The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-01-10
1e Vent in and had some tea ana then

RE 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 a beating
heart the girl he meant to marry, thinking
it would not be long now, when bend
in the road brought him suddenly upon a
small cottage.
1t lay close to the road, a low wall
hemming in its little square patch of gar
den and little wooden gate leading TO a
fasged path. bordered with wallflowers,
and lupins and lavenders.
He looked up half carelessly, wondering
If Emberson was living in cottage like
that, if he was in Staybridge Mt all, when
the sight of a little child sitting on the
wall brought him to a standstil
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,
only now she was older and prettier.
He stopped and went toward her. She
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.
lie 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. 1t
looked stern enough just then. but it did
not frighten her. She slipped down from
the wall and held out her hand.
ITS Nav" she said.
"And-what is YOUR fathers uame?"
In spite of himself Marlow hpsitatcd.
"Fathcr's called Fed darling.'" she
replied. "cos mother said So. And he's
been away such long time. and didn't
fink he'd ever come back"
The detective looked down at her. Fred
darling.
"Whcn did he come hack?" he asked
abruptly.
The child. all unconscious. took her IA
thor another step nearer prison.
"Only the day before this dav," She
said. land | was s'priscd | inst couldu't
fink who il was. But mother knew. and
she cried. and it made her iler. and the
doctor was very ang'y."
"Wherc is your fntber?" asked NTarloyv
L ne Cllu eyes ull3ttd q lltilp.
"fIe mustn't be 'sturbcd." sbc said.
"He's wifi mother. and mothers drefful
i'll. That's why he came back all in such
a hurry"
She stopped. looking mn at the detective
with ewes that almost unnerye1 him
PerharS something in his face began ot
last To impress itself upon her baby mind.
for sudden droop came to her lin
81 'spects fathers very lowered" she
said slowly.
At that instant the cottage door was
flung open and man looked ont. When
he saw Marlow. he made a half move
ment backward and then altered his mind
and stood still.
MARROW looked at him and recopnized
his man. This was Fred Emberson-the
thief. This was the man he had come to
catch. This was the man whose captiIra
meant $500.
And between them stood the child
whose mother was very ill
She turned deliehtedlv
"Wbv. there's fatherr she cried
Detective Marlow took sten forward
and Emherson suddenly making nm his
mind came down the little flarged nath
81 know who Won are" he s1;I hoarse-
". "and I know WHY vou'vc como
sunnose it's aIl IN. but | couldn't holm II
and pcrhaps-afterward-the old man
will forgive her"
"TIave Won puessed who She ispn he
asked "Did Mr. Ritcbie ruess9 Per-
hans he'll fake care of her wben-whpn
I'm shut m. But I never meant to take
the money I shouldn't have dreamt of il if
sbc bodn't been so i'll Tbov sov sbe-
she's almost diving. and we had hard work
70 live on the salary Mr. Ritchie govo mo
and I conldn't helm If IFS saved her
perbapa. got down last night and I got
her everything | could all the luxuries
could. but she doesn't know I stole the
MONEY She mustn't know fiji she's walI
ar,in 7 went to him n vear opo for the
chilJ's sake. Nv name isn't Emberson
of course. but I couldn't 90 in INV RIGHT
name lest he should recognize if We
wanted TO win his forgiveness first If
hasn't answered But hen take care Of
ber-and tbe child. Oh. God knows he
surely cOIldn't rrfusp IN take caro- of her
and the ciiid!'
lie faced round eagerly to the detective,
and MARROW, suddenly, curiously weak.
held out his hand and made bewilder-
InNn fNI