Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1900-03-01
THE RETURN OF The
DISINHERITED.

ing, but what was Ii that she heard
Surely some one was moving softly
over the heavy carpet.
"Who's thereY' cried the girl.
The only answer was a sound of
scurrying of feet. Some one was hurry
ing toward the door communicating
with the conservatory. Instantly the
knob clicked sharply, but the door did
not open because it was locked, as Miss
Acton well knew
The girl had an impulse to scream
and another to run away, but her
strongest desire was for light. She
feared darkness more than the mystery
that it hid.
1t required less time than the tick of
a clock for her to turn on the gas in
the drop light and strike the match
that was ready in her hand The gas
was ignited with explosive sudden
ness. All that was in the room seemed
to leap into being out of vanishing
shadows
With his back against the conSerya-
tory door and his outstretched hands
upon the wall as if to steady him,
stood n young man, tall. lean and pale
He wore long black overcoat, but it
was hung open and revealed the garb
of a convict
do not be alarmed" she said. Il
know who you are and | will not be-
tray you. Sit down, and we will decide
what is best to do
II read in newspaper that you had
escaped" she said, but l did not sup
pose that you'd dare to come here.
Yet l believe that your father expected
you and went away to avoid the risk of
meeting you
The convict said nothing, but the in
tensity of his facial expression was
distinct contribution to the CONVERSE
ton.
you don't understand" said the
girl. Probably you don't know who
am. Let me tell you the whole stua-
ton in a few words. You knew of
your fathers second marriager'
Certainly"
HE married my aunt, and | came
here to live with them by your faith
er's great kindness. We knew that he
had sou, and that his name could
not be mentioned in this house, but
neither my aunt nor myself had the
slightest knowledge of the cause of the
estrangement between you and him. 1t
was only by accident that found out
where you were"
10
Through your letter to him last
spring-the one he returned unopened.
1 noticed the Sing Sing postmark on
1t when it came. OF course / did not
then know ii was from you. but he
wrote the return direction upon the
envelope. He sat Mt this table, and
afterward | say upon the blotter part
of the address reversed, of course. but
legible, The State Prison. and your
middle name, Irving"
Arthur Irving Vane. Well?"
Then | knew that you were a con
vict, and it was easy to guess that your
crime and disgrace had caused your
father to renounce you. But let me
tell you of secret; he loves you yet
L know it; | am sure of it; and that Is
why / am going to help you tonight,
though he would never forgive me if
he knew it"
And you read of my escape:"
Yes; l read few days ago that q
convict named Irving had escaped with
two others. | knew, of course, that
you had dropped your last name for
your familys sake when you were ar
rested"
There was moments silence. Then
the young man leaned forward with
his face close to hers, and asked in a
low, intense voice, What are you go
ing to do for me?'
What do you need?' she asked.
Food? a hiding place.
He spang to his feet so suddenly that
the girl was frightened almost to the
point of crying.
Money, money! he whispered.
That's what l need. With money
l can get out of this country and
begin new life on the other side of
the world. If l go back to prison il
will kill all the good that's i'm me. Ii
L don't-if | get clean away-who
knows what | can make of myselfY'
II believe there is much truth in
what you say" she replied. IF |
could have advised you l~fore you
broke out of prison / would have adj
vised you to serve out your sentence
and then begin life anew. But know
that IL you are captured now you will
have TO serve years and years in ad.
dition to your original sentence. / can.
not ask you to do that. 1t Is very
wrong of me, but shall help you to es
cape. How much money do you need 2
"More than you can get. I'm afraid,
said he gloomily. Il must make Aus
tralia somehow"
There was n safe built into the wal
of the library. Miss Acton walked ur
to it, turned the knob of the combina
ton lock and swung open the iron door
Within was second door of thin meta
which the girl opened by means of Q
key that she took from her pocket.
There were books of accounts oil
each side of the safe within. and be
tween them three little drawers, will
pigeonholes above and below. Miss
Acton took n roll of money from thu
lowest of the drawers and handed II {,
the convict, who counted IL rapidly.
-Four hundred" said he. Il cal
never do II with this"
ct 10 all that belongs to me-" sh