The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-12-25
A Complete Short
Story.
BY Nj. FRASER.

perhaps as We'll he dlQ not see tue Slll
he had befriended sink down before
an empty chair in an empty room and
weep her heart out because Dick was
already gone.
Ralph took up the invitations Oh his
mantel shelf. He had all that evening
before him-Where should he go? He
put them down again and paced the
room. What was this thing he had
Just heard: 1t had sounded simple
enough, but it may be that it meant
big thing. Those men outside sound
ed ominous, what if they We're also
going to England tonight?
Hastily snatching up list Of sailing
steamers he saw that steamer was
due to leave Boston at dawn. His
mind flew to ways and means; to get
down there tonight man must go
by the 10 o'clock from the Grand Cen
tral. He looked at his watch and
found, to his relief. that Ec had time
and to spare. Why should he not
profit by the information he had re-
ce;ved to be his own detective? And
if only Dick Tempest were there why
should he not bring him back to the
sister whose heart he was going to
break? She must not be allowed to
weep any more-that pretty child who
had come to him in her dark hour.
1t promised little more excitement
than in evening spent in listening to
singer whose repertoire lie knew by
heart. He went upstairs and changed
into q lounge suit, and, with 4 coat
over his arm, he walked quietly out
of the house in West Serenty-second
street and had himself driven to tie
Forty y-second street station.
He knew who they were now. They
were Richard Tempests children, and
he remembered that old Senate:
Vaudeville had said something to him
about looking afte: the lad. But when
one is good looking, popular and thirty
three, what time is there for looking
after stray boys? Ralph had seen
young Tempest once, and had asked
him how he liked the bank, and had
not waited to hear his answer, and
straightway had gone away and for
gotten that lie was in the world. He
wondered if he should know him again
us his cab pulled up at the main en-
trance OF the railroad station.
1t was early yet, and the platform
was not overcrowded. Ralph walked
the length of the train and saw 10 one
who was likely to be Dick Tempest.
He went TO the ticket Office and got
himself a ticket; it might be necessary
to go to Boston, it was just possible he
had caught an earlier train. he walked
I'D and down scanning the faces OF
those VINO passed him with keen, lels'
ure!y glance. The time sped, the mo-
ment of farewells came, and Ralph
was wondering if he had thrown his
evening away, when suddenly he saw
him. Dick Tempest came quickly
down the platform, small handbag
for all his luggage, surely poor outfit
for trip to Europe. The train was On
the point of starting, and Ralph was
the last person in the world to desire
"a scene" He stepped out to meet the
lad coming toward him.
"Ah, Tempest" he said, pleasantly,
II thought you were not coming.
have a s;ateroom."
Dick Tempest looked into the face OF
the man he had robbed, and knew tha:
his story was told. He hesitated, but
the others glance was compelling, and
in answer to it he got into the train
and took his place in Ralph Denver's
stateroom.
The journey to New Haven and back
is not long one, but there is time in
it for a pitiful tale of weakness and
temptation and too late repentance
to be told; there is time in it for for
giyeness to be sought and not denied.
1t was early morning when these two
strange travelling companions arrived
again in New York. Ralph Denvers
put his hand on the shoulder of the
younger man.
$50 home" he said. Remember
that a sister waits for you, and that
you are to come to the bank as if moth
ing had happened"
He drove home himself in the keen
morning air, and almost for the first
time in his thirty-three years of life he
realized how pleasant it is to be rich
man. There was big check drawn on
his account that morning and the firm
of Brandon & Denvers never knew how
it had been swindled to the extent Of
nearly $4,000.
1t was shortly after this that host
esses began to complain that Ralph
Denvers was never available for even
the most attractive Of their parties.
And it was nearly year later when
one morning there was quiet we'd
ding in little church round the corner
"a wedding to which the world was
not invited, a wedding at which only
three happy young people were pres
ent.
They left Dick standing on the steps
of the church, and as they drove to the
station Ralph slipped his arm round his
wife's shoulders and dropped some
thing into her lap.
MY first present to you,' he said.
II have given you nothing yet"
Aline Denvers took the little string
of yellow pearls in her fingers.
"Oh, Ralph" she said, land once I
was silly enough to think"
He stopped and kissed her.
"They are the most wonderful pearls
in the world" he told her. ''They have
brought happiness for three people,
New York News.
Hospital Balloons.