The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1913-07-05

thirty pieces of silver, he proved him.
self above the price, but until then to
father he was still an alien outcast.
And then day suddenly the
call of the blood.
A sum of money was missing from
fathers desk, and the boy was the only
one known to have been in the room.
He WINGED as though dashed across the
face when charged with the theft, but
he acknowledged it. We gathered that
he wanted to go back to his people.
Homesickness, the cry of the heart
to me it was justification enough, but
father, from the height of his own
rigid integrity, saw no excuse for dis
honesty. l watched the two with an
aching heart.
Three days are not long, but it SEEM
ed IN eternity while we waited for
him to restore the money or to meet
such punishment as father deemed
justitiable. Father was memorable.
Poor little Two-f-Nick was banished
from the house to share the room of
Nf NAN oaI 4kAC0
branded. disgraced as he was, he was
scarcely less miserable than Ted.
The final day, and still no yielding.
| came way from a talk with the lit
tie culprit panied and hurt by his dull
refusals to return the money or tell
us what he had done with it.. He re-
minded me of his mother when she
had refused to go to see him. A strong,
fresh breeze was blowing, and 1 re-
member as l crossed the yard feeling.
an exultant thrill at fighting something
tangible. Then suddenly there was a
seraping, grating sound, a shrill scream,
and a warm, brown little body pulsed
out of the unexpected and flung itself
against me, knocking me violently
aside.
1t was over in a second. A heavy
ladder left against the house by some
workmen had been dislodged by the
wind, and under it. crushed and crum-
pied, lay 'Two-for-a-Nickel."
The agony put into those efforts to
restore him I hope l shall never know
again. In his delirium he lapsed into.
the almost forgotten language of his
ancestors. l knew he was pleading
for something, and, though my heart
ached to respond to his heart cry. not
understanding, how could l answer
the call from the hallowed shores 50
near the Unknown?
Hasty steps stumbled up the stairs,
and heard Ted catch his breath with
a stihed moan He had just heard Of
the accident. The child was quiet,
and l went to the door and held up a
warning hand. But he brushed past
me, stern and white, and, with a cry
that bit into my soul. flung himself on
his knees beside the bed, hiding his
face in the coverlid.
II did it, l did it, he sobbed. God
forgive mel There were foolish debts
l didn't want father to know about.
o Christ, spare the child and pun.
ish me!'
Across the stunned silence trailed the
voice of dreams.
II saw him, INSTRUMENTATION"
Triumph. satisfaction. love repaid.
were in the voice. A sudden ray Of
sunlight through the half closed Vene-
tian blinds made golden bars across
the room. He saw it and struggled up.
'The flag. The fiag,' he cried and.
with Il salute half made. fell back
across the pillow.
He did not die. For days he inger-
ed dangerously near to the edge Of
life. but love apd are finally triumph
ed over the dark angel. But he made
his oblation at the expense of his
straight. slender. perfect body. The
wild grace of movement is hampered
now by a pitifully twisted back. but
he is no longer an outcast and an alien.
He has proved himself above the
price.