Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-04-13

ELSIE herein this house? l must
go away, mother" he said. in a panic.
NO. no. You Will stay You must
stay till your father returns. 1 thought
you had come home for good" she
walled tearfully.
II have, l haye-if dad will let me
after he has heard my story. But I
can't see Elsie-not yet Don't ask me
to-" He hid his face in her breast.
and she soothed him gently. "uark!
! believe 1 hear your fathers step.
Stay and meet him here" she pleaded.
Il cannot. mother, dear. l must tell
him something first and then If be
wants me to stay I will never leave
you again. l shall come back before
I leave the house. don't fear. I'll go
down now and get it over"
He laid her gently down on the pill
lows and. slipping from the room.
closed the door softly behind him. He
blinked in the red light that suddenly
flooded the upper hall. and then he
stood stunned and silent before n small
slim girl clad in dressing gown and
slippers.
"Elsier' he said after a long silence.
during which her beautiful gray eyes
had never left his face.
Raymond. it is you!" she whispered.
why. thought it was your ghost-I-
1 have looked for you so long" Her
voice quavered into silence, and she
dropped her lips against her clasped
hands.
bent dejectedly.
Raymond the girl breathed sharp
ly.
"Yes?" He turned toward her.
Cant l go down with you-stand be-
side you when you tell him-shoulGer
to shoulder, the way we used to play
when he were children?"
"Don'ti You cannot understand. You
wouldn't have anything to do with
me-" he groaned.
as it so bad as that?" she asked in
an awed tone.
YES"
Then you need me all the more"
she said quickly, and then she was
close behind him as he made his slow
progress down the long hall to the IL
brary door. where a long finger of light
shot through the crack in the doorway.
4AC SloCAAy man
ing by the table looked up as the door
pushed open. His dim eyes brighten
ed, and he raised a hand to his heart
Raymond. my son!' he said, holding
out his arms.
But the young man hung back. Not
yet. dad-not until L have told you
something" He looked pleadingly at
the girl. but she shook her head.
II ought to know, too. Judge Ely"
she said. with quiet dignity.
The judge nodded his head. Tell
US. Raymond. and be done with 1t.
want to embrace my son." His voice
broke.
Raymond's head lowered, and his
face Redeemed to scarlet. 'It is soon
told" he said despondently. I've
gone from bad to worse, and l didn't
know this was your house-and came
here this morning-look" He drew
from his pocket the black mask and
the electric lamp and laid them on the
table. Mother heard me and came
down. She sprained her ankle. and /
carried her upstairs, and she recog-
nized me. 1 will go away. Perhaps
can come back when have done bet
ter" He turned toward the door.
Elsie was crying softly against his
shoulder. His fathers arms closed
about them both. From above stairs
he heard the loving voice OF his moth
er calling to him. After that moment
no one could shake Raymond Ely's be-
lief in Gods unutterab BILE love.
Think of how entered your house,
father!' he protested.
'"The only thing that matters is that
you came. How you came does not
count" said his father Joyfully.