The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-11-04
BY Irving Bachelor

increase their peril. Now. eight mile.
from their cave was the cabin Of 9
settler. They passed within a mile Of
it on their way out and in. They ha6
often met the dog Of the settler rowing
after small game-a shepherd. trustful
afTectionate and ever ready to make
friends. One day they captured the
dog and took him to their cave. They
could not safely be seen with the boy
so they planned to let the dog go home
with him in a little red sleigh. Now
the settlers cabin was, like that of my
father, on the shore Of a pond. 1t was
round, as a cups rim. and a mile OF
SO In diameter. Opposite the cabin a
trail came to the waters edge skirting
the pond, save in cold weather. when
it crossed the Ice. They waited for q
night when their tracks would soon
disappear. Then, having made q cover
of the sa.lcloth sack in which they had
brought the boy and stretched it on
withes and made it fast to the sleigh
box, they put the sleeping boy in the
sleigh, with hot stones wrapped in pa
per and a robe of fur to keep him
warm, hitched the dog to it and came
over hill and trail to the little pond
awhile after midnight Here they buc-
kled ring of bells on the dogs neck
and released him. He made for his
home on the clear ice, the bells and his
bark sounding as he ran. They at the
cabin heard him coming and opened
their door to dog and traveller. So came
my hero in a little red sleigh and was
adopted by the settler and his wife and
reared by them with generous affec-
ton. Well. he goes to school and learns
rapidly and comes to manhood. It's a
pretty story-that of his life in the big
woods. But now for the love tale.
He meets young lady-sweet, tender.
graceful, charming"
"a moment" said Darrell. raising his
hand. ''Prithee, boy, ring down the
curtain for brief parley. Thou say'st
they were Syrians-they that stole the
lad. Now, tell me, hast thou reason
for that?'
sample" said Trove. when they
took him out of the sleigh the first
words he spoke were 'Anah jouhan.'
He used them many times. and while
he forgot they remembered them.
Now. 'Anah jouhan' is a phrase Of the
Syrian tongue. meaning, I am hun
cry"
Very WELL" said the old man, with
emphasis, land sailors. That is. a just
inference. 1t was a big port, and far
people came on the four winds. Very
well. Now, for the young lady. An
away with thy book unless love her."
'.She is from life-a simple hearted
girl, frank and beautiful and Trove
hesitated. looking into the dying fire.
"Noble, boy. Make sure O. that, an
nobler, too. than girls are apt to be. If
Emula ton would measure height with
her see that it stand upon tiptoes."
$50 have planned. The young man
loves her. She is in every thought and
purpose. She has become as the rock
on which his hope is founded. Now
he loves honor, too. and all things Of
good report. He has been reared a
Puritan. By chance, one day, it comes
to him that his father was q thief"
The boy paused. For a moment they
heard only the voices of the night.
''IIe dreaded to tell her." Trove con-
tinued, yet he could not ask her to be
his wife without telling. Then the
question. Had he right to tell? For
his father had not suffered the penalty
of the law and. mind you. men thought
him honest"
"'Tis just" said Darrell "But tell me,
how came he to know his father was a
thief?"
THAT 1 am thinking of, and before l
answer. is there more you can tell me
of him or his people?''
Darrell rose and. lighting a torch of
pine, stuck it in the ground; then he
opened his leathern pocketbook and
took out a number of cuttings, much
worn and apparently from old news
papers. He put on his glasses and be-
gan to examine the cuttings.
THE other day" said he, Il found an
account of his mothers death. I had
forgotten. but her death was an odd
And : tinker began reading slowly
as follows:
4 "She an her mother. lady deaf an
feeble. We're alone, saving the servant.
IN u remote corner O the house. 4
sound woke her in the still night She
ay awhile. listening. Was it her hus-
band returning without his key? She
rose, feeling her way in the dark an
trembling with the fear of nervous
Descending stairs, she came
nto room o many windows. The
shades were up. an there was dim
in the room. A door with
panels o thick glass led to the garden
walk Beyond it were the dark forms
IF men. One was peering in. his face
It panel another kneeling at the
ock. Suddenly the door opened. The
ady fell fainting. with loud cry.
Next day The kidnapped boy was born"
Darrell stopped reading, put the clip
oing into his pocketbook and smoth- +
cred the torch.
1T seems the woman died the same I
lay said he.
And was my mother" The words
came in a broken voice.
Half moment of silence followed |
hem: then Darrell rose slowly, and a /
-remulous, deep sigh came from the
Ups of Trove
Thy mother. boy!' Darrell whispered.
The fire had burned low, and the
great shadow of the night lay dark up
IN them. Trove got to his feet and