The Helena independent., 1892-04-17

it was the unlocked ssreen-door that had
made Florence exclairs. She hooked it,
and then continued hes tour of investiga-
ton. On her way she sat down at Aunt
Margarst's desk and wrote a note. She
should not see Aunt Margaret until after
school the next day. Out of the abundance
Of her heat she wrote and then left the
note upon the outside OF the desk SO Aunt
Margaret should find it when she came
home at night.
The house still had very empty feeling.
she did not mind it at all, and sang as she
went about, setting her thoughts to
snatches of tunes.
He that is faithful. faithful.
In that. IN that which is least,
He shall be faithful, faithful,
Faithful also in much.'
caroled Florence; and again and again the
words rang out clearly in sweet young
voice.
The man in the closet heard, at first
without listening, but soon with an intent
ear and changing face. blast the grip
he muttered under his breath, "why don't
she go 'long about her business?''
But Florence had seen few things to be
done, and all the time she was singing, with
countless trills and warbles:
He that is faithful,
Faithful in the least,
In every little thing,
Shall attain to faithfulnass,
Shall attain to fathfulness.''
Tho man in tho closet, who heard all,
saw vision while he listened, vision of a
boy with much labor fastening up motto
on the wall at the foot of the bed in pretty
room. What was the motto? Oh! that
girls voice had sung it out clearly enough:
"Faithful and True All the boyish ardor
and high impulse Of that time came back to
the degraded man hidden i'll the closet and
only waiting opportunity to commit crime.
Low as he had sunk he had never entered a
house for the purpose of theft. He would
probably have gone away this time had he
found that screen door fastened. But the
temptation of so easy. safe and profitable a
robbery had broken the last cord which
held him to honesty.
''Shall attain to faithfulness," warbled
a few moments she was down again, and
taking her sohoolbooks for the next day,
went out OF the front door.
The man was alone in the house again.
He came out of the closet. But he did not
carry on his plans. His only thought was
to get away quickly. In his haste he
brushed against desk and Florence's note
fell to the floor. He picked it up, and as
he held it in his clumsy fingers he caught a
few words here and there.
Hastily replacing it. he let himself out
the front door, as Florence had, disappear
ing Immediately in the shrubbery about
the porch. He lay there long time think
ing over Florence's song:
"Shall at last, at last
Attain to faithfulness,"
His heart leaped up at last suddenly.
He would try.
The picnic party reached home lust nj
dark. Ruth could not say enough Of tn,
jolly good times. Florence heard it al
serene and undisturbed; and when, lust
hnfNr how pOif trhA P,,%1
suddenly, Florence as long as you found
everything all right and nothing had hap.
pened. even if the door was open, DOM
you think it would have been just rs we'll il
you had waited and come home with the
rest of us2' she answered slowly:
"Perhaps-for the house."
Then, with a sudden impulse, she added
"But, lsuthie. know it wouldn't have beer
as we'll for--me."
just then tho train whistle sounded
shrlily through the still summer night.
Aunt Margaret stepped from that train
and as she did 30 she caught her foot
| tripped, and would have fallen had it OF
been been that a rough looking man sprang ant
| caught her just in time. 1t was a bad
place for fall. as the road was being re-
paired there, and this man was the only
person near enough to have saved her. AZ
| she looked up to thank him she noticed
! one coat sleeve was cut off at the elbow
/
! dirty red handkerchief.
In Il moment more he was on board nnt
Aunt Margaret was going toward home.
AS soon as she had II light Miss Thayel
discovered Florence's note and read it.
"Poor little Floss!' she said tendcrly.
In folding the note ngain she noticed ,
large grlmy spot on each side of it. as if i
had been taken between a very dirty tbumt
and finger.
"How strangew thought Aunt Margaret
turning the note over and over. She stooe
looking at tho finger-marl,s for some mo,
ments, then reused herself. "How foolish
OF course nobody has touched it. l won
give it another thought"
Nevertheless she made tour of TIL,
house. Everything proved to be right, nnt
Aunt Margaret laughed At herself 70
I the underlined fear over tho finger mark 81
note.
y "
And did they never find out about thu
burglar?
They never did.
Florence probably thinks to this day thn
it is only IN Htorien' that Il girls doing
affect the tide OF events in any direct man.
ner. EM1IIr PotyssoN.
Copyright.