Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1915-04-23

not take me back If you come back
to me we must look to no help from
him. Those were his words to me.
Think Of the boy, John. If he lives
on with me in Taunton. gradually peo-
pie will forget the past. People die,
others migrate, others forget; others,
again, are kindly at heart. He can
grow up in Taunton free from shame.
If we go West. what chance will he
have among those of his own station?"
John Dunton bowed his head. His
wife's logic was unanswerable.
Father dotes on the boy. eontin-
ued Lola. HE says it must be as l
have said, for his sake. He has no
grudge against you, and he is big
enough to realize that people go wrong
and can live down the past. He is
only thinking of our interests-mine
and the boys. And if you go away
and never come back, John, father will
give you a thousand dollars
Dunton raised his head. Il will new
er trouble you, but he can keep his
thousand dollars" he answered.
Then the day came when the pris-
on gates were opened John Duntoa,
in a Lew suit and with SIS in his
pocket, left the place of his shame and
humiliation behind him forever.
Lola aad not come to see him and
say good-by. Dunton felt no bitter
ness at that. He realized that the
final meeting would only have caused
her pain.
1t was his plan to work his way
West, little by little. He had no
thought of going down to Taunton
again. But when he stepped into the
free world there came over him an
irresistible desire to see the little
son who had been born to him
He resolved to go down to Taun-
ton under cover of night and plead to
be allowed to set eyes on the boys
face. Surely this much would not be
refused him.
He took the train to the metropo-
lis, and from there a local to Taunton.
He reached the town an hour before
sunset, and hung about the outskirts.
He could not face the people whom he
had known. He felt little shame on
his own account 1t was for the sake
of the boy. And no sacrifice was too
great for him.
1t was about an hour before dark
when he crept up to the lawyer
house. which stood in extensive
grounds in a fashionable neighbor-
hood. Nobody had recognized him. He
breathed more freely when he reached
his goal
Through the window he saw his
father-in-law seated at a table read
ing a newspaper. But ever and anon
the old man would put the paper down
and pace the room nervously. He
was evidently laboring under severe
strain. Was it because this was the
day of John Dunton's freedom?
The watcher looked up. A light
shone in a room on the second story.
the blind was drawn. Dunton sur
missed that this was the room in which
the little boy was lying. Johnny, the
child had been called, as though there
was to be only one of that name in
the family thenceforward. At first
Dunton had taken the naming as a
mark Of remembrance; afterward he
understood
He could no longer resist the over
towering craving. Quietly he passed
through the grounds and rang the
bell.
1t was his father-in-law himself who
opened the door to him, and Dunton,
in the midst of his own distress, could
not fail to be struck by the distress
on the features Of the older man.
The lawyer recognized him, but
evinced no surprise. He led the way
quietly into his library.
Il don't want to trouble anyone"
began Dunton. "But am on my way
West. and l want to see my boy before
20. / shall never come back Re-
member that / have never seen him,
sir You will understand, won't your
The lawyer looked fxedly at the
haggard man before him.
Does Lola know that you are COM
ing?" he asked
NO, answered DuHloH. nave
not seen her since her visit to me two
weeks ago. l accept her decision and
yours, sir. But let me see my boy
again"
Yes, you shall see him." the law
yer answered. you have good
deal to answer for. John Dunton, but
now-now-. He turned away and
his voice seemed to fail him.
He led the way up the stairs. and
as he went. Dunton read no pity in
the old mans step. He knew his IA
ther-in-law to be infiexible where he
had made up his mind. The broken
man followed him.
Up the stairs they went, and into
the lit room. The room az first seemed