Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-02-20
CHAPTER XVI.
The PenItent-

It was red sunrise, that Sabbath,
morning, and the rudy 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 restively.
He awoke slowly, reluctantly, drift
ing toward consciousness through
golden haze that vfbrated 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 new
adventure 1t was long way from
there to here. wonder. would
any man, given the choice, travel his
road a second timer"
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.
He bathed and dressed-in the 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 a hotel in Bethel
| now at which the TRUTHS 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
| a little Mark watched him without
salutation.
Good morning, father" he said at
| last.
Good morning, Mark" Simon
| turned reluctantly from the window
| 'I 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.
| II WISH" Simon thought. Il could
| give him something
| 1t was 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 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-
| ueve what he preaches?"
Mark hesitated a moment IT sup
| pose / never did I'd like to, but /
can't 1t takes a certain quality of
| mind, suppose-or early habit /
can't quite see There was that
| In Marks tone which made Simon
look I'D quickly 'I can't see the logic
| of letting another's suffering pay for
| our sins-
yell be late" Simon suggested.
Doctor Hedges, driving along the
valley road, drew up at the station
until the eleven O'Clock train. having
discharged its Bethel passengers, sped
onward The passengers were two. a
man and woman, strangers to the
doctor and therefore alien to Bethel.
Il The woman stood on the otherwise de-
serted platform, looking uncertainty