Iron County register., 1897-10-07

came hurrying down presently. her
heart all a-flutter with agitation.
Harold, have you found it?" she
asked, huskily.
He bowed his head, and the glow OF
triumphant satisfaction on his face was
pitiful. He led his sister gently along
the hall to the old rotting stooP. Here
they sat down in the crimson glow OF
sunrise, and Harold opened the paper
and read:
Dear Wife: In trying to atone for one
sin have been guilty of another-perhaps
a greater. But. when you know all. am
sure you will forgive me- / VIII be orlei.
When a child I was left an orphan. A
wealthy and childless couple adopted me;
I was reared in luxury, and when oio
enough I was sent of to college. WnlIe
there I made the acquaintance OF some
dfssipated young men, and soon learned
to drink and gamble. II was not long until
was deeply involved in deot-oeots oL
honor. as they were called. was ashamed
to ask my foster-father for the large sums
I needed but being threatened with eX-
posure I promised to satisfy my creditors
on my return from vacation, if they Would
wait.
Banks were not as common then as now
and I had learned that my father kept ms
keys he always carried with him. Ihe
night before I was to return to school
I stole to his room and secured theh.
had intended to take only sufc1ent sum
to pay my debts, but when the chest with
its treasure lay open before my eyes
wicked impulse overmastered me and
decided that it all should be mine. packed
the money in my portmanteau, locked the
box. fastened the study door, returned the
keys to my fathers pockets, and, returning
,.~f nth
ing of day. 1t CHANGED the following morn
ing it being q busy season, that a servant
could not be spared to drive me over 10
the railroad. 1 was to go over alone anu
the team sent for later.
There was a swollen stream on my
route. and as l drove in sight a scheme oc-
CURED to me that l had not thought OF
stopped the buggy at the waters euge'
and, lifting my grip to the roadslde' @ @Gast
the refns over the dashboard, ana theh
gave the horses a cutting lash. Ihey
plunged with a bound into the muddy
water. I watched them until they reached
the further shore, and then concealed my
self in the woods. They would think me
drowned and mourn me as dead.
THAT night I walked to a distant Sta-
ton and took a train for the west AFTER
years of aimless wandering, ever stung
with remorse, l came to this place ana
opened my farm. / resolved to make Wnat
restitution was possible, the larger part
ing been squandeTed. So scant was the
living that 1 took from my farm that l
soon became known as Miser F'urgis- was
glad, for it made me more secure IN my
purpose and my concealment- L sent the
proceeds of each years crop to the widow
of nav foster-father, for he had died soon
after my flight. l have, at last, returned
every dollar of the stolen money, ana the
farm, free from incumbrance, is yours.
This is my story. I need not speak of the
remorse, the fear, the suppressed love that
I have felt all the sad years ForglVe me-
and think of me as your loving husband,
"J. H. FURGIS."
The paper fell fiuttering to the steps.
\ breath of air caught and whirled
it out over the tangled weeds. Harold
gazed for a moment toward the sunrise
that fared red above the treetops, then
his head sank to his knee and groan
burst from his lips. His sister was
weeping silently, her head on his arm.
MotionIess, silent they sat for minutes,
then Hettie, looking up through her
tears, said softly: Brother, l never
dreamed that it would be like this"
There was no answer. He rose and
staggered into the shadow of the door
way.
For weeks there was not sign of life
about the old ruins. But one bright
morning Harold came forth a new man,
and went energetically to work. Now
the tenant houses are occupied, the farm
blossoms as the rose," and a handsome
modern structure crowns the eminence.
Harold and Hettie found where their
treasure lay hid.-N. o. Times-Demo-
crat.