The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1915-01-14

he began to enjoy the sense Of free
dom. Nobody molested him or seemed
to notice him. He passed the station,
waited until the slow freight numbered
along, and swung himself aboard, seat
ing himself on one of the couplers.
The ride was hard and his seat in
secure, but he did not think of that
Once the conductor came along and
turned his face in his direction. Croth-
ers framed an appeal, but, to his
amazement, the man passed on, appar-
emily without having seen him.
So Crothers made Renfrew. He
dropped off at the yards, as he had
planned, and made his way toward the
little house where his boy lay sick 1t
was poor enough cottage; but John
ney and Mary lived there, and that
fact made it home, just as though it
were castle. Quietly Crothers I'M
fastened the front door and made his
way up the stairs At the head of the
fight he paused uncertainty, for there
was certain strangeness in the stu
alton in which he found himself; but
child's fitful cry came to his ears and,
turning aside, he made his way toward
the door of the room in which the boy
was lying.
He stood still at the door. Mary was
seated on a low chair beside the bed,
on which lay Johnny, flushed with fe-
YER AS Crothels entered she looked
round, but her gaze seemed to pass
through him and she bent her head
again over the boy on the bed.
Mary" whispered Crothers, ap
preaching her swiftly, Il heard he was
i'll. | came to see him, have never
seen him, you know, since he was SO
small. Is there no chance for him."
she did not reply, but bent over the
boy, stroking his feverish forehead
with her soft hand. Crothers fell upon
his knees beside her and watched the
childs face 1t was evident that the
crisis was at hand.
How long he kneeled there he did
not know, but suddenly Johnny opened
his eyes and they fell upon the mans.
Faver!" he cried, stretching out his
hands.
Hush, dear" said Mary.
Crothers took one of the little hands
in his and it closed round his. The
boy lay there, doing. Presently beads
of sweat sprang out on his forehead.
A man was coming up the stairs.
Crothers sprang round in terror, think
ing it was the warden or his represen-
tative. But it was the doctor. He APP
preached the bedside, turned and took
Mary by both hands.
He will live, Mrs. Crothers.' he
said quietly.
20, thank God, doctor!" exclaimed
the mother, and burst into silent tears
of happiness.
The doctor did not stay long after
he had given his directions. He did
not notice Crothers either. And Croth-
ers. wondering, suddenly understood.
Neither the doctor nor Mary wished
officially to take cogniZance of his
presence there. They knew what had
brought him; they knew he must have
broken his parole, and neither by word
or sign would they admit they were
aware of him. 1t was that rare, in
stinctive kindness which Crothers had
always seemed to meet since his mis-
fortune.
II understand, Mary" he said, kiss
ing her gently upon the cheek. God
bless you. And the boy, too. shall
be out next year, and shall begin to
make home for both Of YOU" And
he went out of the room.
He was lucky again in the matter of
the return train; and again he escaped
detection. 1t was only morning when
the freight pulled into Renfrew sta
ton. All night Crothers had crouched
in the car, providentially open to him,
listening to the clacking Of the wheels,
and feeling. neither hunger nor weari-
ness. All his emotions were hummed
up In joy. Johnny would live. And he
felt that instinctively, and would have
known 1t even If the doctor had not