The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1903-09-20

now To try to convince her by talking
would be like talking to a mother Of her
baby's irnperfectiOns-she only loves II
the more" She paused. and then added
sadly. Isaac, / think there Is something
Of rnother-love in Daisy's feeling toward
Harry. When they were children. and he
would have no playmate among boys,
palsy petted him as If he were one OF her
big dolls. And nOw-why, Isaac, she can
no more think that you intend to keep
Harry away from her Ions than she ever
thought that 1 would keep one or her
dolls If 1 took it away from her to pun
fsh her for some little offense.
The man groaned in spirit at this fur
+bar reveIation of his child's character;
groaned that his wife appeared TO see no
tragedy In the revelation He tried not
to believe.
"But. Carrie" he said, when Daisy
knows how disgraceful-"
..Ieaac don't YOU understand? Daisy
will not think of him as disgraced; she
thinks him a martyr. You cannot awak-
en- a suspicion of him in her MIND. she
loves him. New you start again IN an
erv surprise. There is nothing TO surprise
1,o,, or anv one. In DaisyS attitude. IL
is the worId-stOry, the story Whlch can
NOT contain an irnprobahility-scaEcely an
impossibility-the story OF Womans
But he IS a THEIR cried out the man,
his anger again possessing hin.
His being a thief is no crime against
Daisy" said the woman lie mas com
mitted a crime against you, agalnst the
State: not against her love- Convince
her that he stole and you have only con-
WINGED her that he did a desperals Inlns
out Of love for her. Isaac. she - our
child and has something OF ooth our ma
lures You have never abandoned any
purpose upon which your heart was set
She Is your child When she has ones
loved-oh, Isaac she Is my child, tool
Think-if II Is possible even TO think IT.
II you should steal; would not love you
then as nOw-as alwaYsr
He put his arms around her ana tried
to comfort her. for now she broke down
ard wept aloud.
some time after they had joined the old
farmer in the dining-roOm Mrs. Bunton
said with a sigh. Poor Grace and How
ard. You, at least. Isaac, must go back
tomorrow 10 the funeral
Her husband stared at her, shocked
THE funeral?'
.Oh. Isaacr she exclaimed. tears start
ing again to her swollen eyes Have you
not heard?'
She told the story Of the accident at
the railroad crossing by which DR.. Paxton
met his death. and her hearers listened
with expressions Of sorrow, for the doc
tor had been a favorite OF the elder man.
as well as his sons close friend They
had moved away from the table and were
seated before the wood fire, when Isaac
startled the others by abruptly jumping
to his feet and exclaiming, Howard. you
say. had not seen his father since the
morning.
'eThat is what he told me. Isaac. Nor
Grace; she was out. and Howard had not
returned. when the doctor left the house
on that visit. What, Is II, Isaacf You
could not have done anything for them
that others have not done. Every one -
as kind as can be-
Il know. Carrie. OF course. I am sorry,
but I can't go TO the funeral I must go
down the valley. There is some business
Very important. I must attend to 1t at
once. Tomorrow"
Isaac" said the old farmer gravely.
sis il any business that I can do for you?
You should be at the funeral. il you can"
Il know. father-thank you. But must
attend to this myself"
Il was not until he sat before the fire
thinking Of the sad news his wife had
brought. that he recalled for the first
time the deed to DR.. Paxton which Harry
Lawton still had with him, presumably
1t was to overtake Harry that he started
by the first train the next morning
IVA BRAND FROM THE BURNING.
His knowledge OF Harry's character led
Mr. Bunton to the large city little way
beyond the State border, and there he
easily found the trail OF the man he was
now as anxious to find he had been 70
be rid OF. He had not questioned himself
with particularly as to the course ne
should follow when he should ind Harry,
and demand the return OF the deed He
began to have fears he had not felt be-
fore that the pursued and harassed man
might demand payment for the deed, or
more hush money; he felt less certain OF
successfully working on his cOwardice,
his fear of arrest. The merchant was an
nOyed with himself that he should enter
tain these doubts and fears. What II he
should not find Harry? A new deed could
be made and recorded, and the interests or
Howard and Grace Paxton protected.
That was his only object in this journey
, was it not? He had only their interests
, at heart-Was it not sO2 Why chase the
, thief, them But he went on to another
Town, where. his Information made 1t
seem certain Harry had gone. There,
after a considerable search. he learned at
a hotel that Harry-he was travelling I'M
der a false name, but was so easily de-
scribed-had left but few minutes be-
fore, presumably to take a train. Mr..
Bunton hurried to the station. where he
made inquiries Of a police officer, who
said, Il think the party you're after
boarded that train, pointing TO a train
Just starting out. Mr.. BUntOn looked and
at a window Of a passing car saw Harry
On a sudden impulse he started forward
to board the train. already moving swift
, ": but the officer caught his arm, saying,
Excuse me- but this Is what I'm here
I for. Too many pepOle are hurt trying to
do that"
Harry had seen Mr.. Bunton make the
dash for the train, and sighed with great
relief when he saw him checked. He was
shaking with fear. though. for he had
2 been constantly apprehensive that he
} would be overtaken and carried back to
face trial and imprisonment. He feared
! this as another might fear death. His
personal vanity was as great as his
cowardfce and always. since the merchant
: had first threatened him. he had tortured
himself with fancies OF what people
would say OF him as a prisoner; what one
woman, who had remarked his soft white
hands would say TO him-a prisoner at
hard rough labor-what another. who had
praised his hair. would say OF him with
shaver head! What cruel things would
, the other prisoners say OF him-a fallen