Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-11-08

said, "and l was s'prised. Il just
couldn't fink who it was. But mother
knew, and she cried, and it made her
| iller and the doctor was very ang'y."
| Where is your father?" asked Mar
low.
| The childs eyes dilated q little.
| "He mustn't be 'sturbed," sne said.
He's wifi mother and mothers drefful
| i'll. That's why he came back all in
| such a hurry"
She stopped looking up at the detec-
| tive with eyes that almost unnerved
| him. Perhaps something in his face
| began at last to impress itself upon
| her baby mind. for a sudden droop
| came to her lip.
81 spects fathers very lowered"
| she said, slowly.
At that instant the cottage door was
| flung open and a 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 recog-
| nized his man. This was Fred EN-
| berson, the thief; this was the man
| he had come to catch-this was the
man whose capture meant $500.
And between them stood child
whose mother was very i'll.
She turned delightedly.
"Why, there's father" sne cried.
Detective NARROW took a step for
| ward and Emberson, suddenly making
up his mind, came down the little
tagged path.
81 know who you are" he said
| hoarsely, "and l know why you've
come. l suppose it's all up; but
couldn't help it, and perhaps after
ward-the old man will forgive her."
He jerked his head backward.
Have you guessed who she is?" he
| asked. Did Mr.. Ritchie guess? Per-
| haps he'll take care of her when
| when I'm shut up. But l never meant
| to take the money! shouldn't have
| dreamt of it if she hadn't been so ill.
| They say she-she's almost dying, and
we had hard work to live on the sal
| ary Mr.. Ritchie gave me-and l
| couldn't help it. It's saved her per-
| haps. I got down last night, and
| SOL u6I ehtt lhlIS L NOukd Gil tlit
| luxuries could; but she doesn't know
| l stole the money. She mustn't know
| till she's well again. The neighbors
| will look after her, and | want you
| to take ne quietly, so that nobody
| will see. | admit everything, I'll ad-
| NIT everything to Mr.. Ritchie, but
| did it for her, and perhaps when he
knows she's his daughter he'll forgive
| her and take the child. l can go. I'll
| promise never to trouble them again,
but it was the thought of her dying
| that made me do it."
He broke off abruptly and turned
| back to the cottage
Let me wish her goodby," he said
huskily. You'd better come in
| He pushed open the cottage door
with a weary air.
ITS the end of everything" EN-
| berson went on. "Mr. Ritchie trusted
me for a year, served him faithfully
and perhaps he will remember that.
| for her sake. l went to him on pur-
| pose-my wife and | arranged to try
to get his forgiveness in that way if
we could. 1t seemed the only way and
| it might have been all right if l had
not been mad at the last, but had
telegram saying how i'll she was and
could not help it. I-I-did not stop
to think.
| 81 went to him a year ago, for the
child's sake. My name isn't Ember-
son, of course, but / couldn't go in
my right name lest he should recog-
nize it. We wanted to win his for
| giveness first. 1t hasn't answered.
But he'll take care of her-and the
child Oh God knows, he surely
couldn't refuse to take care of her and
the child"
He faced round eagerly to the de-
tective, and NARROW, suddenly, Curl
ously weak, held out his hand, and
made bewildering remark.
I'm hanged if I'll take the C 800"
he said.
He has said since that he is not
of the stuff Of which a detective should
be made, for he did not arrest the
thief after all. Instead, he waited till
the morning, and then they dressed
the child in her Sunday best, and he
caught the first train back and took
her to see her grandfather.
What he said to him do not know.
How he went to work | cannot tell.
but when he went back to Staybridge
the old map went with him. And when
Fred met them at the cottage door
| Ritchie had the child in his arms.
He looked into Fred's face and then
held out his hand.
ITS half my fault" he said. "If
| hadn't refused to see you at first
five years ago, when my daughter
wanted me to-you wouldn't have had
the temptation. l see now how cruel
l have been"
Detective NARROW got married a few