, 1902-05-26
The Lost Title.
BY GEROME

BIZ GEhOME
Copyright. 1902. by Daily Story Pub. Coz
This story was suggested by the pic
ture of Christ's head. after the legend OF
81. Veronica, painted by Gabriel Max.
1t was an old house. and lonely.
The Thief shivered m drew nearer
the fire. He had never before realized
how oppressive silence could become.
Clearly his erves were not in the
best OF order. Now he paced the floor
restlessly. his head sunken upon his
breast. He noticed hat his shadow
followed him. huge and black; and he
sat down again in the chair.
II he had ever dreamed that the pos
session Of this house, and its com
forts, would have changed him from a
careless, comparatively contented
man. to a careworn. restless. unhappy
wretch. he told himself. he would
ooner have cut of his right hand
than to have secured it as he did. But
then. he thought. it was too late now
for vain regrettings. The deed was
done, and he must suffer the conse-
quences.
His was not a strong character.
He loved ease, his bodily comforts
and mental designations. He had al
ways wished to live comfortably,
without any exertion of his own body
or mind. sui pack IN his selfish soul.
hidden among the baser traits, was
a slowly awakening conscience.
AS he sat here in his arm chair he
seemed to be struggling along a u
try road against a storm; though he
heard the cracking of flames, what he
seemed 10 hear was the suck and
splash Of flying hoofs; though ne look
ed at red urici: and a dying fire. he
saw. as in a dream. a rider loom out
Of the darkness; saw him lean over
and strike the horse and. as he dashed
on into the night. a fiuttering white
something that fell from his pocket
into the mud. Then the Thief saw
himself pick 1t up. 1t was a folded
document. bearing a seal; he took
it to his little room and opened 1t
with trembling fingers. 1T was his
sisters will. There was an inner seal,
but this. like the outer one was lot
sealed nor stamped. Wax had mere
ly been dropped on each s.de Of the
fold. and left to harden. When 1t was
necessary to seal 1t the a would be
reheated. and the edges drawn to-
gether and stamped. She haa always
fixed her letters that way.
He fastened to read 1t. casting his
' eyes at once to the bottom. 1t had
not been witnessed. though her sigma
ture was there. But as he looked rap
idly over the paper. his heart sank
again. There, down at the very edge,
were two names family written. and
evidently signed in great haste. He
they had not read the contents.
No matter. oral testimony alone
could not taAe the property away
from him. Everything was left to he,
cousins. her only other relatives
Well. 1t was right perhaps. for there
were I'VE children, and they needed
1t, and he had always been a black
sneep-he nao NOT deserved 1t. but he
got It, nevertheless. for his heart va,
black within him. and no on saw tn.
will but himself.
The messenger who had taken 1t t.
town to see II 1t had been properly
drawn up and attested. told his story
but though the road was searched thu
will was not found. and the Thief, be
ing next in line, took the house ant
property.
The Thief stirred and sat up with {
great sigh. His memories were over
They had not been pleasant. Hi
glance idly followed his shadow upoI
the floor. Part Of the hearth-rug wa
in deep shadow and part brought GU
into bold relief by bands OF yellow
light. AS his eyes fastened there ant
held, he saw the light owe Lit,
by little it crept over the floor. an,
he watched its slow advance. fasci
mated.
His eyes moved with the ray o
light. slowly tracing the pattern. The!