The Irish standard., 1913-08-02

Don't you know me, Mr.. Knowles p
he leered. thrusting his grinning face
within an inch Of the others. I'm
Alvin
Knowles stammered in embarrass.
ment. "Why. I'm glad to see you. Mr..
Alvin" he muttered. LET me Sec
you've been away quite while.
haven't your"
Eyes, but I've como back" answered
Alvin. "Mr. Howell has promised me
a position with the bank again. but
he's moved, hasn't he? Where is he
living?"
ION the corner of Main street." fax
tered the other. "I-positively I have
an engagement" And he shambled
away, casting back frightened glances
at the ex-convict as he walked.
That was all Alvin wanted to know.
He guessed that Howell occupied one
! Of those new white frame structures
that he could see In the distance,
very pretty in their groves of shade
trees. If he hadn't been q fool he
and Isabel might have occupied one OF
them now. Isabel! He had not
thought of her, but now, in his desper.
ate temper, he resolved to make her
suffer Just little. He would not hurt
her much, of course; she was almost
beneath his notice.
And Isabel was seated on the lawn,
right at the edge of the lawn, under a
tree, watching the passers-by In her
foolish, empty-headed way, and rock.
Ing. AS he approached he saw that
boy some seven years old was stand.
ing by her side and that another
eprawled at her feet. Her children,
evidently! He stopped; and sudden:
" the veil that obscured his mind was
lifted, and with a sob he turned away.
She had not recognized him.
He knew that Knowles would
spread the story of his return all over
the town. What fool he had been to
betray himself! He might have gone
to the bank and accomplished his pur
pose; now he would have to wait till
dark and fire through Howell's dining
room window. As he meditated on
his revenge he noticed that, automati.
cally, his feet were leading him in the
direction Of his fathers home, two
blocks away. It was street he had
trodden thousand times. He halted
F., 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 final.
ly turned toward his enemy's house.
He passed the little place of his birth.
| A light was burning in the parlor
Then it was occupied, after all. But
he did not speculate as to its inmates.
He passed swiftly along the empty
he walked, he thought he heard steps
behind him and fastened, for that
which he was to do had to he done
quickly and there was no time to tenn
porize. Yet, when at last he crouched
outside the room and saw Howell, his
feet in slippers, stretched out in a
chair, reading, he .forbore to fire. His
hatred needed the sight of the man
to enkindle it. At last, almost reluc.
family, he raised the revolver.
Just then his arm was caught from
behind-not that which held the revol.
yer. invisible in the darkness; never
theless he lowered it and swung round
to look into the face of little elderly
lady. His mother stood there at his
side.
"John!" she whispered, clinging to
him. you've come home, John! I
knew you would. Father is waiting
for you. He is bedridden now, but he
has forgiven you.
"He wouldn't let me write or see
you for years, John, but his illness
has softened him. He said you would
come home. He made me promise to
wait for you. We have light in your
room every night, John"
Then the mists lifted entirely, and
suddenly he understood that the most
precious love In all the world was his;
and, having that, what did he care for
others?
He felt his eyes blinded with tears
as he slipped the pistol into his pocket
and clasped his mother in his arms.
Copyright, 1913, by w. G. Chapman,
| Leopard and Tiger Coats.
| So numerous are the coats of Loop
ard skin that one might imagine It
child's play to pop one of these snarl-