The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-12-27

friendllness and exchange pleaSantr4e
as a watch dOg might fraternize vii.
q wolf in on hours.
But Mason had no responsive smil,
0r ready quip.
Whats upyf he demanded morOse:
You sent for me. Here am. woul
have brought my ticket sooner If you
hadn't written"
'All right, Mason. Keep your WOO
IN. Do you remember Superintendent
Robinson"
INN rnaI was inspector IN wnli.
shapeI when was put away7 Rath
Dr."
"Well. some friends OF yours he
been inquiring from him as to yo
whereabouts. He sent message round
and ] promised that you should ms
them If you showed mp. was H. 3
afraid you had bolted to the States.
Friends. have no friends
'tOh, yes, you have-very dear friends,
indeed
s'Then where are theyr'
| He gIared around the roomy p0E
Office, but 1t was only tenanted by pc,
licemen attending to various books
chatting quietly across a huge coun;e
His surly attitude did not diminis
the inspectors kindness.
"Don't be 50 doubtful on that point
Mason. Have you no children
Something In the police officers eyes
gave the man clew His swartli1
face flushed ana his hands cIinched
"Yes," he said huskily, 81 left two
boys. Their mother died. They wes
lost have looked for them evcfs
where >
TusDector Bradley pointed to a doc
Go intostlst room" he said quietlY
''and you win find them. They ma
waiting there for you"
Mason crossed the sanded floor liz
one walking In his sleep He expert
enced no emotion. lie was man
stunned for the nonce.
He opened the door of the WAITING
room and entered cautiously He might
have expected hoax, jest, from his
attitude
Two stalwart young men we're stand
Ing there talking Their chat ceased as
he appeared. For an appreciate time
father AMI sons looked at each otheg
with the curiosity Of strangers.
He knew them first. He saw himself
no less than their unfortunate and SUI
fering mother, in their erect figures
the contour Of their pleasant faces.
To them he was unknown. The ED
est boy was ten years old, the younger
eight, when they last met But They |
read message In the mans hungerina |
eyes, and they We're the first to break
the suspense.
'FatherY' cried John.
The other boy sprang to him without
q word
He took them in his arms. He VIZ
chOked. From some buried font cam
long forgotten fears. He murmure
their names. but not coherent SCI.
tence could he utter
They We're splendid fellows. he
thought, so tall and well knit. 50 nj,
50 thoroughly overjoyed
meet him.
That was the best Of it. They has
ought him voluntarily. They knew HI
ecord and were not ashamed to oy
lin. During the long days and nigh
# ceaseless inquiry he was ever tor
nented by the dread lest his children,
living, should look on him as az !
ursed. blot on their existence. .
He half hoped that he might discover
hem In some vile slum, where crime .
vas hallowed and conyicts were ha.,
oes. He never pictured them as hon 0
ST. we'll meaning youths, sons .af a
1h0m any father might be proud, fof v
! that possibility lurked the gnawirG ~
error of shame and reputation a
Mason's heart was full. He could not a
hank God for his mercy. That re "
PURGE of poor humanity was denied n
I'm, and. to his credit be it said, he 81
ras no hypocrlte
His scared soul awoke to softer feet "
lgs, as his eyes, his ears, his very q
cart drank ia fuller knowledge 81
lem, but he was tormented ia his Joy b
7 an agonized pang Of remorse, oh b
nat he could have met them with X
Inds free from further crimei d
In some vague way he felt that his
lnishment for Philip Anson's death b,
ould be meted ont by sterper jus cl
&c than the law of the land. He was te
o hard man to yield instantly. He "
ushed back the rising food Of horror
at threatened to oyerwhelm him In h.
is moment of happiness He forced
mself again to answer their anxious on
quiries. to note their little airs OF sf
anllness aud self reliance. to see ~
tn growing wonder that they were
rii dressed aud wore spetless linen
A police station was no place Tor con. ",
ences. Indeed both boys were awed -
thsir stn~eunaiRss. o.
fhey passed into the outer once, aud &c
ason went to thank Inspector Brad.
Don't forget yeur Ticket" whispered be
, pleased ofiicer. pl
rhe reminder Jared, bvt II was un b