Rocky Ford enterprise., 1904-01-01

who came forward Ia meet him. To
which the reply Nas, that the gsntle-
man referred To had crossed by tho
boat that morning and had engaged a
private sitting room. leaving word that
he expected a friend from town. who
was to be shown up Immediately On
giVing his name.
'My name Is RITriti." was the reply,
Then please TO walk this way. sir"
The man ushered him up a night of
stairs and along a corridor. then. In
dieating Il particular door. said; This
is the room the gentleman has taken. :"
Il will announce myself" said Mr.
Burrltt. and the man withdrew.
Then. after u pause Of few sec
onds. he tAppei lightly at the door. a
voice. from within cried: Come in"
and answering the summons he turned
IN. handle and entered. The occupant
OF the apartment. a tall. lean. elderly
man. who was looking out OF III. win.
dow. turned round sharply and CON
Irontai III. visitor. 4 look-a strange.
wondering. intent look-pasSed be-
tween them. Then. the stranger.
made a step forward. ''Siias!" ho
/
ed hands.
Then followed brief and impress.
siy. silence. during which each eager
iy scanned tn. features Of the other.
and which Mr.. Burtitt was tho iirst to
to break.
James" he said. and there were
traces OF considerable emotion In his
voice. "you ar. much changed. I
should hardly have known you"
Changed exclaimed the other.
somewhat bitterly: -and In twenty
years! II II To be wondered atT'
Then. with an alteration OF tone. but
I should have know you anywhere.
SIiaS.''
Twenty years." repeated his friend.
"Ah. well. So II Is! How quickly the
like that to me-
1T IN that. NIL the same" said tho
other. 1T lS twcaty years To the very
day. This IL the .tth OF April. 1854.
II was the :ith OF April. 1864. when
you said goodbye To me ON board the
vessel In which I was TO sail to new
country"
1T In long time to remain an
cxiic-a voluntary exile" said MIR. Bur
rilt: you might have returned years
ago. had you chosen.
The other man shook his head
gloomiiy. Il have kept my word -
he said. You remember my last
speech to you? said. I am
going to begin n new iIfc-to make
my fortune. In twenty years. II have
zone 40. shall return. by that time
! may hope that my crime win have
been forgotten. II may be that In
twenty years some OF those who know
my wrctched story will be dcad-I may
| even be dead myself: but, II 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 name will be blottcd out
and forgotten. Until then, farewell
| And now" he continued. the term
OF my scifimposed banishmcnt Is Mt
an end. have kept my word and I
have returned
Mr. Burritt laid his hand upon his
| friends shoulder.
you Judge yourself too harshly."
| he said: the word crime is too Sc
we're n one to apply to that youthful
ndiscretion-sin. II you will-repented
OF as soon as committed"
"Rcpentance!" cried the other. i'm
patiently: what is the good of repent
ance? VIII II recover lost reputa-
ton and wipe out n stain upon the
past? The fortune went to seek is
mine. but would give 1t all for an
unblemished record. so that might
not be ashamed to look any man in the
face. All, Silas! II is terrible thing
to think that child of mine should
ever blush for her father!"
you are married. them" inquired
Mr.. Burritt, gladly seizing the oppor-
tunity thus offered of changing the
dismal subject. rs your wife with
you?"
Il am a widower," was the reply.
my wife died twelve years ago, leav-
ing me with one child--a daughter"
Tell re all about your daughter"
said Mr.. Burritt, "and how you came
to make up your mind to part with her
for so long? have daughter OF my
own-as well as the son who was born
before you left England-and though |
have been threatening to pack her off
to boarding school for the last four
or five years. | never 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
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.