The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-03-07

genius had reared, and to right the
wrong that would cast its gloomy
shadow on his name-that had been
his only thought. What he had done
would have been done nc matter what
the outcome Of the investigation. But
now, he told himself, no one could say
the act had been wrung from him.
Ihat, he fancied, would have been his
fathers way.
lie smiled-a slow smile Of reminis.
cence-for there had come to him at
that moment the dearest of all those
memories--a play of dis childhood.
I'e saw himself seated on a low
~>ool, watching funny old clock with
moon-iace, whose smiling lips curved
IN like military mustachios, and wish
ing the lazy long hands would hurry.
lie saw himself stealing down a long
corridor to the door OF a big room
strcWn with books and papers. that
through some baleful and mysterious
spell could not be made to open at
all hours. When the hands pojnted
right. however, there was the Omen
Sesame his own secret knock. two
herce twin raps, with one little lone
some one afterWard-andt this was IN
falling. Safe inside, he saw himself
standing on big, polar r-bear.skin the
door tight-locked against all comers
an eXpectant baby figure with his lit
tie hand clasped in his fathers. The
white rug was the magic entran. 10
the Never-Never Country, known only
to those two
He could hear his own shrill treble
Westinghouse, Wishing-House.
where are you?'
Then the deeper voice (quite unrec-
ognizable as his father's) answering:
Here | am, Master; here | ami"
And Instantly the room vanished
and they were in the Never-Never
Lan6, and before them reared the big
gest house in the world with q row of
white pillars across it's front mile
high.
John Valiant felt an odd beating Of
the heart and a tightening Of the
throat, for he saw a scene that never.
faded from his memory. 1t was the
one hushed and horrible night, when
dread things had been happening that
he could not understand, when big
mall with gold eyeglasses, who
smeIled OF some curious sckish-sweet
perfume, came and took him by the
hand and led him into a room where
his father lay in bed, very gray and
quiet.
The white hand on the coverlet
had beckcned to him and he had gone
close UP to the bed standing very
straight, his heart beating fast and
hard
John" the word had been almost
a whisper, very tense and anxious,
very distinct. John, you're a little
boy. and father is going away"
Toto Wishing g-House?"
The gray lips had smiled then, ever
SO little, and sadly. NO, john
Take me with you, father! Take
me with YOU"
His voice had trembled then, and he
had had to gulp hard.
Listen, John, for what I am say
ing as very important. You don't
Know what | mean now. but some
time you Will" The whis. er had
grown strained and frayed, but it was
still distinct. Il cant go to the Never
Never Land. But you may sometime.
If you if you do and if you
find Westinghouse, remember that
the men who lived in it be.
fore you and me y. were gem
tlemen. Whatever else they were.
they were always that Be
like them, John. will your"
Yes, father"
The old gentleman with the eye
glasses had come forward then, hasti-
ly.
Goodnight, father"
He had wanted to kiss him, but
strange cool hush had settled on the
room and his father seemed all at
once TO have fallen asleep. And he
had gone out, SO carefully, on tiptoe,
wondering. and suddenl! afraid.
(IO he Continued \