The Red Cloud chief., 1903-11-06

cried. AT last!"-and the men grasp
ed hands.
Then followed n brief and impress
sive silence, during which each eager
ly scanned the features of the other
and which Mr.. Burrltt was the first to
to break.
James" he said. and there were
traces of considerable emotion in his
voice, you are much changed. =
should hardly have known you
Changed" exclaimed the other
somewhat bitterly; land In twenty
years! Is 1t to be wondered at?"
Then, with an alteration of tone. But
| should have know you anywhere,
Silas."
Twenty years!" repeated his friend.
"Ah. well, so 1t Is! How quickly the
years have flown. 1t seems nothing
like that to me-"
ut is that, all the same,' said the
other. ut is twenty years to the very
day. This is the oath of April, 1884. :
1t al the oath OF April. 1864. when
you said goodbye to me on board the
vesse! In which | was to sail to q new
country" 1,
1T is a long time to remain an
exile-a voluntary exile" said Mr.. Bur.
rift; you might have returned year
ago. had you chosen"
The other man shook his head
gloomily. 81 have kept my word"
he said. you remember my last
speech to you? said, I am
going to begin q new life-to make
my fortune. In twenty years, II I have
oone SO, | shall return. BY that time 4
I may hope that my crime will have
been forgotten. 1t may be that in
twenty years some of those who know
my wretched story will be dead may
even be dead myself; but, IL not, I
shall return to the country I am now
about to leave behind; for surely in
twenty years the disgrace which now
furnishes my nam will be blotted out
and forgotten. Until then, FAREWELL
And now" he continued, the term
of my self.imposed Punishment Is at
an end. l have kept my word and I
have returned"
Mr.. Burritt laid his hand upon hisA
friends shoulder.
You Judge yourself too harshly."
he said; the word crime is too Sc
we're a n to apply to that youthful
indiscretion-sin, If you will-repented
of as soon as committed"
"Repentance!" cried the other. i'm
patiently; what is the good of repent
ance? Will it recover a lost reputa-
ton and wipe out a stain upon tho
nacto Tho fortune n.,nt 81 ..,v. L..
mine, but I would give it all for an
u~nblemished record. s. that I might
not be ashamed to look any man in the
face. All, Silas! 1t is a terrible thing
to think that a child of mine should
ever blush for her father"
You are married, them" inquired
Mr.. Burritt, gladly Selling the oppor-
tunity thus offered of changing the
dismal subject. is your wife with
you?"
IL am a widower,' was the reply.
my wife died twelve years ago. leav-
ing mi with one child-a daughter"
Tell me all about YOU daughter"
said Mr.. Burritt, land how you came
to make up your mind to part with her
for SO long? ! have a daughter of my
own-as well as the son who was born
before you left E~ngland-and though l
have been threatening to pack her off
to boarding school for the last four
CT five years. | lever could reconcile
myself to the idea of the separation.
And now she's too old-nineteen last
birthday" and her father shook his
head over his own weakness and smil-
ed, an indulgent, parental smile.
That's the age of my Agnes within
a year" said the other; strange that
we should have daughters SO nearly
the same age!"
He looked at his companion strange
ly.
81 am in your hands, Silas." he said;
you can ruin me in my child's eyes,
as well as in the eyes of the world,
whenever you please"
Ito be continued.)