The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-03-06


Don't you know me. Mr.. Knowles?
he leered. thrusting his srinning fac,
within an inch Of the others. I'm
Alvin"
Knowles stammered In embarrass
ment. why. I'm glad to sec you. Mr.
Alvin" he muttered. Let me see
you've been away quite Q while
haven't your"
Yes. but I've come back" answered
Alvin. "Mr. Howell has promised me-
a position with tho bank again, bal
he's moved. hasn't be? Where b h
living!"
On the corner Of Main street." I'll
tered the other. "l-positively I have
an engagement" And he shambled
away. casting back frightened glancea
at the ex-convict % he walked.
That was all Alvin wanted to know.
He guessed that Howell occupied one
Of those new white frame structures
that hs could sec In tho distance.
very pretty In their groves OF shade
trees. II he hadn't been . fool be
and Isabel might have occupied one Of
them now. Isabel! He had not
thought Of her. but now. In bis desper.
ate temper. he resolved to make her
suffer Just little. He would not hurt
her much. OF course: she was almost
beneath bic notice.
And Isabel was seated on the lawn.
right 1t the edge Of the lawn, under Z
tree. watching the passers-by In her
foolish. empty.headed way. and rock.
Ing. Al he approached he saw that Z
boy some seven years old was stand
ing BY her side and that another
sprawled 1t her feet. Her children.
evidently! He stopped: and sudden.
ly the veil that obscured bis mind was
lifted. and With . cob. he. turned away.
She had not recognized him.
He knew that Knowles would
spread the story Of bic return oil over
tho town. What . fool he had been to
betray himself! He might have gone
to the bank and accomplished bic pur.
pose: now he would have 70 wait TIL
dark and Are through Howell's dining
room window. AZ he meditated on
HE revenge hs noticed that, automati.
cally. his feet were leading him In the
direction Of his fathers home. two
blocks away. II was . street he had
trodden . thousand times. He halted
and looked up At the little house. It
was unchanged. But the shades were
down and evidently 1t was unoccu.
pied.
It had grown dark when Alvin nnal.
" turned toward his enemy's house.
lie passed the little place Of his birth.
light was burning In the parlor.
Then It was occupied. after all. But
ne did not speculate as to its inmates.
He passed swiftly along the empty
street to lIowell's residence. Once, as
le walked. he thought he heard steps
behind him and FASTENED. for that
which he was to do had to be done
quickly and there was no time to tenn
porize. Yet. when at last he crouched
outside the room and saw Howell, his
'eet in slippers, stretched out In a
chair, reading. he forbore to fire. His
hatred needed the sight Of the man
o enkindle 1t. At last. almost reluc. |
antly. he raised the revolver.
Just then his arm was caught from |
,ehind--nOt that which held the revol. |
,er. invisible in the darkness: never.
heless he lowered It and swung round |
o look into the face Of little elderly |
ady. His mother stood there 1t bio
ide.
John" she whispered. clinging to
i'm. you've come home. John!
new you would. Father 10 waiting
Or you. He Is bedridden now. but he
90 forgiven you.
"He wouldn't let me write or Sc
on for years. John. but his illness
% softened him. He said you would
ONE home He made mo promise to
AIT for you. We have light In your
pom every night. John"
Then the mists lifted entirely. and
nddeply he understood that the most
recious love In all the world was his:
nd. having that. what did he care for
Tiers?
He felt his eyes blinded with tears
. he slipped the pistol into bic pocket
Id clasped his mother In bic arms.
copyright. 1913. by ". q. Chapman.)