Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-09-18


struggling houses and quiet shops toward
an inn. He would have TO stop, of course,
perhaps for some days, certainly for one
night.
He went in and had some tea and then
set out to look around. He was all i'm.
patience. The thought Of the 1900 stirred
him.
He was remembering with beating
heart the girl he meant to marry, thinking
il would not be long now, when a bend
in the road brought him suddenly upon o
small cottage.
1t lay Close to the road, low wail
hemming in its little square patch Of gar
den and a little wooden gate leading to a
tagged path, bordered with wallfowers,
and lupins and lavenders.
He looked up half earelessly, wondering
II Emerson was living in cottage like
that, il he was in Staybridge at all, when
the sight Of little child sitting on the
wall brought him to a standstill.
Something about her was familiar. AT
first he could not tell what, and then he
remembered the braid on her frock and
the braid on the child in the photograph
1t was the same dress, the same child
He stopped and went toward her. Sh.
was such little, thin child, and her face
was pale and delicate in spite of the
country air. She looked up at him with
bright eyes and smiled, and somehow he
felt oddly uncomfortable before her.
He hesitated before he spoke, and then
his question came with gruff, SHARP
jerk.
What is your name?" he asked.
Her round eyes searched his face. II
looked stern enough just then, but it die
not brighten her. She slipped down from
the wall and held out her hand.
ITS May" she said.
"And-what is your fathers nameT'
In spite of himself NARROW hesitated.
Fathers called Fed darling,'" she
replied. zoos mother said so. And he's
been away such long time, and l didn't
fink he'd ever come back"
The detective looked down at her. Fred
darling!
when did he come back?' he asked
abruptly.
The child, all unconscious, took her ia
ther another step nearer prison.
.Only the day before this day." she
said, "and | was s'prised. l just couldn't
fink who 1t was. But mother knew, and
she cried, and it made her iller, and tho
doctor was very ang'y."
"Where is your fatherW asked NARROW.
The child's eyes dilated little.
''He mustn't be 'sturbed," she said.
"He's wifi mother, and mothers drefful
i'll. That's why he came back all in such
a hurry"
ba c+on rf he Aafn Tvs
with eyes that almost unnerved him.
Perhaps something in his face began q,
last to impress itself upon her baby mind
for a sudden droop came to her lip.
II 'spects fathers very bovered," she
said slowly.
At that instant the cottage door was
flung open and man looked out. When
he saw NARROW, he made half move
ment backward and then altered his mind
and stood still.
NARROW looked at him and recognized
his man. THIS was Fred Emberson-the
thief This was the man he had come tc
catch. This was the man whose capture
meant $500.
And between them stood the chile
whose mother was very I'LL
She turned delightedly.
"Why, there's father!" she cried.
Detective MARROW took step forward
and Emberson, suddenly making up hi:
mind. came down the little tagged path.
II know who you are" he said hoarse
ly, land I know why you've come.
suppose it's all up, but l couldn't help it
and perhaps-afterward old maj
will forgive her."
He jerked his head backward.
Have you guessed who she is?" b.
asked. ibid Mr.. Richie guess? Per
haps he'll take care of her WHENEVER
I'm shut up. But l never meant to TAX
the money. shouldn't have dreamt of it i
she hadn't been so i'll. They say she
she's almost dying. and we had hard worl
to live on the salary Mr.. Richie gave me
and couldn't help it. It's saved her
perhaps. | got down last night, and go
her everything could, all the luxuries
could, but she doesn't know | stole tn
money. She mustn't know till she's we
again. | went to him year ago for tn
child's sake. My name isn't Embersor
of course. but l couldn't go in my RICH
name lest he should recognize it. w
wanted to win his forgiveness first.
hasn't answered. But he'll take care q
her-and the child. Oh, God knows, b
surely couldn't refuse to take care of he
and the childn'
He faced round eagerly to the defective
and NARROW, suddenly, curiously veal
| held out his hand and made bewilde
| ing remark.
I'm hanged if III take the $780,"
| said.
He has said since that he is not of ii
stuff of which a detective should be mad
| for he did not arrest the thief after al
Instead, he waited till the morning, an
then they dressed the child in her SUI
day best, and he caught the first trai
back and took her to see her grandfathe
What he said to him l do not know
How he went to work l cannot tell, bl
when he went back to Staybridge the o.
man weRt with him. And when Ere
met them at the cottage door Richie ha
the child in his arms.
He looked into Fred's face and the
| held out his hand.
"It's half my fault" he said. "If
hadn't refused to see you at first, fly
years ago, when my daughter wanted n
to, you wouldn't have had the Temptation