The daily Alaskan., 1912-08-23

 the sash and looked out. ra Sup the ladder and vas about to ask her If she would go with me when she said: Heavens. What are seu doing: Fa- the- drove to the county seat today and is expected home every mInuter'
 AS she spoke there was a sound Of wheels cruErEing on gravel almost uns der the window. Marcia. frantic. pull ed me in.
 'sThe ladder" exclaimed. He will see it"
 He did see 1t. for heard the wagon stop directly under the window. snd certain mutterings that told me | would be caught in Marcia's room.
 Then a certain coolness came to ffs, from where know not. and resefu- ton was ta,en to save Marcia from q stain.
 "Get into bed" said. and pretend 10 sleep"
 She ooeyei me. and. gathering up a few trlnSets ou the bureau, brace lei. two or three rings and some gold pins, I stuffed them in my pocket. open cd the bedroom door and went down stairs Ten minutes later was caught with the articles on me and confessed myself sneak thief.
 was plated in the wagon that had just come from the county seat and at once driven there and lodged In jail. I was newcomer in that region, and none of the Hosmer family except Mar cia had ever seen me. Even had l been seen it would not have mattered.
 The local newspaper nt the end of the week published a short iteTp as to the capture of thief who had boldly climbed to the window of Miss Hos mer's room. stolen some articles from her bureau without awaklng her and. retreat beirig cut off by Mir. Hosmer. who opportuuely arrived In time. tried to escape through the house. He was caught red handed, confessed and was lodged In jail. The Item added a warning to farmers against the prac- tice of employing itinerant farm hands during the harvest season lest they harbor crooks. Miss Hosmer," the article said in closing. 'on learning of the danger she had incurred. became hysterical and has not yet recovered from her fright"
 For several days Marcia gave me no news of herself. and when she did she came to me. Then knew that she had neither the physical strength nor self control to have come before But at last, manlfesting an interest in the welfare Of the man who was supposed to have robbed her. she declared that she would see him, and If he were penitent she would forgive him and do all she could 10 save him from the con sequences Of his theft. She insisted on coming alone and was permitted to see me without others being present.
 She begged me to consent 10 her con fessing the truth, but forbade her. In the first place. 1t would wreck her good name and would have the sin upon my conscience. persuaded her to let the matter proceed as 1t had begun, en- couraging her to hope that some guar. dian angel would bring all right in good time
 was soon tried, and. since had not only confessed. but had been caught with stolen articles on my person, ! pleaded guilty, and the court gave me a comparatively light sentence. And now | am in stripes at what Is called hard labor. But my heart is not heavy since what bear has been instrumen. tai In saving my love from m obloquy that would have resulted from my own rcckiessneEs. My suffering Is that she suffers. She comes to see me, some times with the knowledge of her par. ents, but oftener when they know nothing of her visits. Every time she comes she begs me to consent to her making confession, and every time persuade her to walt for some other means of giving me my freedom.
 Six years later. have done great work. For five years l succeeded Tn persuading Marcia to refrain from tell ing the truth concerning me and by good behavior reduced my sentence, so that a year ago stepped forth free man. A few months before the ex- piration of my term Farmer Hosrner died, his wife having died soon after my incarceration. and Marcia became mistress Of the fortune she inherited as sole heir. After her fathers death she came openly to the prison to see me and gave out that as soon as l bad served my term she would marry me. Tn this she would not yield. saying that. since l had become q convict to shield her, 1t was but little for her to have the name of wedding convict
 And so opr the day l regained my freedom after putting od my stripes and putting on good clothes sent me by Marcia stepped from the prison door into a carriage beside my bride and was driven to church. where we were made one.
 I wish that for my wife's sake l could remove he stain resting upon me without putting stain upon her. This cannot be, but l feel that Prov idence has enabled me to become an example to other convicts, showing how one may live. maintain his self