The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-06-19
By ROBERT CARLTON BROWN
-AUTHOR OF@=
THE BURDEN OF PROOF"

marrying Bob, even for her father $
sake.
This vas all interesting news to Phil,
but il did him 10 particular good.
Then he opened a letter from Alice
Il was one written just before Bob had
been sentenced for killing old Eben.
She explained that she had seen Eben
often when he was in his last illness,
and that he had tried TO explain the
mystery of his masters death, but was
never able 10 quite make II.
Alice told him in this letter that she
had about made up her mind to marry
He turned abruptly to the last letter
That, too, was from Alice.
Stretching it out on his knee, he
hunched up on his cot and read the
following slowly:
Dear Phil:
AT LAST!
mo doubt, from my letter, YOU will
think that I have gone mad. Well It
has been a hard strain. but at length
L am through with 1t all.
Circumstance has come in and
blasted our two lives. was on the
verge of sacrificing myself to your
cousin. But now, on account of his con-
viction, everything has been cleared up
again.
4 have taken new decision and 7
am most happy over 1t. AS long as
will never have you, I have decided
that my life would be worse than moth
/ ing III 1 merely stayed at home People
would always talk about me, and 1
could never be happy under those cir
cumstances. Also. father would always
| be trying to marry me off.
so here is the decision 1 have come
TO, and am carrying ii out right now
i have raised money enough to pay
my car fare to the far West. A friend
has secured me a position as teacher
there, and / am on my way now
when I reach there / will change my
name and forget the old life completely.
1T been I
everything -but 1 must not thin <
of that ALICE -
/ sensible resolution on the girls part
| He had spoiled her life and she was
determined that she would do the
! best possible thing with the part OF
l IL that Yet remained TO her.
Phil was glad for another reason
/ If Bob got out now he would never
have chance to marry Alice, OF
Phil could look at things in a far
different light now 1t would dc him
no good TO escape. The death-watch
he would not have time to use the
] file that he had made That would
/ take weeks, and he had but one week
I before the death watch would come
Z and sit in front of his cell.
/ Prison guards have figured out the
/ various moods which prisoners have
when there is but a short time before
/ their execution. At first they are
stunned, then they become desperate
/ but finally, toward the last, a strong
/ religious ardor takes hold of them.
Phil fell TO reading the Bible will
avidity.
/ Forgiveness was one Of the chief les
/ sons he learned
| His manner softened. He became
/ more generous and kind in spirit than
/ he ever had been.
/ II was in this mood that Phil Darins
determined to do one last thing He
I would heap Goals OF fire upon the head
= of his enemy.
Z Bob wanted to escape. No good could
/ come from the young fellow staying in
prison. and Phil finally decided that he
/ would help his cousin to get out.
/ Now, all thought Of his own escape
I was gone.
/ In two days the death watch would
/ take its stand before his door.
I After that-well, there was no use
thinking past that point. The file could
be hidden In a banana, and Bob could
I he free