The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-04-24

! 10 find his father dead and hi. mo.haN e
,uiaeu out Of the home by a greedy
.amuioro' gone for ever from the little
uiage where he was born. If he had
had inherent opportunities.
"hen ne came back from lunch Hi.
Va Lorlmer was bending over her work
very attentively.
We'll, any more suckers cou. :, ..
he asked. ' 'n'
When she did not answer him bs
looked at her attentively. To his
amazement he saw that there were
tears in her eyes.
Why-what's wrong?" he incurred
The girl looked up at him. every.
tning' she answered briefly. She could
no longer fight down her rising indie.
nation. The business, Mr.. Sanford.
Say! Turning pious?"
NO. but listen, Mr.. Sanford. I'll
tell you why couldn't listen to-what
you said. l couldn't marry a man who
who did these things. I'll marry you
IL you'll do-do something else, some.
thing honest. and give back these peo-
pies money to them"
sanford whistled. That's a stiff
price," he said. He tried to sheer. but
something in the girls earnestness
awoke a responsiveness in his own
heart.
mat little old lady from Philadel.
pnla, Mrs. Burton, was in while you
were at lunch,' said the girl. 1T nearly
broke my heart. Because, you see,
she wasn't angry. She has such faith
In you. She says she invested in your
stock because she knew you had q
good honest name. And-shes com.
ing back at four o'clock to see YOU"
Thunder!" calculated Sanford.
Tell her I've gone to Oshkosh to see
my parents"
We'll, it comes to this" said the
girl defiantly. Il just can't stand for
this business any longer. Won't YOU
won't you give her back her money, at
any rate? You see, she-she reminds
me of my own mother and-and she
reminds me Of what your mother ought
to have BEEN"
Sanford felt flush of shame creep
up his face. He turned his head away.
But the girl still stood beside him,
waiting for his decision.
"l'll give her back her money, IL
you'll stay" he said.
That isn't enough can't stay I'M
less"
Now, my girl, do you think I'm 60.
ing to sacrifice all the money that's
come in these last three months?" he
demanded resentfully.s why, those
suckers don't know how to take care
of their money. They're not fit to have
money. Miss Lorimer. II didn't ease
them Of 1t somebody else would. Now
see here, If you'll marry me I'll quit
the game, but l won't give back the
money. What sort Of fool would be
II l did that?"
Then can't stay-I can't" said the
girl.
will you give me till tomorrow to
think it over? And will you marry me
at once IL l agree? Mind, l don't prom.
ise. want to think about it."
She nodded; she could not speak,
and went back to her desk. And In
the silence Of that afternoon both had
forgotten all about the little old lady
until her bonnet appeared inside the
Office at few minutes after four.
Sanford, looking at her, felt . sud
den contraction of his heart. Some.
how she brought back wildly to his
mind his home days; his father. harsh
and unkind; his mother. loving but
helpless in the face of the stern man
who, annoyed by some boyish failing,
had roughly turned the thirteen-year.
old child out of his home. He had not
meant what he said, but Harry had
seized the opportunity to leave place
that had been more . prison than Q
home to him.
He had not wanted to see the old
lady, but, now that he saw her in front
of him, he rose to his feet, swallow.
ing hard.
well, Mrs. Burton, am glad to see
you," he said. I'VE have had several
letters from you about your stock. and
l am sorry that there has been some
delay in replying to them. However.
we are going to declare a dividend
next week Of ten per cent, and later
we shall have another, and-h6w much
was Mrs. Burton's investment, Hiss
Lorimer?"
But the old lady was still standing
before him, looking keenly into his
face. Suddenly she cried:
Harry"
He knew her. He knew his mother,
after all those years. He had changed
more than she; but she had known
him first by virtue Of the love that
every mother bears toward the child
that she has borne.
A moment, and her arms were about
his neck. and she was clinging to him
and kissing him as though he were
little boy once more.
20. il | had known it was you'll" she
cried incoherently. 1T was your name
that made me invest. Harry, but l
never thought that 1t could be my own
boy. am so proud Of you, my dear, to
see YOU SO prosperous and-and SO
handsome, Harry! Didn't they tell you
I had moved to Philadelphia when
married Mr.. Burton? But never for
got you, and after he died last year
I tried SO hard to find you. And now l
have found you and you must come
home"
will you take two children. moth
err" he asked.
She shot her keen look at Miss Lori
mer, who was crying frankly over her
fynayriter