The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-02-04

proach of other persons, and with n
look OF graf tude he left the sun parlor.
Billy, not knowing but that the girl
would make a contidant of some one
who would not be as lenient with him
as the young lady and he would be put
to considerable trouble TO explain his
theft. concluded TO take a precautions
He was chummy with the clerk OF the
hotel and told him the story Since
Billy was well known to the manage
ment, this bit of advance knowledge
was all that was necessary to prevent
trouble. Billy learned from the clerk
that the young lady was Miss Helena
Clarke OF New York.
Shortly after Billy's theft and re.
turn of the stolen property a Mr. and
Mrs. Ballinger came down from the
north and stopped under the same
roof with him. The first Billy knew
Of their arrival was seeing them hob.
nobbing with Mrs Clarke and her
daughter Billy WINGED He had been
led by circumstances into doing what
would put him into position which
would, to say the least. be considered
foolish and had come TO realize that
any transition to his own respectable
self would be humiliating The ar.
rival of these friends, mutual 10 him
self and the Clarkes. might bring
about q denouement before he was
ready for one. AT the same time IL
he wished for Il voucher the new ar.
rivals would serve the purpose admira-
bly,. Billy determined To keep out of
their way until he could think up a
way out of his dilemma. But the
more he thought the more he became
impressed with the fact that there
was no way out of it unless he should
concoct a bigger deception than the
one he had practiced While he was
trying to invent story the Clarkes
departed for the north. Billy. having
learned all about them from his
friends the Ballingers, took his own
departure for home.
1t was now a couple Of weeks be-
fore Christmas. Billy went to his
bank and procured certificate of de-
pOsit In the name Of Helena Clarke:
then. going home. he inclosed it in a
note saying that he was the man who
had been saved from an ignominious
career by her kindness. A misery I'M
Gle had died and left him a large for
tune Would Miss Clarke kindly dis
tribute for him the inclosed amount
for the poor at Christmas time? If
so she would go far in helping him to
forget the sin the remembrance Of
which was embittering his life.
"Well." said Billy to himself. III
can't keep her from setting me down
for fool ! can at least prepare the
way for a confession" And with this
he sealed his note and dropped 1t In
mail box. A reply soon came TO him
from Miss Clarke showing plainly that
she had swallowed this story as we'll
as the other. She promised to dispense
his Christmas charity and asked II
there was anything else she could do
to encourage him in making his re-
formation permanent. Billy replied
that he thought she could, but he
would speak of that later.
Meanwhile the Ballingers had re-
turned to New York. Billy went to
Mrs. Ballinger. told her Of the fix he
was in and asked her to help him out
of It. The lady at once wrote the
Clarkes an invitation 10 Christmas
dinner. declining to take no for an
answer. A reply came accepting the
invitation. Billy was also invited
Mr.. Emerson says that the most
courageous act of his life was when
he walked into Mrs Ballinger's draw
ing room that Christmas day and, be-