Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1913-11-25

hho' hih6' L III dlldlu- anu lhSh
she began to cry.
you won't forget to tell Uncle
John l want to see him, will you
grandpa?" whispered little Ruth as
he bent down to kiss her.
mo, l won't forget" he said, and
then he went out, and for some time
stood by the gate, silent and notion
less. But under the silence was a
tumult that made his face strangely
drawn and pale, and his eyes had a
look in them that his wife had never
seen there before. She looked at him
questioningly when he came into the
kitchen. What had happened to
him?
"l'm going over to see John Bent
ly," he said, brokenly. SHE wants
him! Then tears came, with a great
sob back of them, and he turned to
go.
20, Robert" his wife cried, "Pm
so glad! so glad! Sometimes, since
she's been talking so much about
him, it's seemed as if l must go after
him, if you wouldn't. Maybe it's the
last thing we can do to please her"
Mrs. Harris could not see her hus-
band, now, for the tears were run
ming down her own checks, but she
put out her hand and laid it on his
arm, and added, -" Mrs. Bently to
come, too. Tell her | vaat er to
spend Thanksgiving Day wi. us, as
she used to. This is Thanksgiving
Day, Robert, tho we'd both forgotten
it, in our trouble. Someway | can't
make it seem as if there was any
thing to be thankful for if-if" and
then Mrs. Harrs's voice broke, and
it was some time before she could
say anything more. Then Tell Mary
she must come, for | may need her
help if--if anything happens"
"I'll tell her" he said, and was
gone.
Strange thoughts kept Robert Har-
ris company as he went swiftly over
the hill road. Could it be possible
that he was going to see his old en-
emy, and ask a favor of him?
His enemy? Was Iunn Bently
been friends all these years? What
pride and stubbornness had kept
them apart? Did he not know that
he had done wrong? Was it not bet
ter to confess wrong than it was to
go on boarding up hate and bitter
ness? But it was a hard thing to do,
this saying to another, I'm in the
wrong-Im sorry-forgive mel" Af-
ter all, could he do it? He paused
on the hill-summit and asked himself
the question. 1t seemed to him as
If, at that moment, he heard the voice
of little Ruth crying out, 80, Uncle
John, | want you!"
That decided him.
Yes, for her sake | can do it, and
| will do it, he cried After that
there was no hesitation, no hating
by the way. He went swiftly down
the hill and across tn orchard, and
up to John Bentlys do ". rush of
old memories swept owe. him like a
flood, as he knocked. How many
times in the past he had crossed that
threshold!
The door opened, and John Bently
faced his old friend, and his old en-
emy. His face grew pale as the pos
sible meaning Of the visit came to
him.
"Is-is she?" He could not finish
the sentence.
She's alive yet, but Pm afraid we
are going to lose her" Then Robert
Harris's voice broke "She wants
you. Will you Gomez" lie held out
his hand, scarce knowing what he
did.
80 John" and now the words
came swiftly, suddenly, irresistibly,
as waters crowd upon themselves
when they break the bonds that have
held them back. Il was in the
wrong! | knew it long ago, but
wouldn't say so. I couldn't say it,
it seemed to me; but now--to-d day
for her sake | can say, I do say, for
give me. For little Ruth's sake. you
know"
Then this man, who had so long
been a law unto himself, stood there,