The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1910-01-26

i U tI0 btTcotb " CRY Oub dt eiio wy OA
my voice-I am not a murderer"
Terrified at his violence, Mantel
| pushed him farther back into the door
waly; but he sprang out again as II
his very life depended upon the sight
of the great white face.
BE quietl" Mantel cried, selling his
| arm with an iron grip.
Look at this hand, Mantel! have
not looked at 1t myself for more than
| three years without seeing spots OF
blood on It'll And now 1t looks as white
as snow to mel"
You are In danger of being over
heard, and If you are not careful, In
moment more we shall be In the hands
of the policel"
| mo matter II am," cried David,
almost beside himself. and rapturously
embracing his friend. Nothing could
give me more pleasure than trial for
my crime, for my victim would be my
witness! He is not dead. He is out
there in the street. Mantel. you don't
know what happiness 1t! You don't
know how sweet 1t Is to be alive! A
| mountain has been taken from my
shoulders l no longer have any Sc
cret! I will tell you the whole story
of my life. now"
mot now; but later on, when we are
alone"
| David had now grown more quiet
and they stood patiently waiting for
the time to come when the old beggar
should leave his post and retire to his
home, If home he had. At last he re-
ceived his signal for departure. A
shadow fell from the roof Of the tall
building opposite, upon the pupil Of an
eye, which perhaps felt the darkness II
could not see. The building was his
dial. Like millions Of his fellow crea-
lures, he measured life by advancing
shadows.
l. He arose, and in his mien and move
ments there was a certain majesty.
Placing his hat upon his storm beaten
head, he folded the camp-chair under
his arm, took the leading string In his
hand and followed the little dog. who
began picking his way with fine care
through the surging crowd.
Behind him at a little distance walk
ed the two gamblers, pursuing him
like a double shadow. A bloodhound
could not have been more eager than
David was. He trembled II an omni-
bus cut off his view for single in
slant, and shuddered II the beggar
turned corner.
Unconscious of all this. the dog and
his master wended their way home
ward. They crawled slowly and quiet
ly across street over which thunder
ed an endless procession of vehicles;
they moved like snails through the
surf of the ocean Of life. Arriving at
length at the door of a wretched tene-
ment house, the blind man and his dog
entered.
AS he noted the squalor Of the place,
David murmured to himself, Poor old
man! How low he has fallen!"
Several minutes passed in silence,
while he stood rejecting on the doc
tors misery, his own new happiness
and the opportunities and duties which
the adventure had opened and i'm
posed. At last he said to his friend,
do you know where we are? I was
so absorbed that didn't notice our
route at ALL"
Yes" Mantel answered. IT have
marked every turn of the way"
Gould you find the place again?"
Without the slightest difficulty"
BE sure, for If you wish to help me-
as think you do. you will have to
come often. have made my plans In
the few moments In which have been
standing here and am determined to
devote my life, If need be. to this poor
creature whom have so wronged. ]
must get him out of this filthy hole in
to some cheerful place. l will atone
for the past II can! Atone! What q
word that isl With what stunnins
force Its meaning dawns upon mel
How many times / have heard and ut.
tered It without comprehension. Blu,
somehow i now see in II q revelation
Of the sweetest possibility of life. Obi
I am changed man: will make
atonementl Come, let us go. am
anxious to begin. But no, I must pro.
ceed with caution. How do 1 know
that this Is his permanent home? II,
may be only lodging for the night. and
when you come tomorrow, he may h.
gonel Go in. Mantal. and make sur,
that we shall find him here to-mor.
row. Go. and while you find out al
you can about him. will begin tt
1 sehrcn Ior sucn piace as want Il
put him in. We will part for tn,
present: but when we meet to-nigh
we shall have much to talk about.
will tell you the whole OF this long ant
bitter story. I am so happy, Mantel
You can't understand I have some.
thing to live for now. I will work. oh
you do not know how I will work Il
make this atonement. What a word \
L.! It IL music to my ears. Atone.
mentl"
And SO in the lexicon Of human ex
perience he had at last discovered tn,
meaning OF one OF the great words o
our language. After all, experience 1,
the only exhaustive dictionary, and tn,
definitions It contains are the onl,
ones which really burn themselves In.
to the mind or fully interpret the sig
nifcances OF life.
II CHAPTER XVII.
The next few weeks were passed ii