Alma record., 1913-09-25


urged, and his tone showed that he
was trying, In his crude way, to i'm
press the priest with an honest dis
interestedness. "Of course, Jimmy
was entitled to his piece
"Surel" Bretzenger said, swelling
with the little virtue he had found to
help him.
'But you say 1t ought to go back
to Baldwin, chr"
That's what we think, SIR" they
chimed.
well, he can come and identify it."
said Father Daugherty. He slowly
wrapped the package up, and, unbut.
toning his long, rusty coat a little way
down from the throat, stuffed the
money into an inner pocket. The
deed seemed to madden Bretzenger,
and he moved step forward. The
two others saw his motion The
priest did not move, but he turned a
look on them, and raised his hand, and
McQuirk quailed, superstitious fear
in his eyes. He stiffened his arm be.
fore Bretzenger, and stayed him And
then the priest stepped quietly to the
safe, and pushed its door to with an
arm that seemed too weak and fraiJ
to stir the heavy steel.
ut looks to me, Michael" he was
saying gently, as If addressing Nc.
Quirk alone, '1ike personal property,
and, as I'm the administrator, I sup.
pose I'll have to take charge of it. II
any beside our dead friend own it, let
them come forward and prove their
claim, and identify their property in
open court"
Father Daugherty reported the
whole affair to the probate court, and
the Judge when the time for FLING
claims had elapsed, and he had waited
for the particular claim he knew
would not be presented, ordered dis
tribution Of the property. Then Fa
ther Daugherty went to the fat to see
Annie, bearing the bundle, the original
bundle, the bundle that had bought
the new gas franchise. Something OF
the dramatic quality in the situation
had got into the old priests heart
He knew that Annie would appreciate
1t all so much better If she could see
the fortune, and feel it, and he would
let her do so for an instant before he
put 1t away in the safety deposit
vaults to await opportunity for its in
vestment.
She looked at 1t long and long, ly
ing there In the lap of her black gown
She could not grasp the amount
though the old priest, leaning forward
with the enthusiasm Of boy shining
once more, after so many years, in
his hollow eyes, said over and over:
Look at it, my child! Feel it!
It's fifty thousand dollars! And it's
all yours!"
She patted 1t, tenderly and affec
tionately, with soft and reminiscent
caress, so that the priest knew thai
1t was not for anything that package
OF money might hold for her in
material way, then or afterward, but
rather for what 1t gave back for
moment to her desolated heart And
the priest was glad Of that, and there
after silent He had had doubts. He
would feel better when the money ha6
passed out Of his hands, and hs
sometimes questioned whether II
would ever do good In any ones
hands. But he had sense of humor
too, a grim sense In this instance
when he thought Of certain political
and financial circles, even if he die
dust his thin hands carefully with his
spotless handkerchief when he laid
the money down.
Annie's eyes had filed with the
ready tears that welled to their sweep |
ng. black lashes, and trembled there
ls she raised her eyes to him.
"Ah, father" she said, ''he was 80
20 good to me, always-and so kind!
And see how thoughtful he waste
cave me all this! oh, Jimmy, my
}ccr Jimmy!"
And she rocked forward. like an old
7Cman, and wept.