Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-01-02

from time to time concerning this.
"Penroyd," he said once, your
thoughts are wandering in Africa"
Penroyd laughed, recovering himself
with 1t start. 'In Asia, Wilkes" he
said. 81 am trying to climb the Chi
nese wall"
Wilkes repeated this conversation to
his wife.
Ned, think something will happen
to help them, don't you?"
81 hope So" said Wilkes.
81 think something is going to hap
pen" said Ned's wife.
young cousin of Mrs. Wilkes re-
turned from winter in Italy, a boyish
young fellow, living from hand to
mouth, and speaking half dozen Ian
guages with equal facility.
On the afternoon of the young fell
lows arrival Penroyd also called at
twenty-nine. He sat on the steps
with Mrs. Wilkes and the visitor. Ned
himself was sprawling in hammock
swung between the little apple tree and
a part of the garden fence. In the
midst of talk and sketching the door
of twenty-six opened. Miss Chandler
stepped out to gather up basket Of
needlework standing in the doorway.
The young cousin was making
sketch III that direction. He caught
glimpse of her and sprang up, shading
his eyes with one hand.
Mon Dieu!" he said.
A moment more and the girl had re-
covered her basket and reentered the
house. The young cousin sat down.
Miss Chandler is living here, then ?"
he observed
"1es. Do you know her?" asked Mrs.
Wilkes, quickly. She looked at Penroyd.
lie was gently stroking the kittens
head with his thumb. One could not
have said that he listened.
Yes, | know her a little. I know a
good deal about her-more than most
people. You know she lived in the
Rue Racine when l was there. Poor
girl, don't know whether it's the same
thing now, but she had n ridiculous
mystery hanging over her head-avoid-
ed meeting the fellows and all that kind
of thing"
ut is just the same at present." OBJ
served Penroyd, calmly.
well, another fellow and myself fer
reted out that little mystery. 1 am
ashamed of the thing now. 1t seems
such an unmanly business. But we kept
it to ourselves"
What was the mystery?" asked Pen
royd.
Her father was in the penitentiarv.
He died there"
Penroyd looked down and continued
his engagement with the kitten. He
gently refused Mrs. Ned's invitation to
supper.
Mrs. Wilkes journal for that day con-
tanned:
went to the opera with Ned and Cousin
Dick. Lohengrin.' 1t was sublime but
didn't enjoy it. I thought every moment
of poor Mr.. Penroyd. wonder what he
thinks of the discovery-of his Chinese
wall as he calls IT, and how he proposed to
scale 1t. She will never marry him If
what Cousin D. said Is true"
The following morning came Pen
royd himself. He found Ned and his
wife in the atelier. The young cousin
had gone down to Charenton for days
sketching.
'Now, don't interrupt your work."
said the visitor. Ned had laid down
his palette and brushes. II just
dropped in for moment. You have
been so good to me, both of you, that
| know you will be anxious to hear the
end of it all. Wilkes and Mrs. Wilkes, it
is finished, and happily. Ihave cleared
the wall of China"
"How?" cried Ned and his wife, in
one breath.
at was all that fortunate chance OF
your cousin. My success has come
throught you, Wilkes and Mrs. Wilkes.
But for your cousins instrumentality
l should be the inmate of some padded
cell After that discovery, however,
things were easy-as easy as breathing
the breath of life. At'seven o'clock
last evening l went to call on Miss
Chandler.
for Australia or some other desert
place, for any land is desert away
from you. | shall haunt you and dog
your footsteps no longer. But before
go let me confess. My dearest one,
know your secret. 1t was that which
made me presumptuous enough to look
into your face. l thought: She has
suffered through her fathers trouble
She will be more mcrciful of mine
had no right to love you, no right to
breathe a word of love into your ears |
Even now it is n crime. was tempt
ed beyond my strength. But now we
are about to part forever, and | will
make my confession. / am not an hon
est man, Edith. l served five years of
penitentiary myself. My own dearest
beg you to forgive me-
dearest she said, If that is true
there is no need for us to part. Why
haven't we been honest together be-
fore and saved ourselves this misery p"
Penroyd finished. lie was sitting on
a couch by the window. He spread out
his long, white hands, and mechanically
raised each finger in succession Mre