Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-09
The Sister of Mercy shook hel

VhSi ShOOh LII
head.
mo one can do anything" groaned
the man "I'm done for! They ought
to have killed my wife and the kids
at the same time they'll starve
now she can't work! My God! It's
awful to die knowing what | know.
Maybe I'll see the mstarve after
I'm dead"
The mental anguish of the thought
bloted out the physical pangs the
man was feeling.
Look here!" said Vandraken i'm
pulsively. IF you died, knowing that
your wife would be given a small in
would 1t make things better for your
"a thousand pounds a year! I'd al
low myself to be killed a thousand
times, c%heerfully, to get that for my
wife. / spent all her money-that's
it back, and there will be no peace
bound spirit"
poor man! He's a spiritualist,"
said a voice in the crowd.
81 don't lake much stock in that
sort of thing went on Vandraken,"
but if it will make you happier to die
knowing that your wife is provided
for, | will give her a thousand a
year,"
The dying man looked up at Van
draken distrustfully. you are only
saying this to soothe mel" he groan-
ed. Men don't give strangers a thous-
and a year no one does no n
cant"
Il am Standish Vandraken, one of
the richest men in the world. The
sum is absolutely nothing to me. I'd
be only too glad to get rid Of it."
Swear it, as you hope for saliva
tion!" painted the dying man.
Vandraken looked embarrassed
"Tll give you something legal" he
said, and writing hastily on a slip of
paper, signed it. The Sister here
shall witness it," and he handed her
the paper and the s%tylographic pen.
ELISA Won Tarsenheim, known as
Sister Anastasia,' she signed and
handed it back to the millionaire.
"You are his daughter" he ex-
claimed. you are the girl
The Sister looked up at him then,
and recognized him.
, Eyes, I am the girl you injured;
but there is one you have injured
more. I must see you afterwards.
Promise that you will not go away
without giving me an opportunity.
My duty now is to this man."
J Then, a policeman coming up with
the hooded litter and a surgeon, the
dying man vas carried away, hugging
the paper, which, for him, robbed
death of its terrors.
. "The waiting room at Charing
Cross Station is the best place. sug-
gested Vandraken. and the Sister
bowed her head in acquiescence and
followed him.
; The occupants of that dingy tri
umph of the apparently commonplace,
who sat surveying n another with
8 l~istless contempt, wondering why hui
l mainly is so undressing when 1t
travels, and why it sinks to the sor
did in a waiting room, would have
changed their views could they have
overheard the discussion of the in
t credible which was taking place be
t tween the millionaire and the nun.
8 Elsa waved aside his apologies for
/ the wrong he had done her the day
t of the operation. eve are not here
to discussthat,'' she said hurriedly
"Such things 1 cannot discuss. There
Y are wrongs on your conscience sc
y great that the trying of our e
E found wings of sin are a trife in com
h parison.'
You know what the operation was
then?" questioned Vandraken. your
father told you, after all?"
yes, | know everything - every
1 thing but the name of the man whose
soul and body you bought with YOU
sinful wealth. My father would mo-
tell me that. l seek that youth I'VE
e the world. 1t is my mission laid on me
S by my church the church tina
h knows all, that understands sucl
e forces as my father controls; to ge
e undone the awful sin which you ant
my father have committed, to RICH
S the appalling wrong you have done
to that young man.
e 81 can't see that" said the MAJ
without a conscience. 1.-The chap was
S going to have destroyed his body any
way destroyed it absolutely. 1t ma.
be a bit damaged now 1 suppose i
d is but still going strong, l expect.
!, "Ah! 1t is like talking to an ami
s. mall exclaimed the nun despairing
u ~. IL ID HOt only WAdl you udNS uOlI
O to his body, it is what you may alst
S have done to his soul for eternity. H,
S can hardly have resisted the tempta
d tions my father tells me would com,
to him from the echo of such a lif'
d as yours"
9 II didn't know about souls when
bought your fathers invention.
e don't know much about them now.
s don't want eternity won't have it!
e said the millionaire, in the slight
y shrill tone his voice took when he dis
cussed something which frightene
!, him.
"You cannot choose about that, an
more than you chose to be born" sal
the nun, solemnly.
S. Il will buy your fathers other il
IS vention. | will escape eternity if
have to pay Millions" said the mate,
~ ialist.
a Elsa looked at him pityingly. an
father has no other invention. He
!. a mailman. So says the CARDINAL"