Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-09-17
CHAPTER XVI.
The Penitent.

IL was red sunrise, that Sabbath
morning, and the ruddy glow fingered
In the eastern sky long after the sun
had swung clear above the hills. A
slanting shaft found his window and
fell upon him as he dreamed. He
stirred reetively.
He awoke slowly, reluctantly, drift
ing toward consciousness through a
golden haze that vibrated with far
away dwindling harmonies.
Where have ! heard that before?"
After a little he remembered-a
youth, full OF dreams and credulous.
joyously facing his great adventure.
And tomorrow / set out on a new
adventure. II was a long way from
there to here. IL wonder, would
any man, given the choice. travel his
road a second ume?"
He rose and went to the window.
Two years had passed, crowded with
effort, crowned with achievement.
From the window where he stood, still
seeking to recover the lost harmonies.
he could see the beginning of his
happy city. all ready for the great ex-
pertinent.
f1e DdtHtu uItbseu-lh tHt new
bathroom that was his one concession
to the luxuriousness OF the old life
and descended to the kitchen. The
pleasant odor of frying ham met his
nostrils; there was hotel In Bethel
now at which the Truitts generally
had their meals, but sometimes. of a
leisurely Sabbath morning, Simon still
served as cook.
But the bent old man at the south
window had forgotten breakfast. For
little Mark watched him without
salutation.
Good morning. father" he said at
last.
Good morning. Mark" Simon
turned reluctantly from the window.
q was Jest thinkin' it'll be 20 years
tomorrow ye went away-an' now
there's that"
"Yes. Your dream has come true.
II you live until tomorrow night you'll
have seen 1t all-steel made in Bethel"
Breakfast ready. they sat down and
began the meal in silence. Mark ate
lightly, absently.
Ever since Mark had returned,
Simon had been vaguely sensible of a
suffering to which some solacing word
might be said. But the word would not
come to his unschooled lips.
Il WISH" Simon thought. Il could
give him something"
II was a real suffering Simon sensed.
no day without its hour of payment,
no hour so heavy as on that Sabbath
morning.
From across the town came a mel.
low clamor. the voice of the new
church bell calling the faithful.
The clamor ceased and after an in
terval resumed for a few last taps be-
fore he rose and went into the house
for his hat and cane. When he emerged
again he found Simon sitting on the
front stoop.
Coin to church?''
81 guess I'd better
"Yes. Courtney likes ye to. Do
ye," Simon asked suddenly. still be-
lieve what he preaches?"
Mark hesitated a moment. Il sup
pose / never did. I'd like to, but I
can't. 1t takes a certain quality of
mind, l suppose-or early habit. /
can't quite see" There was that
in Marks tone which made Simon
look up quickly. Il can't see the logic
Of letting another's suffering pay for
our sins"
"Ye1l be late" Simon suggested.
Doctor Hedges. driving along the |
valley road, drew up at the station
until the eleven o'clock train. having
It's Bethel passengers. sped !
onward. The passengers were two, a /.
man and woman, strangers to the |
ioctor and therefore alien to Bethel. |
The woman stood on the otherwise de |
serted platform. looking uncertainty