged to take my own part, and to get on
we'll, thanks to my own luck. Yes, it would
be devilish awkward; but L stand by him,
before Heaven, wouldp'
The old man breathed hard.
81 don't know how I've come to say so
much to you, though you did know my
father" added Deverell, with q sudden
change of tone. ''It isn't my way at all. 1
needn't tell you that from tomorrow for.
ward you're the same as any other man to
me. And if you ever go to see my father.
you must BOT tell him all have said to
you about what, as you say, is never likely
to happen. But you may tell him-you
may tell him 1 am glad he was taken fight
ing"
The old man was once more quite calm.
81 shall never see your father again. No
more will you," he said slowly and solemn
ly; "for your father is deadI promised
him to find YOU out when my time was up,
aud to tell you. have taken my own way
of breaking the news to you. Forgive me,
sir; but couldn't resist Just seeing, first of
all, if it would cut you up very bsdlyI'
Deverell did not notice the quiet bitter
ness of the last words. He smoked his pipe
out in silence. Then he said: "God rest
himi Perhaps it's for the best As for
you. you've billet at Dandong for the rest
of your days, if you like to take and keep it.
Let us turn ill.,"
The worn moon rose very late, and
skinned behind the pines, but never rose
clear of them, and was down before dawn.
1t shone family upon the two men lying
side by side, packed up each in blanket
Deverell in the better one. From the other
blanket hand would steal out from time
to time, group tremulously over Deverell's
back, lie minute, and then be gently with
drawn. Long before dawn, however, the
old man noiselessly arose and rolled
up his swag. He packed up
everything that he had brought-every-
thing except the better blanket. Over that
be smiled, as though it was an intense
pleasure to him to leave it behind, Tapped
round the unconscious form of Deverell.
Just before going, when the swag was on his
back, he stopped down once and put his face
very close to that of Deverell. The worn
moon glimmered through the pines upon
them both. The faces were strangely alike,
only Deverells was smiling sweetly in his
Dreams while the others shone moist with
A few minutes later the gates in the
Dandong boundary-fence closed for the last
time upon the iaiI-bird tramp, and
Deverell's father was dead indeed-to
Deverell. Lucky for Deverell, of course.
But then he was the luckiest man in the
whole colonv. Didn't he say so himself?-
S. w. Hornung in Strand Magazine.