The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1914-12-14

destitution, their home mortgaged.
their future hopeless. He learned
that they had not heard from the son
they had missed and mourned fpF
over q year.
A daughter supported them by
working in q factory in . town some
distance away. BY careful stages
Davis formed an spontaneously
with the old people. He managed
to arrange that they should give him
room and board. He insisted on pay
ing an extravagant price. "for .
home," as he termed 1t. Then at the
end Of q month he offered to free the
place from debt II they would accept
him as q permanent guest.
There was little solace for him in
viewing the new comfort and Joy Of
the old couple, for was he not the
murderer of their missing son? Still.
he persevered in what he called resti.
tuition. Dark and gloomy was his life.
Then the daughter, Alma, came home.
and then in a short while Greg Davis
knew that fate had yet to award to
him the severest blow Of all. for
love, strange to him before, intense.
almost feverish, now possessed his
lonely, longing soul.
What have you not done for us!"
Alma said to him more than once,
gratitude flooding her eyes.
why, I needed a home, friends"
Davis would lamely explain. all the
time his heart sinking like lead. It
had occupied his time and thoughts
to work around the place for the old
folks. Alma, however, was a constant
source Of reproach and remorse to
him. Every time his eyes fell upon
her, full Of love and longing, between
them seemed to come her dead
brother, waving him sternly back,
pointing at him menacing, accusing
finger.
Heaven shut out because plunged
recklessly into that hell of sin and
crime!" he groaned II cannot en-
dure my punishment will end it
ALL"
and placed it in the hands of law
yer. with instructions to deliver it to
old Mr.. Moffat should anything hap
pen to himself.
Then one afternoon he proceeded to
a retired spot in the home garden
Of the place. sat down on a bench
and drew out revolver 1t was the
same weapon that he had used that
Hateful night against his partner.
"A life for life!" he breathed,
solemnly, but his suicidal hand was
suddenly stayed. Through the gar.
den rang the echoing voice of Alma!
"Oh. Mr.. Brown!"-under this name
she knew him-"where are you?
Such news. such glorious news! The
letter just came. My brother, Dan
he is coming home!"
Astare, Greg Davis eyes roved over
the letter she placed before him. His
dazed brain could scarcely take in its
contents. It told Of partner mys-
teriously disappeared, of vain search.
It told how Moffat, in order to sur.
prise him had pre-empted the new
claim in Davis name, and in his hot
haste Davis had not paused to ascer-
tain that fact. The writer feared that
some enemy had killed Davis, for his
own life had been attempted, but the
bullet had glanced from a bone, mere
ly stunning him. So, the headlines
Davis had seen in the newspaper had
alluded to some other crime.
Amid his relief, his joy at learn.
ing that he was not a murderer, Greg
Davis sank to his knees in grateful
prayer. Then came a confession to
the amazed girl at his side.
How you have suffered" breathed
the gentle-hearted Alma, pityingly,
and out Of that pity grew love, and
when Dan Moffet came home 1t was
to greet a prospective brother-in-law.