The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-05-17

house. It's just been painted white
anu its spelling it. or course. Won
can neip that. You're hardly able
70 anoro anthracite at ten dollars q
ton, eh?" '0A"is
Maybe not" responded Martin 90.
riousiy. but can be lust even IL n
COSTS me something. / never Thought
OF 1t before"
When he came to look at tho eide .,
tne stevenson house. Martin saw that
the SCOT had indeed, marred and de.
FACED 1t. Especially up under the
caves. the clapboards were rrimed
with feathers of SCOT. Acting on a
generous impulse. he hailed his neigh.
DOT who Just happened to be coming
into the house.
1 say. stevenson" spoke the blunt,
honest fellow. I've Just found ont
tnat my soft coal is hurting YOUR
property, / shall use coke through
the rest of the winter. and first holi.
Day I'll get a ladder and give the
side of the house a good scrubbing."
Why-thank you'll must saw
you're thoughtful and kind-yes.
thank you,' and Stevenson acted as
though this unusual courtesy of a
stranger fairly overcame him
Before the opportunity to remedy
things came about, however some
startling events transpired One morn
ing Martin came out into the yard to
nnd ladder taken from his shed
standing against the side Of his neigh
DORIS house. The window of an up-
per room was open. Mr.. Stevenson
was under a great strain of excitement.
He declared that the house had been
burglarized.
WAS anything taken?" asked Mr.
Martin.
why, not much" explained his
neighbor in bewildered sort of a
way. THE room the burglar got into
is the one my poor dead son occupied
We have left it just as it was when
he went away. Whoever broke into
the house opened a drawer where
Warren kept few trifling trinkets.
| A watch. revolver and some gold
cuff links are missing. but nothing
else was disturbed
THAT is singular" observed Martin
thoughtfully, and he went up the lad
der step or two why. say. Mr..
Stevenson" he called down 70 his
neighbor, here is something queer"
What is that" was asked.
I'm getting into the window the
burglar has left some hand marks
around its frame
why, yes-I can see it from here,
replied the owner of the despoiled
home.
Right among that troublesome
black SCOT Of mine" continued Martin,
rather apologetically And say--why,
hello! Whoever the fellow was he's
left clue"
What do you mean"
Hand prints show that he had three
short fingers on one hand-why, sir!
What is the matter?"
Quickly the speaker descended the
ladder With sharp cry of enlight.
eminent, Mr.. Stevenson had started
back.
Three short fingers" he gasped
out hoarsely. "Then-it must have
been Warren Oh, he is not dead. but
alive! Mother, mother" he shouted
rushing into the house and seeking his
wife. and leaving the stupef1ed Martin
standing staring after him, unable to
comprehend the meaning Of his
strange actions,
What the father surmised turned
out correct, little later His sor
was indeed alive. He had stolen back
home. poor, homeless, Ill. 1t wouic
be no robbery to take his own
Shamed at his mistaken past. he hac
hurried away, after taking the price
of a few needed meals, but his father
with the aid Of the police, soon locat
ed him.
It was a joyful moment when the
recovered son was told that the dread
ed hand of the law had been removed
"All because of that blessed SCOT o.
yours-all honor to soft coal" the de
lighted Stevenson had told his neigh
Dor.
And a true neighbor he made o
Thin. and naturally Warren Stevenson
met Winnie. Closer and closer grew
the ties Of true neighborliness, anf
of love, and then the natural sequence
Of a happy wedding.