The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1909-06-09
The Thief.
By Mary F. Hurley.

dow and saw that the kitchen was
empty, as he had hoped, and that the
back door also stood invitingly open.
After a moments hesitation he eau
siously entered the unguarded house,
bis ~soleless shoes giving no warning
Of his approach, for a tramp who
had walked many, many miles seldom
has other than the upper wrecks Of
BOOTS.
Sinking against the wall in his
toul rags and dirt, he crept through
the narrow hall to the foot Of the
staircase, where he paused and con-
sidered the doors leading to the diff
terent rooms. He wondered which of
The closed doors disguised plumber or
behind which might be lurking cap
:ure and the strong arm Of the law.
It was too risky.
He drew In his breath between his
yellow teeth and decided to try the
oedrooms-they were safer at this
oour. With noiseless feet he ascend
I'd the stairs and tried the door at the
head Of the staircase. 1t yielded read
lily to his plundering hand and dis
closed a room-a woman's DOM
empty. His greedy eyes flew from
one object to another, seeking the
most valuable as well as the most por-
liable. 1t was with satisfaction that
ne noted the pocketbook lying on the
dresser, the silver toilet articles and
chat the brushes were silver mounted.
Completing his survey, he turned
from these articles and looked at the
mantel between the windows. He
started toward it; then deciding that
1t held nothing of value, retraced his
steps. Again, as If drawn by a kind
of fascination, he turned and walked
up to it. The first object to meet his
eyes was the picture Of a woman's
face in a small old fashioned frame,
and at the sight of it he staggered
back and shook as if suddenly striek-
en- with palsy. A piteous moan es-
capped him, and something fell from
the mist in his hollow eyes, from
which the wolfish look had vanished
his first tear in many years.
Standing there he had forgotten
his purpose; it was recalled to him
by the sound Of a woman's singing
as she opened the door. The song
was suddenly hushed as she looked
toward the mantel neal which stood
the tall, gaunt figure, its rags a uni
fo-~ ~ aN11~ frnr1 ro{n on6 cI1n ire
burning eyes staring at her.
She was a tall woman, and stood
at her full height facing him and
wondering if he knew how she was
trembling. She did not cry out,
though he expected she would after
the first Mortified CONFUSION Of all
her limbs.
What are you doing here?" she
asked in a quiet, controlled voice.
"I came to steal" he answered
hoarsely.
She looked vaguely around but saw
nothing disturbed. Her brain was
busy thinking she was in his power;
that her husband would not be in yet;
that she did not dare call for assist
ance and wondering if the self-ac-
cused thief had a weapon.
"I'm not going to take anything.
l haven't touched a thing" said the
hunted voice as she remained silent.
81 meant to steal"
She looked at him again. Now
she was not at all afraid.
"What stopped you?" she asked
calmly.
ut was all that stopped me. I
couldn't do it with her eyes on me-"
He pointed to the picture on the man
tel.
She looked at him in surprise, and
as she did so he thought her eyes
looked large enough to hold an in
finite charity and believe him.
II was a gentleman-once!" he
said, standing there before her in his
filth and rags. Disgrace, shame,
hunger, have made me the thing I
am" His voice was hoarser than it
would be some day when he pleaded
no. guilty at he var.
It was evident that having spoken
he was going, for he started toward
her, then stopped and said, as if in
justification:
You don't know what hunger IS.
For about a week now I've had hard
ly enough to keep soul and body to-
gether. If I were the thing l look,
I should last out better"
II will get you food" she said.
Her voice was the voice of social
equality that she would use in con-
~versation with a guest.
mo, no." he said, shaking his
head emphatically. Then, %hesitating,
he asked:
Does she live here?" motioning
toward the mantel.
"She is dead" gently answered the
woman by the door, wondering at
his question.
How long," came in a husky
whisper.
-Four years. Several years ago
her youngest son forged her name,
fed from home in disgrace and has
not been heard Of since. She never
recovered from the shock and died a
broken hearted woman. Her last re-
quest was that if he ever returned or
if his whereabouts eve became known
he be given the picture which inter-
ests you so much. for she fully for
gave him and that her love for him
had never wavered."
The tattered figure stood as if pet