Connecticut western news., 1896-07-16
FOR ANOTHER'S SIN.

FOR MOTHERS SIN.
 Sir Mortimer Barbican was an old man, one of the old types of English aristocrats-fery, imperious and inor- 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, learned. had had @ 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. shabbily dressed, with a reckless albeit handsome face, stood on the doorstep and scanned me nerv- ously as I looked questioningly at him.
 'Is my--is Sir Mortimer Barbican disengaged?" he asked huskily.
 ,"Yes, sir," answered. Twill you please come in?"
 "Is there any one in the ibrary?"
 "No, sir. Y"
 "Then show me in and tell your mas ter must sec him."
 "Very we'll, sirl What name shall give?"
 "Oh, never mind the namel He'll know me fast enough" he added bit terly.
 Sir Mortimer looked up in a surprised way when I communicated to him that visitor had arrived and wished to see him. He opened the door and strode in- to the room.
 "Fatherl''
 That was all One short, despairing cry, and father and son stood face to face once more.
 A gray, drawn look stole over my master's face as for brief moment be stood eying the prodigal who had so mysteriously reappeared. Then he found his tongue. "So it is you, you houndp' he said, his features working strangely, while there was tone of suppressed rage in his voice; "it is you, is it? Have you forgotten how we parted? Have you for gotten," his voice rising ominously, ever to step in my house again? Be off before I forget myself and whip you out, as you deserve"
 ''I will speak, cried the younger man. "As there is God in heaven, I | am innocent But since you will not l hear me, will not try to save you, May it be on your own head, and may you reap as you have sownl But you will l have the comforting assurance of know ing that you have sent me to the devil, and I curse youP' And, striding from i the room, the younger man passed out | into the hall.
 hastened to open the door for him. As he was passing out into the night he i turned.
 "You are stranger to me" 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 It is a 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 $ name to me again under pain of instant dismissal That is all ''
 It was with some feeling of trepida- tion that 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 I came to be in this plight. Some years ago 8 forged check in my fathers name was discovered. Suspicion at once fell CD me, and, though innocent, I 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 thought hat none worth speaking of-had done his work we'll. 1 became frequenter of ths turf, gambler, and nearly-but, thanl heaven, not quite-a thief. Twas tempt ed some few weeks ago to join a banG of burglars who contemplated robbins my fathers house. But though I haC sunk low I was not quite bad enougl for that, and, overcome with remorse, determined to seek an audience witt my father and warn him of his danger The result of that interview you know and"-
 Here he broke off abruptly, quee break in his voice.
 . will pass over the rest of our con versation and merely state the plal which the remorse stricken man hat formed to checkmate the robbers.
 must explain that at the back of th
 house was a courtyard, shut in on thre' sides by the kitchen premises of tn
 house It was a small window-that o the pantry-which was to be the mod
 of ingress. Young Mir. Geoffrey-tha
 was the sons name-was to lead th
 burg lars in their enterprise. He woul, conduct them through the window, an'
 then, with the aid of myself and Si q Mortimer, whom I was to apprise o
 the robbers advent, would help to over
 power the others, two desperadoes, flo
 they had not wished to have too man,
 concerned in the job.
 t Friday came, and it was, am boun
 to confess, with no slight feelings of ap U prehension that looked forward to tn U work which was before me, for l wa no fighting man. Of course l had no
 mentioned the meditated robbery to th
 baronet, for that would have spoiled ev ,f erything.
 e At 12 o'clock stole noiselessly dow
 to the kitchen and quietly waited til
 the burglars should arrive. l had no
 long to wait. I beard the muffled soun