The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-07-12
] After
! w0Tnty
-. Years


all over the world trying to seek re-
lief from the heavy burden which
had rested ON his conscience for the
last 20 years.
At last he set sail from Barisal,
India and on the 27th OF June ar
rived at Coolidge, his little native
town. AIie stopped at flourishing
hotel over night, noting with interest
changes the village had undergone
and was listening with no little am
usement to number of remarks
which were made about his old man
sion. 1t seemed that few tourists,
the night before, had come back to
the hotel rather late, and In passing
the stately old house had seen
light through one Of the turret vim
dows.
He was eager to throw open this
cold dreary house altogether too
suggestive of the tomb TO prove
agreeable to him. The next morn
ing he walked briskly through the
great gateway. A wilderness that
had once been an evergreen park
revealed itself In all its uncompro-
missing beauty and loneliness. Wind
ing walks and lawns alike had long
since disappeared In jungle OF
weeds. There was the stone seat
under the popular where he and
ah, well. he wouldn't think of these
happy days. They were all gone by.
and some day he might be able to
atone. The same thing I've said
for the past 30 years." he muttered
bitterly to himself
He reached the huge door and in
serted the key he had kept so many
years. To his surprise the door was
unlocked and easy to open He
walked into the uncarpeted hall and
stood wondering. The mantlepiece
above the cayernous Fireplace and
even the smooth faces OF the long
French mirrors In the drawing
room were gray with dust Every
thing about the place looked desert
ed, but what about those lights the
tourists had seen? Here was an adj
venture,
But the adventure. however, seem
ed to slip from his mind, for he sat
down on the edge of dusty chair
and seemed lost in thought.
Twenty years ago that day, In that
very room, he had told his wife that
he was going away forever. that il
was best they should part, and that
she could get on without him as
he could without her. There had
been stormy words from him, cold,
cruel words. and from Martha there
had been first mild reproaches, then
tears, and finally, when she could
bear 1t no longer she had swept out
Of the room like a queen. All, how
no remembered that day, and the
tears trickled down his sunburnt
face unheeded.
At last he aroused himself from
his regeries and walking aimlessly UP
the stairs he reached the room where
Dayie. the manager of his estate,
long since dead, had written to him
that his wife had died. Yes in that
very room, and, covering his face
with trembling hands, the old man
wept as though his heart would
break.
After composing himself as best
he could, he reached the attic. It
was huge room, half the height OF
chests and articles OF furniture such
as attics are universally constructed
to hold He reached the cupola
through trap-door and found him
self In an octagonal superstructure
of good size. Many OF ,the window
panes were either broken or had fall
en- out, but the view OF the old
grounds and the surrounding hills
took up most OF his thoughts. This
was where be and Martha, when they
were children, used to climb and
play,
Hs stood there Is minutes per-
haps, when there was creaking
sound below. and after few nom
ents the trap-door opened cautious
ly Before him. with strange start
led look. was a most beautiful girl
She gave one frightened cry, and
then darted through the trap-door,
Sir Abbot Sylvester following
Through the bedchambers and hall
they rushed, she running nimbly as
squirrel he painting and stumbling
after her. When she reached large
oaken door she E.rned around, and
giving him ons lopk OF defiance pass
through. Sir Abyot paused, breath
ing heavily and scarcely knowing
what to do. He finally opened the
door, and lo' there Oh the couch
propped up with pillows was an old
woman. the girl kneeling by her
side, sobbing. The old woman gazed
In wonder at his ngure and he gazed
back at her. There was q look OF
recognition on both their faces. The
woman's face turned to an ashen
hue, and she cried: Have you at
last come back7" 1t was Martha,
and that beautiful girl was their
daughter.
Wall n WAS after % yaars hut