The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-03-21

~ 49, w ~ a. Nv 80 NAV 40
cursed from her birth. VIII you take
herr"
"All the more for that reasonv"
She took the child from him. cud-
ding 1t close to her heart.
"Come in. Paul! Don't stand there!
Don't you know you have come
homer"
He followed her into the library.
The warm. coZy room seemed to en-
fold him. to welcome him. He sank
into a chair. burying his face in his
hands.
Kathleen. | can't help 1t. l don't
wan to leave-to run away out into
the loneliness again. DC you think he
will let me- stay?"
Have you any doubtT" She faced
him proudly. "Then you don't know
our Bobv'
at wasn't easy. Kathleen-l was
90 n~shamed-but it was very lonely"
But all that is ended. Paul"
Sometimes life throws the prodigal
q line. In Paul's case the line was his
sister, another astray under the curse
Of inherited temperament, whom he
had found dying and hugging to her
heart a child Of passion.
"She died. But | made those last
weeks easier for her. | think. That
should count for something-dO you
think so. Kathleen"
'That should count for a great deal,
Paul"
IF only | could be Of some use to
him! I'd like to be-" The humility sat
strangely on Paul.
"Ah, | see you don't understand. He
needs all the help all Of us can give.
For william Murchell is dying. and
Bob must take his place"
"He has risen high. am glad"
And she saw that he was sincere. He
sat lp suddenly. with a despairing cry:
Kathleen, it's not possible! | can't
| can't help him. | can only
hurt him. Don't you see. I'll be a re-
minder to him and to every one Of
what must be fo~rgotten-that thing
his shame?"
But you don't understand" she
cried. What others think doesn't
count. He has never den i 1t, part
ly. ! think, because he wouldn't shame
you before the people. AS for him, 1t
wasn't his shame. He wasn't guilty"
"He-wasn't-guilty"
Then to the bewildered Paul she told
the story of the convention as she had
had 1t from Haggin.
1t was long before he answered. His
hands and face twitched continuously.
Evidently his nerves were gone. 1t
was not easy, the thing required Of
him.
AT last he opened his eyes. ITS the
only thing to do"
She guessed what was In his mind.
"He would never ask 1t. Paul"
Let us call Haggin and do 1t. Now
-tonight-while my courage lasts"
Carrying the baby. she left him
alone in the library. When she re-
turned, after many minutes. she had
left the child asleep in the motherly
arms Of Norah.
Paul was lying In the chair In tho
same attitude as when she had left
him, his eyes closed. He opened his
eyes and looked up at her question
ingly.
They are coming now" she all
swered. Then she added abruptly, al
most sharply, Paul, it's only fair to
you to tell you that-that Bob and
Mrs. Gilbert She stopped as alb
ruptly as she had begun.
He made no answer, and after
awhile she continued gently:
as there any reason why they
shouldn't be happy-as men and wo-
men want to be happy, Paulr'
Again 1t was a long time before he
answered In a voice that was very
tired: There is no reason. All that
is dead. 1t has no right to live. Kath-
leen."
In her heart she was crying jealous
ly to her secret. IT'S the last thing I
can do for him!' Aloud she said:
You must tell him that too"
He did not notice that her voice was
sharp and constrained He was
watching the fires Of a real suffering
burning out the last vestige OF the
self that had beef Paul Remington.
When Bob came home the two men
met quietly. What was said then
need not be set down here. but a new
footing was established. Thereafter
many things were ignored by them.
Paul went on the staff Of Bob's news
paper. The Bugle's editorials are
often quoted In other newspapers Of
note.
Many have often tried to initiate
them in vain, PERHAPS because they
breathe a spirit that cannot be simu-
lated convincingly. He Is no longer a
public figure In the Steel City. Few
0 remember his sensational dis
ayowal OF McAdoo. fewer still his
equally sensational amende. Some
times there nave beer struggles With
n burning appetite. At such times he
has fed to Kathleen. He tells her 1t
is she who has conquered.
Both Kathleen and Paul are happy.
AT least they have achieved content