The Press., 1910-03-09
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me uGtNltt- III ulH YUCAGt ...I,m gong home. loo." he:said grave ly as he handed her the hall. srm waiting for the train now"
 And have you got a mamma Y' she asked. with sudden interest
 .sYes. and she mas, been waiting for me a long. long time. Roor little motberv' the last too low for her to hear As the little girl was moving away he called her" with a sudden ges- ture.
 5 Fl wish you would take this." he said earnestly as he gave her a tiny box of exquisite workmanship. .I made it from q piece of ivory which was found on a battlefield and in- tended 10 give it 10 my sister. You make me think of her"
 Hut won't she want itY' Mildred objected. ~
 "she is dead" was the grave an- swer
 The little gfrl's face grew sympa- thetic. ''s" 2'' ::
 .;l'm sorry" she said gently, 'and I'd like to. have the box ever so much. But must ask mamma"
 Mildred ran of 10 her mother. The young man occasionally looked that way and saw that the child was tell ing her mother about him. He knew that the another was regarding him with suspicion. For some time dia- logue that he could not hear was going on between mother and child. Mildred was evidently arglIing for her new friend. and her mother was quietly op- posing her. But the mother stood frtn. and at last tlIe child 7 returned with q disappointed air.. .: q-..-s..
 ''MAmma says l., mustn't take gifts from strangers" she said regretfully. but I'm ever so much obliged. just the sam me-
 The sun spots moved slowly across the grass and disappeared one by one In the thicker shadows of the trees: The young man watched them listless- ly. At length q clock began to strike in ihe diStance. and he counted the strokes carefully. When it ceased he once more got up and began to walk back and forth. Hut nuw his head was erect and his left foot had lost it's dragging motion and on his face was a tender. eXpectalt smile
 Mildred had grown tired of her ball and was watching the water as 1t fell Splashjng into. the broad basin of the fountain. As the young man approach ed she looked up tinlidIy.
 "Are you going noW?" she asked
 "Not for another half hour" be re. piled. ''I would rather wait here than down at 1hes depOt,.' For some mo- ments he stood gazing at, her. Evi- dently her face brought up some mem- Ory of the past, for he sighed as he turned away,
 A little later Mrs. Bradford was aroused by excited voices Several figures rushed past her. For a mo- mentt she eazetli around wonderingIy: then she rose and followed. Near the fountain was group of excited peo- pie. In the open, space beyond she recognized Mildred playing with her ball. What was The matter? !
 Rut even as she wondered came the wild rush of pair. Ot frightened horses into the open space. What fol- lowed happened so quickly that she could not realize it until it was over. Mildred was placed. sobbing, In her arms. and. a hllshed group closed about the silent figure on lhe ground.
 Tt was the bravest thing ever saw" said one man ina low voice.
 But sad thing for the poor chap and his people. if he had any," said another 3compassionatelys
 What. was it :? What struck him ?'' asked one who came up and joined the crowd. ' '@s ''@'s 'si~ sAS'''ss
 e'rhe e.httd was playing nqarN the fountain. A runa way teaIh came down the road,r making for the place where the child was. all unconscious of the danger, He." pointing to the figure op the ground. jumped in, threw her from under. and the whole thing pass- Pd, over him."
 Well. be went to his last home, do-' ing heroic. act" said another. He gave his life for g little child"
 Two guards from the penitentiary came across the plaza and joined the group. A moment lafef one of them gave few quick directions to a hack man who was standing pear.
 Tt is No. 3O8." Mrs. Bradford heard him say. Poor fellow: And he has only been out few hours: 1 must telegraph to his folks. %
 Mrs. Bradford waited until she saw. them place the motionless figure in tue hack, then walked slowly back to the settee.
 Under the live. oak she saw some. thing glisten. Picking 1t up. she found 1t was the little ivory box.
 Here. Mildred" she said. in a low voice. ''you may keep 1t.