The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-08-05

sion. What's your name?"
James Bennett" answered the 9TH
er, and wondered whether it was
Homes kindly face that made him tell
the truth against his will.
Il used to milk, five years ago."
said Bennett, slow flush creeping |
over his features.
Then you go straight up that road |
and ask for Mr.. Homes farm" said
the grocer. when you come to it
go in and tell Minnie, my daughter,
that you're the new hand I've hired.
And if you've got a suitcase, take it
along with you"
A few minutes after Bennett had
left Homes store, Home received a
visit from a stranger which made him
very thoughtful. In fact he closed his
store half hour ahead of time and
hurried to his house.
Minnie met him at the gate and gave
him hug. She was a pretty girl of
twenty, and growing more like her
mother every day, her father would
declare He took her by the hands
and tried to read her eyes. 4
New hand Gomez" he asked.
"Yes, and he's a dandy, father," de-
clared the girl. He went right to
work in the garden, and he's there
now"
Home strolied over tp where Bennett
was working in the garden. He stood
watching the young fellow at work.
Bennett had certainly performed Won
ders. Home was sorry for him.
Bennett came toward him, hoe in
| hand. MIR. Home he said, with a
flushed face, 81 ought to have told you
| something. I came out of Elmira last
month, where they sent me for three
| years for theft. I got in with bad
/ companions when I came to the city.
Nobody would give me work after that,
and the police bounded me. I walked
to do better"
you can have it, Bennett" answered
Home, turning away abruptly.
Now 1 wonder what made me tell
the fellow that" he soliloquized.
Nobody in the town knew of Ben
nett's record, except Home. Gradual
~ the boys step grew lighter, his COM
plexion clearer He was the best work
er Home had ever had. 1t was evident
that he had been sincere in his ex-
pressed intentions. Home ceased to
think Of his past except as youthful
folly. He made him manager of his
dairy a year later. Bennett. went to
night school. Everybody spoke well
of him.
What turned Homes thoughts along
very serious lines was the evident at.
tachment that was springing up be
tween Bennett and Minnie. The two
would saunter along the lanes, arm ii
arm, after the days work was done
At first Home thought little of it. Il
was not until he saw, in the darkness
q black sleeve-line against the white
of his daughters waist that he realized
she would some day leave him.
He was expecting Bennett to come
to him. But instead of that he came
home to find Minnie in tears and Ben
nett gone. A letter was lying on tae
: table, and Home picked it up and rea(
7 it.
: Bennett wrote that he couldn't fac'
y Home and tell him that he had de
S ceived him. Since leaving the reform
r atory he had committed q burglary
e Suspicion had never directed itself t.
Y him, but that was the real reason VIII.
t he had left New York. He had triet
o hard during those two years. to put
+ out of his mind, but now that he love-
l. Minnie he was going back to take hi
s. punishment, and asked them to forge
f him.
} Home whistled and took his daugt
It ter in his arms. THE fellow was
d scoundrel,' he said.
# mo, father" she answered. 81 low
d him. He is a good man."
g Bennett hardly saw the faces in tn
s courtroom. He stood patiently befor
't the judge. How much would he get
IS Five years? Seven to twelve years
G He could hardly expect mercy; tn
crime had been planned in the reform
atory. And Bennett had refused
divulge the name of his confederate.
a Wonderingly Bennett saw HON
q standing before him, speaking to tn
# judge. He told him of his life in tn
village. and how he had voluntaril
10 come in to the city to surrender hin
4 self because the past preyed on hi
s. conscience. He was asking for a su
4. pended sentence.
A. Bennett did not know what tn
ID judge was saying. He stood dumb
,e in the box until the warden touche
v him on the arm.
m You're Free" he said.
N Bennett only stared at him. TIL
man became impatient. Suddenly Be-
nett found his hands taken in Home
strong clasp.
Come along, my boy" said Home
10 "Where?" stammered Bennett.
ie 'Where?" echoed Home. 'Why, |
% to Minnie, of course. She'd give n
fits if l didn't bring you back to su
~ per-"
40 copyright, 1915, by W. G. Chapman.)