The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1896-03-04
FOR ANOTHER'S SIN.

dinately proud of the integrity of his
name and ancestry. AT the time went
into his employ, years ago now, he was
living alone with his only daughter at
his family seat in Worcestershire.
A strange looking, tall lady was Miss
Linda Barbican, with large, black eyes
and pale, hard set features, bearing the
traces of some inward sorrow.
Sir Mortimer, l learned, had had q
son, whom he had disinherited and dis
owned, owing to some act which had
brought dishonor ON the name of Barbi-
can, and he forbade all mention of the
scapegrace of the family.
A young man, stability dressed, with
reckless albeit handsome face, stood
ON the doorstep and scanned me nerv-
ously as looked questioningly at him.
"Is my-is Sir Mortimer Barbican
disengaged?" he asked huskily.
eyes, SIR" answered. Twill you
please come IMP"
is there any one in the library?'
"No, sir -
"Then show me in and tell your mas
ter must see him.
VERY well, sir! What name shall
give?"
ooh, never mind the name! He'll
know me fast enough" he added bit,
terly.
Sir Mortimer looked up in a surprised
way when communicated to him that
visitor had arrived and wished to see
him. He opened the door and strobe in
to the room.
Father! 70
That was all. Ono short, despairing
cry, and father and son stood face tc
face once more.
A gray, drawn look stole over my
masters face as for brief moment he
stood eying the prodigal who had SC
mysteriously reappeared. Then he found
his tongue.
$50 it is you, you hound" he said,
his features working strangely, while
there was a tone of suppressed rage in
his voice. cit is you, is it? Have you
forgotten how we parted? Have you for.
gotten" his voice rising ominously,
chow cast you off and forbade you
ever to step in my house again9 Be of
before l forget myself and whip you
out, as You deserve. Z"
Il will speak, cried the younger
man. "As there is a God in heaven,
am innocent But since you will MOI
hear me, l will not try to save you. May
it be ON your own head, and may yot
reap as you have sowni But you viii
have the comforting assurance Of know
ing that you have sent me to the devil,
and l curse youP' And, striding from
the room, the younger man passed out
into the hall.
fastened to open the door for him.
As he was passing out into the night he
turned.
"You are q stranger to me, f" he said
after brief space, but your face looks
like an honest one. If you can contrive
it, meet me tomorrow. about this time,
at the drive gate. 1t is matter of life
and death.
The next morning after breakfast Sir
Mortimer turned to me and said:
"If you value your situation here,
Parkin, you will bear this in mind: Not
word Of what you saw and heard last
night, and never mention my-my son S
name to me again under pain of instant
dismissal That is all. -
1t was with some feeling of trepida-
ton that I repaired to the trysting place
that same evening to await the arrival
of the disinherited son. Having inquired
my name, he began:
"You must first know how came to
be in this plight. Some years ago a
forged check in my fathers name was
discovered. Suspicion at once fell on
me, and, though innocent, was at once
branded as guilty by my father. He did
not wish to have the family name drag
ged into court, so he took the easier
course of disinheriting me and casting
me off entirely. My enemy, whoever he
was--and heaven knows L thought had
none worth speaking of-had done his
work well. became frequenter of the
turf, gambler, and nearly-but, thank
heaven, not quite--a thief. was tempt
ed some few weeks ago to join band
Of burglars who contemplated robbing
my fathers house. But though l had
sunk low / was not quite bad enough
for that, and, overcome with remorse,
determined to seek an audience with
my father and warn him of his danger.
The result Of that interview you know,
and''-
Here he broke off abruptly, queer
break in his voice.
will pass over the rest of our con-
versation and merely state the plan
which the remorse stricken man had
formed to checkmate the robbers.
must explain that at the back of the
house was courtyard, shut in OH three
sides by the kitchen premises of the
house. 1t was small window-that of
the pantry-which was to be the mode
of ingress. Young Mr.. Geoffrey-that
was the sons name-was to lead the
burglars in their enterprise. He would
conduct them through the window, and
then, with the aid Of myself and Sir
Mortimer, whom I was to apprise Of
the robbers advent, would help to over
power the others, two desperadoes, for
they had not wished to have too many
concerned in the job.
Friday came, and it was, / am bound
to confess. with no slight feelings of APP
prehension that looked forward to the
work which was before me, for l was
no fighting man. OF course I had not
mentioned the meditated robbery to the
baronet, for that would have spoiled ev-
erything.
At 10 clock stole noiselessly down
to the kitchen and quietly waited till
the burglars should arrive. / had not
long to wait. heard the mutfied sound
which warned me that they cad COM
menced operations, and, slipping away
as noiselessly as had come, departed
to apprise my master of the outrage on
his property.