Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-29
e Satan *
SanderSOn

and clean chiseled features made him
rare figure for the reading desk. az
his violin practice. the cut of his golf
f1annels. the immaculate elegance of
his motor car. even the white carna-
ton he affected in his buttonhole.
made him for the younger men good.
ly pattern of the cloth. and 1t had
speedily grown TO be the fashion to
hear the brilliant young minister.
Something of all this was in the law
yer's mind as he paused-a perfunctory
pause-before he continued:
II do give and bequeath the sum of
$1,000 and the memory of his misspent
youth"
Harry Sandersor's eyes had wan
dered from the chair to the slim 6g-
ure of the girl who sat by the screen.
This was JeSsica Iome. the orphaned
daughter OF friend of the old mans
early years. who had recently come to
! the house in the aspens to Gil the void
left by Hugh'S departure. Harry could
see the contour OF throat and wrists.
the wild rose mesh OF the skin against
/ the Romney blue gown. the plenteous
red bronze hair uncoiled and falling in
a single braid and the shadowy pathos
of her eyes. Clear hazel eyes they
were. wide and full. but there was in
| them no depth of expression. for Jes-
! sica Holme was blind AS the crisp,
| deliberate accent pointed the judicial
| period as with subterranean echo of
| irrefutable condemnation Harry saw
| her under lip indrawn. her hands clasp
| tightly, then unclasp in her lap. Plant,
| graceful hands. he Thought. which even
blindness could not make maladroit.
go on" rasped the old man.
THE residue of my estate. real and
personal. l do give and bequeath to
my ward, Jessica Holme'-
He broke off suddenly, for the girl
was kneeling by the chair cropping for
the restless hand that wandered on the
afghan and crying in strained, agi-
tated voice: "No-no-you must not!
He is your son!'
SIN the eyes of the law. yes. But
not otherwiser' His voice rose What
has he done to deserve anything from
me? What has be bad all his life but
kindness2 And how has he repaid it?
BY being waster and prodigal. BY
setting me In contempt and finally by
forsaking me in my old age for his
own paths of ribaldry."
The girl shook her head. You don't
know where he is now or what he is
doing Oh. he was wild and reckless.
have no doubt. but when be quarreled
and left you wasn't 1t perhaps because
he was too quick tempered? And If he
hasn't come back isn't 1t perhaps be
cause he is too proudy'
"Jessica. I've not forgiven him sever
times. I've forgiven him seventy times
seven. But he doesn't want forgive
ness To him | am only the old man
, who refused to put up longer for hi:
fopperies and eXtravagances! When h
, left this house six months ago he de
clared he would never enter 1t again
, Very well: let him stay away. a.
= shan't come back when ! am in m.
grave to play ducks and brakes witt
q the money he misusesl And I've fxet
!. +, it so that You won't be able to give I
away either. Jessica."
3 The girl. still kneeling. turned hai
: about with hopeless gesture. "Oll
won't you help me?" she said. Sh
spoke more to herself. ii seemed. thai
to either of the men who waited.
"Sanderson." said the old man wit
bitter fierceness. lifting his hand. e
dare say you think | am hard. but
tell you there has never been da
since Hugh was born when wouldn'
have laid down my life for him! 70
" are so like! When look at you seer
Is to see him as he might have been bu
for his own wayward choice If
IL were only rs like you in other thing
e as he Is in feature! You are nearly th
d same age. You went to the same co
~ Iege. believe. You have had the sam
l. advantages and the same temptations
10 Yet you. an orphan. come out n divin
" ty student. and Hugh-my SOMEONE
o out roisterer with gambling debts.
member of the fast set one of a diss'
:. lutte fraternity known as The Saints
L. whose very existence, no doubt. was
.. shame to the institution
u Harry, Sanderson turned slowly ,
~ the light A strange panorama in th;
"a moment had flashed through his brai
=. Kaleidoscope pictures of, an ear
nc reckless era when he had not bee
~ known as the REV. Henry Sanderson
i II think | ought to say that ws
81 the founder and at the time you spea
:! of, the abbot of The Saints. was In Il
same year with Hugh. We sowed OF
~ wild oats together. a tidy crop. l fame
=. for us both. That page Of my life
:. pasted down. speak Of it now b
cause 1t would be cowardly not to.
have not seen Hugh since colleE
- closed four years ago. But then WI
or all you called him--a waster and
~ prodigal. And was more for whi
~ others followed. led. At college
=. was known as Satan Sanderso1.'"
- at is the Hugh of the present tn;
NJ am dealing WITH said the old ma
nd For David Stires was just and he ws
IN feeling grim respect for Harry
pd honesty.
cd Harry acknowledged the brilsqt
&c kindness of the tone with a little M