The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-11-05

A
sudden indisposition. He was now de-
termined to see matters through.
| Suddenly there was ring at the Dell.
ga telegram, said Barker aloud. "Per-
| haps to say that father and mother can't
come, How provoking but inwardly
he rejoiced with an exceeding joy. He
tore open the envelope, and the sight OF
that telegram nearly occasioned him
relapse:
| We are coming home. Mrs. Van Lith quite
| sick. Expect us tonight. P. VAN LTIH.
ssThat settles it," muttered Barker.
"If ever Van Lith gets into this house
I'm done for. He's as straight as a
string. And his wife-well, she wouldn't
| tolerate such a fraud as this for a mo-
ment."
There was no time to consult Evelyn.
| He must act at once.
He went out in the hall. The boy was
| still there.
"Eave you telegraph blank with
your he asked
| eyes, SIR"
Then he wrote:
| Don't come. Smallpox in the house. Evelyn,
\ I and the servants are in quarantine Am
| writing CHARLES BARKER.
The boy looked at the telegram, read
| ii and bounded to the sidewalk. He
didn't stop until he reached the corner
| Barker was now desperate. He was
in such a state of mind and had 30 far
committed himself that he was ready
for anything, .
His parents arrived from Boston in
time for lunch. He received them roy
ally. He partook of deep potations.
He laughed with his new father from
Denver; he slapped his old father from
| Boston on the back. They all got very
| Jolly. Dinner was right merry meal.
The ladies had retired to the drawing
| room. The two old gentlemen had
made terrific inroads on Van Lith's
wines. They each took hand of
| Bankers in theirs and swore he was the
| jolliest fellow in the world.
"And you like me all the better be-
cause I'm well fxedw laughed Barker
Historically.
erich or poor" said Mr.. Hanson, of
Denver, sit wouldn't make any differ
ence to me. Only give me an honest
man and one who speaks the truth, for
despise liar"
Then Mr.. Barker, feeling that the
| time had come, arose somewhat I'M
| steadily on his legs and faced the gen
| tleman from Denver, who was mellow
and smiling with wine.
"You have right to despise me, then,
Mr.. Hanson, for 1 am a hypocrite and
the biggest liar on the face of the earth. .
| The old man started as if he had been
/ shot. Something in the expression of
| his son-in-law's face told him that this
was no joke, but that he was speaking
| the truth.
ssYou amt bin tellin us wrong about
your forching, have ye?" he asked slow
/ ". relapsing into the vernacular of his
early mining days, and with his face
gradually growing purple with anger.
Charlie Barker, for answer, put his
hand in his pocket, and drawing out !,
solitary twenty dollar bill he laid it on
the table.
"That's every cent own in the
world" he replied.
"But this house, all this fine furni-
| tur'," almost pleaded the old man.
sThat's yourn, amt it,"
ssNot stick of it. FITS the house of a
friend of mine, and haven't a penny
worth of interest in it.
Mr.. Hanson, of Denver, staggered
back from the table.
| "You sooundrel," he was beginning,
ssto go and steal my dorter;" but some
thing in the young fellows face stopped
him; something in the attitude of the
| old gentleman from Boston, who had
| crept close to his sons side and passed
his arm lovingly about him. The words
| Of abuse died away on Mr.. Hansons lips.
You must ha' bin dreadfully afraid
of me to hev done this" he said instead.
81 was And as if it was relief to
him to speak the truth again, the young
/ fellow repeated the words. 81 was
| but am no Longer"
| Mr.. Hanson looked for minute stead
lily at his son-in-law. Despite the fact
| that he was cruelty disappointed, he
could not but admire the audacity of
| the New Yorker.
"Gosh all hemlock!" he exclaimed.
eff give you chance you will come
out to Denver and make a man of your
| self"
.sYou bet T will"
ssI must do my share of this" spoke
up the man from Boston, his arm still
around his sons waist. "I'll tell you
what I'll do, Mr.. Hanson. If you'll
give Charlie an interest in your bust
ness I'll put capital enough back of him
to make it an object"
.iIt's gor' cried the man from Den
yer, and he put out his hand to the other
across the table.
The man from Boston seized it and
shook it heartily.
"Then we forgive him, don't we, both
| of us?'
won't some one forgive me, too?
asked musical voice from the door
way. "Im half forgiven already. I've
just confessed to mother in the drawing
| room"
eyes, We'll include you," answered old
| man Hanson tsand YOUR mother as well