The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-08-30

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may be a very different AFFAIR to the
end of this. Goodby."
They were passing the London hos
pital, and ne thought 1t prudent to
alight at some distance from Johnson's
News.
WELL God bless you, anyhow" she
said earnestly.
"'E's got is 'ead screwed on tight,
that lad" commented a man sitting
next TO her
Better than that, he has a good
heart" said Mrs. Wrigley. Most fortu-
nate Mrs. Wrigley-to have encounter
ed Philip In that hour, which she deem
ed the blacklist In her life.
He FASTENED through the familiar
hustle of the busy thoroughfare with
heightened expectancy, it is true, but
devoid Of the least fear that his meteor
had been discovered. His mother
would take good care Of 1t. Why, the
mere chance remark Of the woman he
had befriended showed that her gentle
spirit watched over him wherever he
went. Here was stranger, sad toll
er among the millions, who went out Of
her way to praise the goodness Of one
she had never seen. He laughed joy
ously. Mrs. Wrigley should have fur
Their cause to bless his mothers mem
DRY.
He passed O'Brien's shop. He saw
the old man seated behind the counter.
Should he go in? No. Better keep
wholly to himself at present. Yet he hog
itated. Which was the more judicious
course, to remain hidden, unknown, or
or to drop quietly into the groove where
he was recognized? With rare perspi-
cacity for one so young, he reflected
that only five days had elapsed since
he last saw the old pensioner. The
period bulked largely in Philips life;
in O'Brien's it would be as naught.
Yielding TO The second thought, he en-
tered the shop.
"Glory be to God, Phil, but it's miself
Is glad to see yev' cried his old friend.
"Where have We bin to, at all, at all?
Have yez heard what the murtherin
war office is afther dom to me? /
haven't had q sowl to sphake to about
the throuble they've put on me in me
ovid age"
This was not strictly accurate.
O'Brien had pestered the whole neigh
borhood with the story of his withheld
pension and the preposterous claim
made on him by some red tape enthu-
siast in Pail Mall. But his plant eff
fectually stopped all further reference
to Philips disappearance. AS to the
"bit o. shtone' that was "naythur
alum nor lime" he hadn't a word to
say.
Philip borrowed spade, a small
sweeping brush and strong sack with
out evoking the slightest comment
from the pensioner, who discoursed In
cessantly on the iniquity Of the "gov-
ermint" and whose farewell remark
dealt with the attempt to rob him OF "a
hundred gowlden sov'rins."
Decidedly the boy was in luck's way
He had secured some necessary imple-
ments without attracting any atten-
ton. Watching a favorable opportuni-
ty, he slipped unseen into the gloom of
Johnson's News. He tried the door Of
No. 3. 1t was locked. He inserted the
key and entered. The darkness within
was that of utter blindness, but he
dumped his impedimenta on the floor
and locked the door behind him.
Then he CROPPED his doubtful path to
the mantelpiece where he had left
candle and box Of matches. His boots
crunched as he went on what he knew
to be mostly diamonds, and he STUN
bled over the mattress in front Of the
fireplace. Yes, the candle was there.
Soon he had light. The tiny CLEAN
lifted the black curtain, and he survey
cd his domain. A single glance show
ed him that all things remained exactly
as he left them on Saturday morning.
The packet of letters rested on the
broken chair, the old sack was Etuneu
into the window and the rope-that
never to be forgotten rope-dangled
from the hook 10 which he had fasten-
ed it.
The sight brought a lump into his
throat. He sank to his knees, pressed
down, he felt, by some superior power.
Mother" he said humbly, forgive
me and ask God to forgive me for
what 1 would have done were you not
watching over me-
In the spiritual exaltation Of the mo-
ment he almost expected to find that
sweet face peering at him benignantly
from out the dim background. But he
could not see her, and he rose, revivi-
fed by this spoken communion with
her.. He had no shadow of doubt as to
her presence. God to him was the uni
verse and his mother the unquestiona-
bic means of communication with the
Providence that governed his life. He
would die rather than abandon that
belief. Were 1t dispelled from his
mind he was quite certain that his
wealth would vanish with It. 1t was
no haphazard accident which had sent
the diamond laden meteor headlong
Prom the sky. He was despairing, dy-
ing. His mother Appealed for him,
and, behold! The very elements that