Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-10-22

| erty had no right to do so. Indeed,
| you were in fault for not learning the
responsibility of the party when you
made the purchase. l shall not force
you to move away until you have sutii-
ciently recovered to do so. l am
kind man at heart, you see, Mr.. Wash
burn"
| Then "kind- hearted HoSkins
smirked and bowed, and let the cot
tage.
The deacon was half-crazed by the
situation. He could not afford to
carry on an expensive legal suit, with
the probability of being defeated in
the end.
Charlie and Joe were In no situation
to assist him; and Mrs. Washburn
was more weak and tremulous than
ever before.
There seemed to be no alternative.
They must give up their home and
go-whither?
a week dragged away.
Then letter came to Deacon Wash
burn, written In a scrawly business
hand, 1t was pithy affair." and as
| follows:
Il read in newspaper that one AL
| bert Hoskins disputed the legality of
Joseph Washburn's title to the home
and land which the latter was sup
| posed to own. Knowing Mr.. Hoskins
to be ON INSCRIPTIONS villain, | will
come to Centrevllle, and legally op-
| Ia lni, IN, hnh
Respectfully, etc,
Lansing, Attorney Law"
A sort of Joy choBed the voice of
| Petronilla as she read the singular let
ter aloud to Mr.. Washburn.
But who is this Lansing? Another
fraud, it is likely" exclaimed the old
man, not daring to believe a turn in
his fortunes to be possible.
perhaps not, Uncle Joe; we mustn't
give up in that way, for I do not be-
| lieve God has forgotten u.s." exclaimed
Pet, stroking the silver-gray locks of
her benefactor.
"That's so, child. At any rate, this
Lansing can't do any worse by us
than Hoskins will. and we might as
well accept his aid, if he has any to
offer"
So it was settled.
Within week a civil suit in the
courts began, which Deacon Wash
burn was not able to attend.
| But he learned that Lansing, the
lawyer who had volunteered aid was
n brilliant young man, and that AL
! bert Hoskins dared not push his claims
after the attorney had presented the
other side of the case.
The claimant seemed to stand great
| ly in fear of his opponent, and a ru-
NOR was circulated that Hosliins was
guilty of numerous crooked transac-
lions, of which the young lawyer
threatened to convict him.
So after n single days trial, the
case was decided, and Deacon Wash
burns title to his hard-earned pos
sessions pronounced genuine.
Early in the evening after the trial
knock sounded upon the door of the
| Washburn cottage.
Pet answered the summons, fling
ing the door open wide.
A tall, dark bearded stranger crossed
the threshold, and pair of handsome
eyes looked down upon Petronilla.
She uttered little gasp, her cheeks
flushing slightly, and then becoming
as white as death.
"It is-Harry!" she managed to ar
ticulate.
yes, Pet. So you had not quite for
gotten the face of the black sheep?"
returned his deep, musical tones
Forgotten you" terminating her ex-
clamation with little scream of Joy.
Then adding, in a bewildered sort
of way:
But l supposed you were dead, and
we had been mourning for you all
these years. Is it really, truly, our
Harry"
The young man laughed softly.
mo, l did not perish in the great
| disaster upon the Hudson, though it
was by almost Il miracle that l es-
capped. The report of my death was
contradicted afterward, and had | not
supposed that you read it l should
|
of fathers misfortunes in n news
paper. and thought it about time for
the black sheep to return and redeem
his reputation. SO | wrote to father,
signing as Lansing. And | trust that
shall receive welcome this time
| have been very homesick for a long,
long time, for | wanted to see mother.
father. the boys and you, little Pet
That was all he said to her then.
With a Joyous light shining from her
eyes she led him into the cozy sitting
room.
Very gently they broke the news to
Mr.. and Mrs. Washburn.
1t was hard for them to realize that
this handsome, bearded stranger could
be their Harry, who had left them six
or seven years ago.
And when they fully comprehended
the glorious truth, and that it was