The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-02-21
AT TIE ELEVENTH HOUR
By R. T. Nathan.


 murmurs. Suddenly the sounds of falling body came from above.
 In the foyer. stretched upon a couch which had been hastily procured. lay man panting for breath. a human wreck, a common thief caught tn the act. his llfes blood tracing odd ara besques on the tesscllated floor, dying of hemorrhage, the result of futile scufile.
 The head usher silently returned with a physician. and a central detec- tive was already at hand, an ambu- lance alarm having been turned In.
 Suddenly the criminal looked up and struggled for breath. A stlmulant re vived him. and he made an effort to artlculate and finally murmured hoarscly;
 Doctor, for heavens sake keep the breath In my body awhile longer. have something to clear myself of be- fore go"
 After brief pause he continued;
 i've been a coward. a damnable coward! Oh. merclful heaven. let me purge myselfr
 As the physician tenderly raised the dying mans head there was seen through the torn neckband of his shirt the gllnt of an ornament, a keepsake Of some sort.
 q was welded but two years when when-I forged my employers name the old. old story. weak fool easily led. I was sentenced-and-served- twenty years. My poor-young-wlfe- I-never saw again"
 Ills voice fell to a mere husky whis- per;
 "She died of grlef-shame. My baby | afterward learned was raised in an asylum-my only glimpse of heaven In their pictured faces-a tiny minia- ture-which | claSpcd about my babes neck. Us duplicate [ wear
 His hand fastened itself convulsively at his throat:
 But Che child. oh. just heaven. she Is a woman now. and have wrecked her happiness
 Ills eyes closed as he fell back, ex- haustcd.
 The little group stood silent Faint echoes of applause aoJtcd ln. The de- tcctlye glanced at he physician m quiringly The latter shook h.s head murmurlug. "Hls span Is nearly end. cd."
 A short pause eusucd, during which the physician employed every means available Co lufusc little vitality Into the alr,aly doomed man. At length his labor was rewarded. and the crimi- nal resumed h', narrative.
 "I saw hCr-k 'l hsI. Oh. heaven. how llsc lrg ml.lcr. had but Just been released a stranger in my own country. au Ishmloi.tc-cvcry door .vrncd against u,-cr.m.uai stamped cu every fcaurc-hungry and weary | sku,kcd Into Che shrubbery ol villa witnessed Che tender parting of a husband anl wifc - beard him give explicit directions as Go che fastening lf dlors. ! lo,ereI about t.ll dusk lt was easy Co cU,ct an entrance noise lessly. crcpt t1 hcr room. where ! >urmlscd valuah,,s were kept. The lamp burned low. By is-its d.m light | could Scc on an easel opposite me life s'1e crayon. thc counterpart of my miniature"
 The physician started. and a duh lush burned on hts face. uc appeared lbout to collapse. Not noticing One Ither's emotion. the dying man con
 nucd:
 Like madman spraus Co her ilc She lay In a heavy sleep. Ai .cr throat caught the gleam of gold .ac rich framing of-a miuiaturc.
 He sank back exhausted. The phy slclan did not stir.
 Like one in a trance, he saw the de tcctlye wipe the blood stained lips; heard him mutter at the delay of Che ambulance: saw with fascinated gaze .he dying man revived. fictitious strength pulsatIng through that vast cd body; heard as In a dream the mar rativc resumed:
 wildly | caught her in my arms my babe. my PasQuallna-strainlue her .o my throbblng brcaSt-onc Inst ca rcss. Thcn-then | fled She must never know her father. And then hoarse cry. A pair of powerful hands ,hro,tled me. See. | bear their cruel Imprint yet. while voice hissci. wretch. Hound! You thought m, away-safcT Then turning Co Che poor stunned creature cllnglug Co thc heavy easel. at which she clutched In her De-. wlldcrment. he cried. You whom . have loved. nay. ldollzed: With ncnzlcd cry. realized an.
 We fought-he for vengeance. ]. God forgive my cowardice, for libor ty.
 "I dared not speak. By a supcrhu man effort | escaped hlm--dashcd through the low window. From there lcapcd over the balcony. Poor COW. ard. Torn and bleeding, bid once more in the welcome shrubbcry, only Co hear him rcyile my innocent babe pltilessly, meTcilessly. as opc reyilcs au