Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-14

| ing which Mr., Sargent looked about The barely
furnished room with a strange soitening of bis
features. When the instrument ceased train
was heard in the distance
Excuse me- said the man. rising and put
ting on his hat, there is n Special coming
| through and that freighttran must be side
tracked here
Left to himself. Mr.. Sargent went at once to
the stove and opened it. Nothing but ashes met
his gaze, yet as he looked piece of burnt pa.
per which had lodged out of sight was swept
by current Of air into plain view. Fearing it
might crumblc in his fingers he slipped n card
underneath it and brought IL to The light. The
print was still legible, and he read the address
and part of the advertisement of business firm
in Middicfcld.
When the man. his outside duties performed.
rc-entered the room, where Mr.. Sargent was
again seated there a challenge written in
every line Of his face.
"Well" he said calmly, seating himself OPP
posito the detective and looking him steadily in
the eyes, "what is your business with %? You
may as well out with il first as last"
"Raymcnd,' SAID the elder man, not unkindly,
"wl,y did you burn those Middlcfeld rapers?"
"Why have | buried myself here for nearly
three years.
81 understand, l understands" then, after a
pause, "Well, my boy. arc you ready to go back
with me? I should think almost any life prefer.
able to this
"That depends upon circumstances. To servo
my sentence among strangers, people that never
knew me- is thing: TO bring disgrace upon
those who once were my friends, is another"
"1hcy your friends STILL Raymond"
Don't talk TO me Of friends!' he exclaimed
bitterly chat is too much"
They sat in silence, then Mr. Sargent said as
he rose, "Wcll, / have TO do my duty you
know; | have paper here which must serve,
and then ] guess you'll have to go back with
me I'll step outside while you look it over, but
! won't be very far away, you understand
lie laid paper on the table and left the
room. Raymond sat with head bowed upon his
breast As he heard the retreatng footsteps
his thoughts recurrcd to the little packet-why
not well as later? lie could not endure
the disgrace himself. he would not disgrace his
friends Mechanically he glanced towards he
paper, started then gazed, unable to credit his
own senses: it bore his name in NIildrcd's writ.
ing! With trembling fingers he picked it up;
opening it, he read the contents. his nerves
aquivcr. 1t was brief and ran as follows:
"My Dear Ned: | write this, feeling assured
it will reach YOU. God frustrated all attempts
to find You when an injustice was to be done
YOU through terrible mistake, and I
He will favor our efforts now to do justice and,
so far as possible, right the wrong.
''Two years since stranger came to town
who, learning your story, confessed that he
was here three years before, and on that fateiul
day, while hunting ir the woods, his rifle ac2l-
dentaly discharged, wounding man, but
whether seriously not he never knew, he
was so frightened that he got away quickly
as he could. From his description of the wound
ed man it was proven beyond doubt that it was
Wilson.
1--WE lave been searching for YOU ever since.
Mr.. Sargent thinks he has got track of you at
last, and am more than hopeful of mis- finding
YOU. ] know | need not ask you TO come back.
Harry is anxious to see YOU. He is married and
has home of his own, am alone in the cot
tage under the elms that YOU used to love, and
that is waiting to bid you welcome home
Yours, as ever "NIILDRED."
The reaction, the sudden relief from the terri
bic tension, was too much Dizzy and faint with
Joy Raymond seemed powerless TO move; his.
head sank upon his arms the table before
him.
shoulder and kindly voice
"Wcll, boy, are yor ready 10 90 with me?'
81 can't 90 any too soon was his reply.
As soon as substitute could be procured Raw
mond started East with Mr.. Sargent. At Rob
inson he stopped long enough TO see Dixon.
Hello. Got Your promotion" were the lat.
ters first words as they shook hands.
NO, hut ] got something much better. III
tell YOU about it when you come East"
when come East" Dixon repeated in be-
wildprment
YES old fellow; prepare to follow me short
". I'm going back home, and therell be a
wedding soon after get there, and | want you
for best man. You'll come won't you!'
Sure III come, and don't you forget it!
And he did