The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1915-07-01
slipped quietly inside and stood listen.

! No sound came from the interior.
No doubt the old man was clready up
| stairs in his bedroom. preparing for
sleep. 1t might have been safer to
wait longer, but Jim was not afraid
of an old man.
He had learned that the safe stood
| in the living room. 1t would be an
easy matter to force it. There would
be an unavoidable roise-but that was
where Jim excelled, in the getaway.
He stood in complete silence and
| darkness He waited moment, then
he stretched out his hand toward the
door Of the dining room. He found
| the handle, turned it noiselessly, and
entered. He closed the door behind
| him.
Suddenly the light was turned on.
1t had been one of those episodes COM
mon to country towns. The electric
| lights had been put out of commission
for a few minutes by some accident.
| The lights had gone out. they had
never been turned out.
Jim was confronting the old man.
who had fallen asleep in his chair be-
| fore table. Upon the table were
number of papers, pens and an ink
| bottle.
| The old man started to his feet and
stood, confronting him. Jim, taken
| aback, remained motionless. He had
not had time TO make up his mind
whether to fee or strike the old man
over the head. He had never de-
| scended to violence.
The old man peered at him intent
| ly. And suddenly Jim realized that
he was blind! The sightless eyes
were looking into his own with a
puzzled expression.
Then, with look Of charming be-
| nightly, the old man advanced to-
ward him, one hand outstretched, the
other guiding him by the table edge.
Il am glad you have come, Mr.
Mr.. jennings" he said "You wrote
me that you didn't think you could
get away to draw up my will, and
that l had better wait till l was in
town, but now You have come am
very glad"
Jim took the outstretched hand and
muttered something.
sit down." said the old man. Il
want you to read over my will and
tell me whether it has been drawn
up correctly. / see very badly, you
know. / can manage to write, but
reading is beyond me. hope every
thing is correct"
Jim took the will in his hand and
began to scan it. At the first SEN
tence he started violently and stared
| into the old mans face.
"You see, have left all to my son
| James," said the old man. Il did
him a great wrong. You know why
l had to leave the home town? told
your"
"Because-of James," murmured
Jim.
"Yes. Everybody knew about his
theft from the bank, as they supposed.
| and l couldn't hold up my head. We
had always been honored among the
community. I couldn't go on living
faces. l would go down the street
and fancy l heard them saying, there
goes old Melton, whose son is thief.
| So / came here.
1T was not until week ago that l
learned what great wrong had
done him. Jim took the burden Of
Toms guilt upon him to save his
brother. And I had given all my heart
| to Tom after l sent my other boy
away.
"He fooled me for years, the
smooth, SNUG hypocrite, but I've found
| long, but shall see that Jim gets all.
| o my boy, If only your old father
| could clasp you in his arms again be-
| fore he dies!"
Jim looked up at the haggard face,
| and the overwhelming realization of
his own baseness came home to him
with stunning force.
This will is all right, SIR" he said
huskily. Jim knew that That was
| part OF his business. He had intended
to be lawyer once.
Then I'll sign it, said the old man.
I'll sign it tomorrow. No, I'll sign
| it when the girl and Jim came here
to visit me. / want Jim to see it
and to know that his father intends
to make reparation for his blindness
and willfulness l should have trust
ed him."
Yes, sir" said Jim huskily.
II met the girl and took to her at
once. Somehow she reminded me of
jim We got to comparing notes, and