Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1911-02-17

and his daughter had waited overnight
in Albany after the granting of the
| pardon to meet the released prisoner.
who was coming to the capital for the
| purpose already mentioned.
Rose. absolutely positive of her one
time rescuerS innocence. had made a
proposal TO her father regarding the
future Of Jimmy Valentine. Her IA
Their. tall. we'll built. with beard and
brown hair streaked with outcroppinSs
| lie had agreed on her account to place
| Valentine in II good Salaried position.
| but as yet he had doubts as to wheth.
Or be dared to secure for the ex-convirt
exactly the employment the girl &c
handed for him.
Now, sit down and listen, daG," the
girl said, crossing to a sofa.
| But. Rose. this is a most desperate
thing to do-pick up an ex-convict and
put him in u bank" Mr.. Lane pro-
| tested.
us he an ex-convict if be was con-
victed unjustly" argued the girl.
Didn't Cncle George say be was in
nocent?"
Not exactly. He said there was a
chance that he might be-"
But the governor pardoned him"
Guilty men have been pardoned.
The girl would not be gainsad.
"But | want you to give this man n
chance. dada good chance. He risked
his life once to save me from insult
She patted her fathers shoulder plead
ingly and affectionately.
81 know; know" declared Mr.. Lane.
"And you must see him. Rose was
becoming fearful of the end.
"Oh, I'll see him, of course. but to
put him to work in the bank-why,
Rose, it seems like flying in the face
of Providence"
dad, doesn't it mean anything to
you that | want it done?" Tears be-
gan to gather in the girls eyes.
why. of course" relented the IA
Their. Your mother left you 40 per
cent of the bank stock, and that alone
would make me listen did you see tt
to even ask it, but who knows about
him, and suppose it became known
who he was and what he had done?'
Owe thought of all that. and | want
you to risk it, and my 40 per cent
wants you to risk it."
And your heart, Rose" The IA
theirs keen eyes searched the young
girls beautiful face.
Rose returned his glance calmly.
YES" she cried. rising and meeting
her fathers eyes unfinchingly with
her own; I've known men who
thought they were heroes all my life.
who talked of themselves and bored
me to death And one day from q
clear sky, when | was struggling in
the arms of blear eyed brute who
beat me if | dared move hand. this
man came.
There was no blare Of bugles or
anything but utter courage. He made
| the rutfian leave me. His voice was
low. | could scarcely hear what be
said. but there was note of COM
mand and a threat of death in 1t, and
the brute disregarded it, and he mas
tered him, beast twice his size. He
fought silently and killed him. And
all my life that man owns me-"
Mr.. Lane was only half startled a
the open declaration Of his daughter
of her admiral ton and gratitude for
and sentimental interest IN the ex-
convict Jimmy Valentine. His train
ed intuition had already told him that
she was more than casually concern
ed in the fate of this mystifying
young man. whose record was appar-
emily so bad and whose personality
and ambitions were certainly impress
sive in their good qualities. Truth
| to tell, Mr.. Lane was conSiderab bly,
disturbed at the situation, but he de-
termned to accept it philosophically
for the present and to watch careful
ly the future development.
"Rose." the father exclaimed as the
girl concluded her statement While
he had realized her attraction toward
the released prisoner. he had not
guessed of the depth of her feeling for
him.
Its no good to be shocked. dad"
answered the girl. "It's true. And
then he went to prison on the death
rattle of a beast like that, and I'm
going to make it good to him if he's n
man. And he is; every drop Of my
blood tells me So"
"And you don't even know his
Nance"
Eyes, do"
HE gave you one. I know. but even
that
well. what of it? Does a name
mean anything to real men and wom-
en-? No. The one comes-the one in all
the world-and. well-that's all there
is to love"
A pause ensued The father was
first to speak.