The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-26

on his table If he were not there. for
wanted to get rid of ID before going TO
the stable, where an interesting addition
to the family of the old darky's coach
mans fox terriers claimed my sympa-
thetic attention, one OF its most curiously
marked members being destined for me.
My abrupt Eruption into the study
made me witness of a scene that caused
me to stop short, startled and terribly
embarrassed. The colonel, bending for
ward. with his elbows propped on his
knees and his face buried in his hands,
was crying as If his heart would break.
His daughter was also weeping, and, with
her arm around his neck, was trying to
cons sole him.
Both lifted their tear-stained faces as
overwhelmed with confusion and most
painfully impressed. l stammered an
apology and stepped back to withdraw.
The look Of hopeless misery of that dear
old man will haunt me as long as / live.
II tiptoed out and closed the door noise
lessly | would have left the house and
made my way back to the college. Alasl
l could not do So Before l reached the
veranda the study door opened and the
colonel, in broken voice, called after
me:
" Don't go away, Eddie
Il had no further interest In the fox
terrier and sat on the veranda wondering
what terrible calamity could have fallen
upon the house and feeling unutterably
miserable myself. / could imagine only
one thing-that an accident had happened
to Jack and that he was dead The moro
l pondered the more convinced became
that had OWNED the cause of the colo
nel's afflction.
The Fathers SufferinEs.
in a little while he Joined me. He had
regained his composure, but the change
in his appearance was pltiful. Since the
last time / had seen him--two or three
days before-his gray hair and mustache
had turned almost white and his face was
deeply furrowed with lines of suffering
He made no allusion to the scene in
the library. but talked absently of various
things and asked me questions about the
college. lie lit a cigar, but forgot to
smoke 1t. Anxious to know the worst,
ventured:
" Have you heard from Jack latelyr
So have heard of him.
e Not bad news, sir, trustP
Very bad news
" He isn't-dead?
Worse; he is a thief. He has robbed
his bank and disappeared
1T was the old story. Jacks ams4tion
had overreached itself. In his desire 10
acquire quickly wealth and the power that
goes with 1t he had speculated in cotton
and lost all he possessed then had taken
money from the bank in an effort to re-
trieve his loss: then. in desperation, had
taken more, hoping by one fortunate coup
to save himself. and thus had preclpitated
the ruin he sought to avert Jacks sure
ties, friends of the colonel, had made good
the banks less, but the highest influence
that could be brought to bear had failed
TO induce the bank officials to let the
matter drop. They declared that the very
| safety OF the institution demanded that
the trusted official who had been unfaith-
full to his trust should be made an ex-
ample of and they purposed running him
down and Furnishing him If it took all
the funds in the bank to do it,"
And God help me, they are right.
SAID the OLD man as a hard look came
into his kindly eyes. Jack has ceased 10
be son OF mine, and beg you will
never mention his name TO me again
That Saturday night was a stormy one
The rain came down In torrents and the
wind howled around the house and swept
In heavy gusts against 1t, as though II
would blow the roof off. The Colonel's
daughter, pleading headache, had retired
early The Colonel and myself were pre-
tending to be engrossed in a game of
chess. Suddenly the entrance door clat-
tered open and was slammed to again vi
olently and we heard the bolts being
shot into their sockets, and Jacks voice
ordering the servants on no account to
open to any one. The next moment he
burst into the room. The rain was drip
ping from his soaked. mud-spattered
clothing His face was haggard, his eyes
were bloodshot and there was a desper-
ate look in them.
THE Colonel had sprung to his feet.
Jared
You known I needn't ask he said.
" Yes. know
" They have hunted me like a dog.
They were watching the house, and l
was forced to run to escape them. Dad,
/ had to come-to see you once more
Even as he spoke there was a ring at
the bell.
There they are now What shall I
do? Oh, dad. dad. dad, II isn't for me I
care-I was mad-it's for you
When Hamilton had so far forgot
ten what he was as to turn thief there is
only one thing possible for him to do
THE Colonel stood erect, cold. stern.
THE old, proud look came into Jack s
face.
Again the bell rang.
1.-THE proud look died away Jack bowed
his head in shame and remorse. and turn
ed toward the door. As he went out he
raced ABOUT ana Sdld.
" 'Dad-forgiver
1.-THE Colonel never moved. never ut
tered a sound.
II had sat a silent, petrihed spectator
OF the scene. The Colonel had forgotten
me- His son had not noticed my pres
ence.
The Fatal Ending.
"As soon as Jack had gone the Coloners
demeanor underwent an appalling change.
AS his boys footsteps sounded on the
stairs he became limp. a CHASTITY pallor
spread over his face, his lips quivered
he shook as though stricken with palsy
We could hear Jack moving about in the
room above. 1t was his den, as he called
IL in his boyhood days The look of
agony and despair In the old mans eyes
was awful. For the first time / began
to realize the tragedy that was being en-
acted understood the import OF the faith
er's words TO his son. Before could
move the report OF a pistol broke the
stiffness OF the house, followed by the
sound of a body falling overhead.
"A great sigh came from the old man.
and, tottering a few steps, he sank for
ward and fell face downward on the
floor.
I'm an instant the house was in an up
roar The startled servants rushed up
stairs, and there was a succession OF
piercing shrieks as the sister found her
brothers bleeding body. The ringing OF
tho door resumed violenflv and nersIut .