The courier., 1903-02-07

came that frightful day when the cloud
of everlasting disgrace followed the leap
ing flame of exposure and engulfed
young Hume. My father read the news
with blanching lips. THE boy is inno-
cent?" he cried. and staggered from the
room. Harlan Hume would make no de-
fense. The girl he was soon to marry
implored him, but finally renounced him.
Her family took her away. He would
defend himself IL he could people said,
struggling. mo sane man would do
otherwise" 1t was a revolving crime
with which they charged him. Others
said, why didn't the fool fiy?"
There were no relatives to fight for
him. His fiancees family was silent.
So Hume went to his punishment. My
father. already feeble, weakened by the
shock, succumbed. Hume also seemed
dead to us; We were doubly in mourn
ing. Hume's term of Imprisonment was
not very long, yet he seemed only a
shadow of the past when one day a para
graph spoke of his release and located
him in the south. Months passed and
again they spoke of him as having died
alone and miserably poor in an OBJ
scure lodging-ho in New Orleans.
Oiiy diStdhl ICidtiNCS were AClt anu tucy
would not own relationship nor bring his
body back. 1t had been buried in the
same awful shadow that had blackened
his bright beginning.
How the time had flown, II Harlan
Hume had been living he would have
been about the same age as the man
who sat beside me. Monsieur Fini was
darker of complexion; he did not wear
glasses-Hume had been near-sighted;
the doctors had told him that it would
pass in time. And Hume would never
have grown a beard. / hardly knew why
! should think of this-or why / should
say presently, Those are peculiar bushes
on the bank across the river, are they
not?" and wait little breathless for the
answer.
1t came after a brief pause. There is
much that is peculiar in this country
What was there evasive? Why had 1
expected him to say. Which bushes?"
or Il cannot tell at this distance"
Forces were at work within me making
my heart beat more and more rapidly.
l knew not why. l glanced at the man
and his eye; met mine. A look was in
them that reproached me, like that of a
dumb brute at bay. OF a sudden a sense
of meanness overwhelmed me-the un-
speakable meanness of one who robs a
grave. What right had 1? A desire to
atone-a revulsion shook me.
Il want to ask you to excuse me-for
what may have seemed rudeness. think
1 have stared at you. 1t was becauseI
was reminded by the scar upon your
forehead of someone / once knew. I
never thought to see another scar so
similar"
He did not alter visibly in color or ex.
preston. 81 Also" he said, "'have seen
two SUCH"
ably relieved that he showed no resent
ment. And may ask about the other
person?"
1T was a man named Hume" he
gravely answered.
"Ahi" / gasped, Harlan Hume! You
knew him-but where?"
You also knew him." he echoed DULY
why, yes. He was my friend. My
father loved him.
Monsieur Fini did not move nor speak.
He loved him." / cried, this time in
English. Fini started. You heard" he
said, slowly, that he died i'm New
Orleans?"
1T was there you-knew him."
Il was at his bedside
For Gods sake tell me of him. II 1
could have known-have gone to him
and told him we always knew it was not
true!" l rose agitated, and walked