The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-12-15

q Wcch " opllc uc.
Easy, easy, my girl! This is my
Job, and I'm not going to leave it to
take that scamp's money
James is not a scamp"
And 1t seems to me, Nora, darling,
| that If our own girl is that bad, why
! we've got to make up our minds to
| lose her. said Mike to his wife.
Kathleen took herself, satin slip
pers and all, out of the cottage. Her
heart was bursting with shame and
also with selfcondemnation. But was
she to be tied forever to that old.
ignorant laborer and his wife-she
with expensive tastes?
The town was Just large enough for
her story not to be widely known.
By steering her way cautiously. and
inventing a tale about an old couple
whom she had befriended. she man
aged to shake her skirts clean of her
parents. Her husband, in his rage,
threatened to put Mike out of his Job;
but the stubborn old man threatened
to sue, and that would mean wide
publicity. So Mike remained.
This went on for years after Kath-
leens marriage. He had never heard
of her. He had seen her once, rid
ing in her car. She was gowned like
princess and splendidly beteweled.
} Then a lawyer came to see Mike.
| There had been rumors for some time
Of extravaganza in the management
Of the mill: it was thought things
, were not going well. But everyone
knew Jim Ellery had no business head.
: Mike should have been manager, if
: his father had been an honest man
Y Mike. who, working as q laborer,
2 nevertheless knew the complicated
. process from the foundations up.
Mike could have told Jim Ellery what
n was wrong. why the cheap flax was
( unable to take the aniline. But Mike
K was only laborer, remember.
y The lawyer came on Sunday, and
Mike got out of bed to receive him,
:, apologizing for his lowered dressing
t gown, which Nora had made for him
a the last Christmas.
a The lawyer waved his apologies
d aside.
Listen to me carefully, Mr.. Dona
n hue" he said. You should by right
l. have had better treatment from Mr.
g. Ellery than you had.
Il don't know said Mike, stub
bornly loyal to the memory of the
Ellery he had once known and loved
MI He kept his word by me-
MI He repented on his deathbed," sai(
N the lawyer. He left you half share
II in the mill and made you manager fo
Ill life. That will was suppressed by Mr.
James Ellery. He is at your mere.
now, for all has come to light. l REP
resent an interest which wants to bu,
the mill and give publicity to the al
fair
Yes, SIR said Mike.
"A warrant can be sworn out TO
Mr.. Ellery's arrest. We can get a
injunction tying up the money"
What for would you be tying u
r tho money!" demanded Mike.
The lawyer started to explain a
NJ over again Mike listened patiently
Ill We'll, you see,' he explained, IN
daughters married to him. SO
v wouldn't do to bring her into disgrac
would it,"
! But she has neglected you,' sal
the lawyer. 1T is a scandal. And tt
mill is half yours. We want to BIZ
ol. your interest. 1t is worth four hu
dred thousand dollars at least. Al
i've you will have the position OF ma
tie ager-"
We'll, you see," said Mike, Il ha'
ed. life job here And a manager
ed. sort of uncertain. And then, VIII
ige would we be doing with four hundr'
lad thousand dollars at our age? No, m
My ter. nobody's going to jockey me o
s of my job | earn my ten, and
1t go on earning it till l die. And sa
his II there's any trouble about Jim, u
hat remember that he's a good boy, ant
an, stand by him to the last penny of I
Ike four hundred thousand. Rememt
hat that, will your"
uld 1t was Ellery's lawyer who cal
next He came humbly. to beg Mi
Ugly to consent to an agreement where
we'd he could wriggle out of his liablit
hat and escape the charge of fraud. Nj
re- signed the papers without looking p
led. ticularly. He only assured hims
dis. that his job was not being taken aw
ike, from him.
the you see" he explained to the Ii
$ a yer, who had the grace to IL
DOL ashamed now that there's only
wife to take care for. | guess my
ant week will provide for us-wont
wei Nora, girl?"
men And all his anger against his dau
had ter died If was his money. after
OF that was buying her those gowns,
airs bought the car, was providing for
5 III every minute.
If he had pressed Ellery he We
'rlcd have been a rich man, but life We
rhc have hoon utterly emntv for /
Nlke Because ne relinqnished all, he gal
H. IN all. For the day came when his dal
rseil ter knccled before him and Nora,
the ploring tor forgiveness.
"All that we have is yours
f us, said. Forgive us, Jim wants
Ie 10 to live with us, and and you can
your Job if you want to, and
her' when baby comes we're going
" 70 name him Michael. or Nora, If it
{ let girl Won't you come, fail
" n" mother"
llter Sure and I'll come" said Mike, c
oclai ping on his hat, to find vent for
.Seh' emotions. "But | keep the job K
nave leen!"
ever ----