Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1910-07-01
Ills Destined Hour

Along the veranda, like a guilty
wretch, John Arden crept The cur
tain was raised a little and through
the interstice a pleasant scene reveal
ed itself. Yes, they were all there, as
he bad pictured to his Jealous soul
many time IN tue far away Land from
whence he had come.
Ruth, his wife. their child, his rival,
Dan Weston, and-the baby on his
knee. He had known how It would
be- Soon as he was forgotten vol
He turned away-the lights inside
dazzled him, and sight Of the happy
group IN the cosey little sitting room
somehow clutched his heart with con
nurtured for years.
It was dark outside-dark and bit
terly cold. A wicked curse just trem-
.bled on his tongue, then died, ove.-
whelmed by the wave Of self-condem-
nation that swept his soul. Back into
the night he sped, back, back to TIE
dimly lighted streets Of the little vii
lage that had been his home so long
ago
At l46 uOOl VI AlAN NAAAat@ sNtAN
| and postoffice he halted. Not one ui
the group recognized in the midGie
aged, bearded, sun-burned man, the
! John Arden they had known as a
slender, youthful fellow, too careless
and happy go lucky for his own good
Can you tell me, friends, he called
crispy, when can get a train TO
Boston?"
mot tonight" The reply cane
from the sturdy storekeeper no
trains go after 6 o'clock. You'll hey
to put up for the night"
! Curiosity impelled him to step in
side. He wanted to know how It had
Jared with all his old friends since
last he saw them. He walked over
to the stove and held out his hands 10
the grateful warmth.
stranger IN these parts?" The
storekeeper eyed the elegance OF his
attire askance. Yes" briefly.
what might your business be?"
"Planter-in Bermuda Here FOR
little vacation. ! used to be acquaint-
ed some around here"
What might your name be?"
John Smith" A funny twinkle in
his eye warned the genial storeAeeI-
er of the limitations of curiosity and
he became instantly reservoir o.
volubility for the strangers benefit
Anyone in particular you remem-
ber2"
"Well-just a few. YOU for IL
stance, and Squire Mason, and few
others. say, who lives in that old
fashioned house, brick with greeu
blinds, just down the street from
here?"
THAT? Oh, that's the old Walton
place Dan Weston n his family liy
ing there now. Married one OF tht
Walton girls. you know" The strenG
er smiled ruminatively.
"Yes. Wasn't there fellow by the
name of Arden who used to ham
around there some-if l remember
rightly?"
"Yes. A shiftless, no good critic.
Tried first one thing and then anothei-
Never made good at anything. II
married one of the Walton girls, was
ed the money her father left her, g.
wildcat schemes, and finally was burn
ed up in a theatre, out West some
where"
Indeed" The stranger smiled .
little Good way to dispose of bac
penny. And his widow" with care
less interest. 'she married again
didn't she?"
, "Oh, no." The storekeeper chewed
, a prune refectively. That's the fun
, ny part of 1t. Much as he robbed he
/ of, shiftless and wasteful as he was
she never lost faith in him. Sht
, thought he was perfect, and she
mourns him yet. She lives owe
! there" jerking sticky thumb back
ward, with her sister and Dan Yves
! ton, in the old place. Oh, no, sh'
didn't marry. ! say, stranger"
, But John Arden was half way dowi
: the street on his way to tell her, wh'
had been faithful, that he still lived
I that he had dropped out of sight, aftei
- the great fire. because the sight Of nj
name in the list OF missing had in
spired him with an easy solution o
a the difficulties into which he had in
volved the girl who loved hin
4 through mismanagement and i'll luck
? Then, too, he had been jealous-jea
. Gus OF Dan Weston, his more prosper
a GUS rival, and he had meant to b.
dead to her, to allow her to be happ'
Il where she loved. Now all that wa
4 changed. He was hurrying down tn
narrow little street Just to tell he
how he had succeeded in the far ava
country-that 1t was all hers, that he
a faithfulness should be rewarded h
the devotion of the remainder Of hi
II life to hers.
On the yeranda he paused. Throug
the interstice of the raised curtain h
n regarded the little group throug
q changed eyes. Then, God bless ther
II all" he murmured. as he pressed th
Is tiny electric button
Hurrying feet came down the hi
a food of released light engulfed hin
her eyes met his, and henceforth thcc
a was no darkness for him, anywhere :
n the wide world, only the radiance {
). her eyes-her smile.-MlSS a.
10 PRATT.
AZ To enable airship pilots to hol
their course the Imperial Observator
at Wilheimshaven has had devised b
DR.. Billlnger a duplex compass
~ which is described as a delicate ind