Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-04

self. There are many things that might
have been different. that would have been
different, if | had not been'-he hesitated
and then finished aDruptly-'1f l had not
been coward.
A great quiet lay upon the house; the
two men remained sitting, and Wheaton
stood before them with his arms crossed.
the bishop and Saxton watching him,
and Wheaton looking from one to The other
of his companions. Contempt and anger
were rising in John Saxtons heart; but the
old bishop waited calmly; this was not the
first time tnat troubled soul had opened
its door to him
Go on he said, kindly.
My brother and | ran Il Nay from the lit
tie Ohio town where we were born. Our
father was a harness maker. / hated the
place. l think | hated my father and
.mo!her.' He paused as we do sometimes
when we have suddenly spoken thought
which we have long carried in our hearts,
but have never uttered. The words had ele-
ments of surprise for James Wheaton and
he waited weighing his words and wish ng
to dead justly with himself. my brother
was bad boy: he had never gone to school,
as l had, he had several times been guilty
OF petty stealing. ] joined him once in
theft; we were arrested, but he took the
blame and was punished. and l went free.
l am not sur that l WAS any better. or
that l am now any better than he is. But
that is the only time l ever stole
SaXton remembered that Wary had once
said of James Wheaton that he would not
steal.
Il wanted to be honest; l tried my best
to do right. l never expected to do as well
as / have-I IN in business and things
like that. Then after all the years in
which l had not seen anything of my
brother he came into the bank one day as
a tramp, begging, and recognized me. AT
first ] helped him. / sent him here; you
will remember the man Snyder you found
here when you came, turning to Saxton.
Il kneX you would not keep him. There
was MOI Ping else that I could do for him.
| had ! ~ ambitions" his voice fell and
broke, II ere were-there were other things
that meat great deal to mel could not
have him about. 1t was he who assaulted
me one night at Mr.. Porters two years ago,
when you" he turned to the bishop, "came
up and drove him away. After that / gave
him money to leave the country and he
promised to stay away; but he began
matchmaking ne again, and thought then
that l had done enough for him and re-
fused to help him any more. When Grant
Porter disappeared l knew at once what
had happened He had .threatened-but
there is Notwithstanding wrong with
met
These last words broke from him like
cry, and he staggered suddenly and would
have fallen if Saxton had not sprung up
and caught him. He recovered quickly and
sat down on the bench.
LET us drop this now" said Saxton,
standing over him; Its no time"
There's something wrong with me-, said
Wheaton huskily. without needing. and Sax
ton drew back from him. II was a vain,
cowardly fool. But did the best could, -
he passed his hand over his face, and his
fingers crept nervousiy to his collar, but 1t
wasn't any use! 1t wasn't any use!'' He
preach sermon once. 1t was about our OPP
portunities. You said we must live in the
open. / had never thought of that BEFORE"
and he looked at the bishop with foolish