The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1915-05-04
he happened to notice the article

|I|A|( AI11|l|t \ tNI
"Thank You, No." Said John Thurs
ton Simply, and Turned on His Heel.
upon which the pawnbroker had just
made loan. He started His whole
being thrilled.
1t was a iocket It bore two por-
traits. One was of himself, the other
ofnthe only woman he had ever loved.
Six years ago he had given that keep
sake to Alice Isle
The pawnbroker stared strangely as
he noticed his emotion, for Thurston
had reached out and had seized the
locket and was inspecting the initials
upon its outer case.
Tell me-" he spoke. his voice In
tremor, did the woman I noticed
just now leave this here?"
"She did," responded the pawn
broker. What is your interest in
knowing?"
"Because-because did you see
her face? It Is not curiosity. 1t is
vital that should know"
Yes, / noticed that she resembles
her picture there Mine is hard bust
ness, my friend. but we money
leeches. as they call us. have heart
sometimes. pitied the poor girl.
for she looked poor and sad, and she
kissed the iocket at leaving, weeping
and begging Of me not to sell 1t If she
could not redeem it soon"
Did you get her address?"
Il always ask that. You are inter
ested and you look straight There
1t is"
Hurriedly John Thurston copied the
name and address on the pawnticket,
( Miss Lisle." Then she had not mar
ried! He thanked the pawnbroker,
forgetting all about suicide now, and
FASTENED from the place
The address he had received led
him to poor tenement building about
a mile distant. He made cautious in
Quiries to learn that Miss Isle and
lady friend occupied a. rear attic
at the top of the building. Five min
'utes later, standing on roof stair
way, Thurston looked through an open
transon into wretched room.
A fire was burning, evidently Just
started, and some parcels on table
indicated that they had just been pur-
chased, probably with the proceeds OF
the loan made FROM the nawnbroker.
Upon a bed lay the wasted form of
woman She was weeping, While
her hands were outstretched in love
and gratitude towards Alice Isle.
who was busting about the room and
cheerily making it more comfortable.
"Oh, you are breaking my heart.
you are SO good to mel" sobbed the
woman on the bed. Here for a month
you have cared for me, a stranger,
halfstarving yourself, and at last part
ing with lost love nemen!o, the
locket-'
Better times will come, DEAR" in
terrupted Alice comfortingly 81 shall
surely get work, and you, too. when
you ere well. We shall redeem my poor
cherished token of happy past she
added sadly, for l would not lose it
for anything. Be brave, dear, there
will yet come to your patient soul
showers of blessings
Two discoveries overwhelmed the
mind of the watching Thurston at that
moment. The first was that Alice
Lisle was loyal to his memory. The
next was that she was sacrificing
herself for poor invalid fellow crea-
ture. He reached within an inner
| pocket and drew forth a dozen or
more bank bills that represented a
| part of his legacy. 1t was a vivid. ir-
rational impulse that caused him to
fling the precious money through the
transom-a shower of blessings, in
deed!
Somehow rare joy took possession
of his soul as he fed from the spot.
He wandered about the streets, think
ing. thinking. Ali here was an object
in life at last: to watch over in secret
this devoted first love, to see that
she did not suffer He would never
! become known to her-ah, no! with
the convict stain upon his lifei
A hand touched his shoulder and
Thurston turned to confront a police
i man. The latter was scanning a
photograph in his hand. Thurston
recognized it as one of himself, taken
when he entered prison.
81 believe you are Mr. Thurston?"
spoke the officer, quite respectfully.
YES" answered Thurston, his heart
sinking. On the threshold of new
hopes, was he to be hunted down by
the police as he had been by criminals?
Would you step to headquarters
with me, sir?" pursued the officer.
1T is something important or
ders to locate you for week"
Detected. anticipating all kinds of
direful trouble, Thurston entered the
presence of the chief of police few
minutes later.
Mr.. Thurston," spoke the official.
81 have some strange news to impart
to you. The son of the banker who
sent you to prison has just confessed,
dying, that he. and not you, was the
| guilty criminal His father has writ
ten statement generating you. He
has also placed in my charge thirty
! thousand dollars, which is the amount
you would have earned during your
ten years unjust Imprisonment"
Give me the statement" cried
Thurston excitedly. AT last. at last.
uobt homo hanninoss I"
There was nothing to hide from his
] love now! Back to the poor attic
room and its bewildered inmates John
Thurston FASTENED. It's bare walls
seemed those of palace as her lost
/ lover renewed with sweet. patient
Alice Lisle the broken troth of the
dreary years agone.
Copyright, 1915, by w. G. chapman)
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