Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1897-06-17


tiOnal.
Here's the very letter Maxwell de-
clared he had received from Lightbody
along with the check. His reference
to it, as he couldn't produce it, did him
more harm than good; but believe it's
genuine, upon my word, do. Listen;
it's dated from the Hollies, Lightbody's
private address:
"My Dear MAXWELL have just
heard from the doctor that my time
here will be very short, and l am try
ing to arrange my affairs as quickly
as possible. have long recognized the
unostentatious but thorough and en-
tirely satisfactory manner in which
you have discharged your duties, and
as some little and perhaps too tardy
recognition of your long and faithful
services, and as token of my personal
esteem for you. hope you will accept
the inclosed check for f250 With best
wishes for your future, believe me,
yours sincerely.
THOMAS LIGHTBODY.
"What do you think of it? I'll send
it round to MaXwell's solicitor at once"
"Oh, Matthew, then the poor fellows
innocent, after all?"
1T looks like it. If the letter Is genu-
inc he certainly is. There, don't look
miserable again. I'm sure it is. If it
had been forgery you may be sure it
would have been ready for production
at moments notice. Where did you
get this letter, little grip
Dorothy blushed guiltily and hung
her head.
Il took it out of pas desk-I wanted
some paper to draw on, and l took it
without asking. You won't tell him,
will you? He'll be ever so cross"
well, we may perhaps have to let
him know about it, my dear, but l don't
think he'll be bit cross. Now. this
lady will take you to your mother, and
you can tell her that papa won't go to
prison, and that he'll be home to-mor-
row night"
May l-may I say good-by to Tom
my. please?" she faltered.
You sweet little thing!" exclaimed
his wife, kissing her impulsively.
"Tommy's going with you" said the
Judge, laughing kindly. II wouldn't
deprive you of Tommy's company for
Tommy's weight in gold. fancy there
are limits to the pleasure which Tom
my and l would derive from each 9th
er's society. There. run away, and take
Tommy with yOu.'
Dorothy eagerly pursued the fat pup
py, captured him after an exciting
chase and took him in her arms. Then
she walked toward the door. but the
corner of her eye rested wistfully on
the contents of the brown paper parcel.
The Judge hastily gathered the toys,
rolled them in the paper and present
ed them to her. But Dorothy looked
disappointed. The thought of giving
them to purchase her fathers pardon
had been sweet as well as bitter. She
was willing to compromise in order to
escape the pang that the loss of Tom
my and the doll and the paint box and
other priceless treasures would have
inflicted, but she still wished-poor lit
tie epitome of our complex human ma
ture-to taste the joy of heroic self-sac-
rlfice. Besides, she was afraid that
the Judge might after all refuse to par
don her father if she took away all the
gifts with which she had ATTEMPTED
to propitiate him.
She put the parcel on the chair and
opened it out. Holding the wriggling
puppy in her arms, she gazed at her
treasures, trying to make up her mind
which she could part with that would
be sufficiently valuable in the Judges
eyes to accomplish her purpose. Final
ly she selected the sheep and presented
the luxuriantly woolly, almost exas-
peratingly meek-looking animal, to the
Judge.
You may have that and the pretty
picture for being kind to papa" she
said, with the air of one who confers
inestimable favors.
He was about to decline the honor.
but, catching his wife's eyes, he meek
ly accepted it, and Dorothy and the
puppy and the brown paper parcel dis
appeared through the door
well, WELL" said the Judge with a
queer smile as he placed the fluffy
"hite sheep on the mantelpiece, II
never thought l should be guilty of ac
cepting bribe, but we never know
what we may come to-"
Inc next day Maxwell was acquitted
ana assured by the Judge that he left
the court without a stain upon his char
aeter. The following Christmas Doro-
thy received brown parcel containing
Toys OF the most wonderful description
frAlll a L 81.