Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1900-12-06

manage now?
But Tom Fairlight, be It said to his
credit, took 1t extremely well. He
agreed hat it wasn't possible for his
wife to have done anything but bring
the stranger home, and he ever agreed
to share with her h task Of nursing.
Nearly a week passed before their
visitor regained consciousness, and
then he merely asked where he was,
gave a grunt of annoyance, and went
to sleep again for fifteen hours.
AS the master of the house said.
Anything more dashed unsatisfac-
tory" he never knew.
However, at the end of a fortnight
the stranger contrived to dress him.
self and get downstairs. He said his
name was King, and he would Xix to
be off next morning-but could he
thank his host and hostess for all their
kindness?
He was a f~rank-looking, gentlemanly
nj of about one and twenty,
and was evidently sorely trouble and
embarrassed as to how to express his
gratitude properly. When Mrs. Fair
light found him he had been knocked
on the head by footpads, and robbed
Of his watch and loose money. Luck
lily though, he had a hundred ellar
sewn in the lining of his coat. Would
MI. dII4fSuL hl1IOly aCCCPI lI1oS, vi al
any rate part of it, to reimburse him.
self for out-of-pocket
Something In the lads face appealed
to them both. Between them they had
nursed him when death seemed to have
already marked him out as a victim
and with a glance into each others
Eyes they decided at once.
1T won accept a cent" said Thomas
Fairlight, gruf1y, glad to have been
Of service"
st should think not said Mrs. Fair
light with proper Indignation. Just as
If We would take any money"
| Perhaps they had forgotten that doc
tors bill; certainly they were a most
iKpr0vident young couple.
Sc 1t ended in Mr.. King-Rennard
King he said his name waS-shaking
! them both by the hand and slipping a
little gilt ring, which he said had once
been his mothers, on Mrs. Fairffght's
| finger, and saying goodbye. He had
no intention Of ever returning to that
! village he told them and, as his face
flushed scarlet as he spoke, they for
bore to ask any further questions.
So. Mr.. King walked off with his
| money, happily unconscious of the
misery he was causing. He had cost
them more in a couple Of weeks than
they would have spent on themselves
In as many mOntnS.
For some time things were worse
than ever, and the kindly, observant
neighbors remarked that Mr.. and Mrs.
Fairlight looked remarkably pale and
hin-almost as if they didn't have
enough to eat, poor things! A house Of
misfortune, indeed.
At last MI. Fairlight secured some
kind of agency, which just suff1ced to
keep them from starving. In addition
~-
sic pupil-twelve lessons of an hour
each for ten do1lars-which, as Tom
said, was his coming into a fortune.
It was on the very day that h re-
ceived this colossal remuneration that
Mrs. Fairlight betook herself to the
city with the intention of spending half
of it on a present for Toms birthday.
It was a scarf-pin of simple design
displayed in a well-known jewellers
window that caught her eye, and with
a little gasp at her own
she determined to buy it.
Her knees shook as she entered the
huge shop, and walking up to the
counter asked very timid1y to see a
few scarf-pins about-f1ve dollars each,
please.
To her immense relief the solemn
young man behind the counter did not
smile at her modest demand, but was
as graVe1y pOlIlO DIS ii SIc Ido ohOo l
see a few diamond tiaras.
While she was selecting her purchase
in the careful, deliberate way that wo-
men Love. she noticed that an old gen
tleman at the back Of the shop, who
seemed to be it's proprietor, was watch
ing her narrowly. With a wonaan's
she observed, too, that he
was not looking at her, but at her fin
gers. Surely he had not mistaken her
t. &c if io crTT 70
her thought, and just as she had pur-
chased the coveted pin, he came for
ward, and with a slight air of com
mand, said, "Wi1l you oblige me by
coming into my Office, madam"
Too frightened to disobey, she fol-
lowed him.
pardon my r~udeness," he said, but
may I ask where you obtained that
ringT
He pointed sternly to the little gilt
one which Mr.. King had given her as a
keep sake.
s.It was given to me by a friend"
she stammered. Then little by little she
told him the whole story.
Gradually his face relaxed
she had finished he said, THAT little
ring belonged to my wife. I gave it to
her when Twas an apprentice. The
boy you sheltered was my son.. I drove
him away by accusing him wrongfully
of being concerned in the theft of some
jewelry from the stock. It was only a
short time ago that I discovered who
was really guilty"
ooh, I am sure he would never STEAL"
said Mrs. Fair1ight eagerly.
st wish I had your faith, my dear"
said the old gentleman with a twinkle
of moisture in his eyes. you say he
was going to Eng and probably to a
distant relative of mi :"
Then he rang for a cable form, and
with a firm hand wrote out a long mes
sage. imploring the lad to return, and
forgive the injustice that had been
done to him.