The Sauk Centre herald., 1911-03-30
lcorTiNUED.l

court appointed you as guardian witt
the understanding that this mar
Thomas was dead. Now be is alive
and claims his child More than that
he has the most influential politician
in this county back Of him. We
wouldn't stand a fighting chance ex.
eept for one thing-Thomas himself
He left his wife and the baby; desert.
cd them, so she said: went TO get work
be says. We can prove he was q
drunken blackguard before be went
and that he has been drunk since be
came back But they'll say-Atkinf
and his lawyer-that the man was des-
perate and despairing because Of your
refusal to give him his child. They'll
hold him up as repentant sinner an1-
sous to reform and needing the littje
girls influence to help keep him
straight That's their game, and they'll
play it-be sure Of that 1t sounds
reasonable enough. too. for sinners have
repented before now. And the long
lost father coming back to his child Is
the one sure thing to win applause
from the gallery-you know that"
Captain Cy nodded.
He stopped. rose and. striding over
to the window. stood looking out
How does she feel about it her.
selfY' asked Peabody.
Her? Bos'n? Why, that's the
hardest of all Some of the children
at school pester her about her father.
] don't knows you can blame 'em-
young ones are made that way. guess
and it's oh. Uncle Cy. be amt my
truly father. is hep and You won't
let him take me away from you. will
youT till it seems as If should fy
ont Of the window. The poor little
thing! And that puffed up bumbug
Atkins BLOWN about his Christianity
and ali! I've seen heather lnjuns,
who never heard Of Christ. with more
Of His spirit inside 'em. There. I've
shocked you, l guess. Sometimes
think this place is too narrer and
cramped for me. I've been around.
you know. and my New England
bringin' up has wore thin in spots.
Seems If / must get somewheres and
spread out or III bust"
He threw himself into chair The
lawyer clapped him on the shoulder.
There. there. captain" he said
"DOn't bust yet awhile. Don't give
mp the ship. If we lose in one court
We can appeal to another. and so on
up the line. And meantime wen do a
little investigating of friend Thomas
career since he left Concord. I've
written to a, legal acquaintance of
mine in Butte. giving him the facts
as we know them and a description
Of Thomas. He will try to find out
what the fellow did in his years out
west. It's our best chance, as l told
you. Keep your pluck up and wait
and see." Il
The captain repeated this CONVEX
sat1On TO the board of strategy when
he returned TO Bayport. Miss Dawes
had walked home from school with
Bos'n and had stopped at the house
to hear the report She listened, but
It was evident that something else
was on her mind.
Captain Whitaker" she asked, has
It ever struck you as queer that Mr..
Atkins should take such an interest in
this matter? He is giving time and
counsel and money to help this man
Thomas. who is perfect stranger to
him. Why does he do itY'
Captain Cy smiled.
"Why?' he repeated. why, to down
me. of course. l was gettin' too ever
lastin' prominent in politics to suit
him. I'd got you in as teacher, and I
had Lonzo Snow as good as licked for
school committee. Goodness knows
what l might have run for next, cord
In to Heman'S reasonin', and | simply
had to be smashed 1t worked all
right. I'm so unhealthy now in the
sight of most folks, in this town that
cal'late they go home and sulphur
smoke their clothes after they meet
me. SOS not to catch my wickedness."
But the teacher shook her head.
That doesn't seem reason enough to
me-" she. declared. Just see what
Mr.. Atkins has DONE He never OPEN
y advocated anything in town meet
ing before. You said so yourself.
Even when he must have realized that
you had the votes for committeeman
he kept still. He might have taken
many of them from you by simply
coming out and declaring for Mr..
Snow. but he didn't. And then all at
once he takes this astonishing stand.
Captain Whitaker. Mr.. Tidditt says
that the night OF Emiiy's birthday par.
ty you and he told who she was by ac-
cident and that Mr.. Atkins seemed
very much surprised and upset. Is
that. SOP
Captain Cy laughed.
Ellis lemonade was upset. That's
III \ noticed special. Oh. yes! And
he lost his hat off goin' home. But
what of it? What are you drivin' at
nowr
Il was wondering ff-if 1t could be
that for some reason Mr.. Atkins had
pite against Emily or her people or n