The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1901-11-01

she was BuCh 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 a gruff.
sharp jerk
what is your manner" he asked.
Her round eyes searched his face. II
looked stern enough just then, but It
id not brighten her. She slipped down
from the wall and held out her hand
Its May" she said.
"And-what is your fathers manner"
In spite of himself NARROW hesi-
tated
Fathers called Ed darling" she
replied. Zoos mother said So An
he's been way such a long time, and 1
don'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
father another step nearer prison.
only the day before this day." she
said, "and l was s'prised. 81 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 child's eyes dilated a 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"
She stopped looking up at the detec-
tive with eyes that almost unneryed
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 powered"
she said, slowly
At that instant the cottage door was
flung open and la man looked out. When
he saw NARROW he made a 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 a child
whose mother was very i'll.
She turned delightedly.
''Why, there's father" she cried
Detective NARROW took a step for
ward and Emerson. suddenly making
up his mind, came down the little
tagged path.
Il know who you are" he said
hoarsely, 'and l know why you've
come. l suppose it's all up; but I
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. Richie guess? Per-
haps he'll take care of her when
when I'm shut up. But never meant
to take the money! shouldn't have
dreamt of it if she hadn't been so i'll.
They say she-shes almost dying, and
we had hard work to live on the sal
airy Mr.. Richie gave me-and /
couldn't help it. It's saved her per-
haps l got down last night, and l
got her everything I could-all the
luXuries could; but she doesn't know
l stole the money. She mustn't know
till she's we'll again The neighbors
will look after her, and l want you
to take me quietly, so that nobody
will see. / admit everything, I'll ad-
NIT everything to Mr. Richie, 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
husHly You'd better come in"
He pushed open the cottage door
with a weary air.
TITS the end of everything" EN-
berson went on. "Mr. Richie 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 I 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 I had
not been mad at the last, but had a
telegram saying how ill she was and
I could not help it. Ibid not stop
IN tbinLy