Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-10-03

OkCdlI.
You're not Philip" she cried.
Both men looked startled, and the
old one looked sharply into her face.
You have mistaken my nephew for
some one. evidently" he said. May /
ask whom"
His voice trembled oddly as he spoke.
and Mrs. Ross turned breathlessly to-
ward him.
ITS the strangest likeness she said.
II never say anything SO odd. / could
have sworn he was a man we had in
our company named Philip Trelling-
ham. He-he made love to our little
girl and disappeared. and left us In the
lurch n week ago"
She paused.
philip T~rellingham." repeated the old
man. and you say he was like my
nephew" He looked round at him. 1T
must surely have been Philip he added.
The other man made some gruY reply.
and turned away impatiently, but the old
man leant forward again.
Tell me about him." he said. MY son
was named Philip-Philip West. and he
was strangely like my nephew here. 1
think your Philip was my son. and l have
not seen him for a year. Tell me about
him."
Mrs. Ross told him what she knew, spar
ing nothing, and the old man nodded when
she had finished.
1T is my son." ne said.
Mrs. Ross hesitated.
II always thought he was a gentleman"
she said, after a minute. but he looked to
me as If he had a secret-some private
trouble-1 always felt IT." -,
He had" he said. slowly. HE yielded
once to a temptation: only once; he was a
good lad until them
His nephew turned suddenly and made
an effort to get him away, but he stood his
ground for an instant.
II only erred once" he added. and II
he made love to your little girl he meant
it. You can trust him. He was honest.
God help him., poor lad. he was never dis
honest but once"
He turned away. His nephew stood
scowling, looking i'll at ease, but Mrs.
Ross did not look at him. She put her
hand on the old mans arm, all her good
nature and tender heart showing I'm her
face through her tragic paint.
IF we can ever come across him again.
she cried. II shall remember that. If we
can only find him, I'll remember that you
said he was honest
A week later the luck of the little COM
pany still held. for the theater was packed
again. and Lady Macbeth sat before her
glass rubbing on her paint in high spirits.
Il believe he was a Jonah." she said
aloud. We've had luck ever since he
went"
A sound behind her made her turn to
find Nellie. white as a ghost. standing in
the middle of the room, staring at her
with wild eyes.
WHO MOTHER" she asked unsteadily.
"Oh. goodness. child. i didn't hnow you
We're there. What Il stupid thing you are
You meant Philip Trellingham.' Nellie
said firmly.
We'll, what if 1 did?'' said her mother,
a little 81 ply. You are thinking too
1 r,t,AI -. l...
We shall probably never see him again.
Darling. don't be foolish. Forget him"
Nellie's eyes flied.
II can't. mother she said. 81 didn't
tell YOU, somehow ] couldn't. but he said
he should come back some day-he said
he said-that he loved me. but he couldn't
ask me to be his wife becausc-he had to
do something first. He had to clear HIM
self of something. and he couldn't even tell
me what K was
Mrs. Ross stared.
'His father said he was honest" she
muttered to herself.
We'll" she said aloud.
"So-he went to clear himself said Nell.
Mrs. Ross got up and paced about the lit.
tie dressing room. She had not told Nellie
what had occurred "A week ago, and now
she almost wished she had. Still. they
would probably never see him again.
She went forward and put her hand on
her shoulder. She would read her one lee.
ture. and then trust to her own sense to
give up a foolish dream. She opened her
lips. but she did no: speak.
There was "a knock at the door. and
she Knit her brows. Stupid things. who
was it who wanted her at that moment?
Come In" she shouted impatiently, and
the door was pushed open.
When she saw who 1t was she gave a
startled cry and fell backward. /; was
Phillip. and she hadn't even the presence
OF mind to prevent Nellie from running
into his arms. And before she could speak
he had kissed the girl. not once, not twice.
but a dozen times on her face that was
like a poppy now.
II never heard of such "A piece of i'm
pertinence in my life Mrs. Ross said.
but they only laughed. and Philip came
forward.
"You must forgive me he said. 81 de-
serted you for a reason. l was once ac-
cused of forgery. Things were horribly
black could not prove my innocence. and
my father washed his hands of me. tried
all j could to clear myself, but it was no
good, and so i joined Your That
was a year ago. But a friend Of mine-a
solicitor-who has always believed I'm me
and has never given up working for me,
wrote a fortnight ago and told me that he
had pr~oofs-that he could clear me.
I'VE had TO work secretly, and smoke
to Nellie here and disappeared. Now
am clear at last. ! can ask her to be my
wife-l do ask her TO he my wife. love
her. And my father has taken me back
he knows me to be honest now
Mrs. Ross. looking more unlike Lady
Macbeth than she had ever lone before.
held out her hand. and said something no,
quite distinguishable.
And who was the forger, after allo"
she asked presently.
Philip hositatcd, then:
Il. was my cousin he answered.
Rubbing Il In.
THE late Thomas Beecham. the famors