The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-09-30

counted out some small bills into the
deacon's hand and then left.
window Which sUns sss ntC The
the inner office counting his
money. Tom could see quite plainly
through the chinks in the shutter. The
with the money, Tom realised. And then
IL would be Toms turn TO do what he
could to got II back.
The deacon. finally sure that lobe
had given him enough. knelt down by
the side of the fireplace. and, taking
out loose brick, stuffed the money
Into the cavity and replaced the brick
carefully. Then he went out OF the
Tom wondered IL the window had
been left open. and he began to
cautiously unfasten the shutters.
In a second he had crawied into the
the fireplace. Just q little more cour-
age. and n he were very careful nothing
might ever be discovered. Tobe would
be the only one to suspect him, ana
dsfs Il for ,., his own good would never
with cautious fingers he felt for the
brick, found II and lifted II carefully
out. Then his fingers touched the
little sob OF relief he drew them out
and began TO count out what was his
He would take no more than was hs'
he reasoned.
His fingers shook 80 that he could
hardly hold the bills. and as he leaned
for support against the table. some
thing fell with n chatter to the moor.
Tom sprang to his feet In an instant:
but at the same time the door opened
Yolver In his hand. but the light that he
carried blinded him, and before he
could IRE Tom had pulled his cap over
his eyes and had scrambled back
a. -. I'D. .lrAw I'M ~.
ious money as he went.
II took only a second for the deacon
to cross the room to the open window.
and to make out a dark figure running
for the woods.
He fred once and Tom fell to the
ground. a sharp pain In his shoulder
making his cry out with agony. But
, he managed to drag himself to his feet.
Tom was running faster now, and he
came to the little foot bridge that ex-
| tended over a small stream. Here was
/ shelter for q time, anyway, and Tom
| clambered hastily down the side and
| hid under the bridge. Here he could
| look into the dark waters of the stream.
and the moonlight on the water reflect
| ed his visage in such a distorted man.
ner that he shuddered and wondered II
| his crime had made him look like that
The deacon had followed Tom without
| stopping to get help. and Tom heard his
footsteps now running on the boards
| overhead. The deacon paused for a
overhead. He Even stepped down
nothing and not dreaming that Tom in
his wounded condition would climb un-
derneath. nnally ran on down the road.
| slowly and painfully Tom dragged
himself up the bank and bsSsn to ra IN
was safe for the time being. for the
! deacon had taken the wood path and
4 was now on his way through the
wSS home had nev na seemed e no long
| and when he finally gained the porch
1 he staggered and could Just manage
to drag himself TO the window.
evening prayer. Mrs. Byrd sat over
by. the center light and Dicky sat in
a low chair. his eyes fixed adoringly
on evenly y.S his stern face " iiiumined BY the
light. and Ruth herself sat In the
window, her back TO the porch. TON
could stretch out his hand and touch
do that without Frightening her and
alarming the group inside. -
Then his gaze. wandered 70 HI.
fathers face. What was that that
"The wages OF sin is death"
The words fell crisply on. the sihen,
room. and Tom started violently. and
Wien Tom e stasSered on the porch, h.
left a trail Of blood behind him. for hti
arm was bleeding profusely now. the
, loss OF blood was rapidly making him
drowsy. He wanted to sleep more thar
anything. IL only there were some plac,
to go.
Tom was walking along. slowly
keeping In the shadow as much rs pos
slble, and suddenly in the forest aheet
OF him friendly light cleaned forth
Hugh Lee. why hadn't he thought o.
him before? Perhaps Hugh Lee woult
hide him for the night. Hugh had spen
the evening in dreams OF tn,
past. II was queer. Il was al
most uncanny. but II was certsinl,
true that all his bruised and shattered
J trust was stirring In him once more
and the belief in human nature that n
had thought dead was revivtng In tn
wormth of girls faith. As Hugh "a
dreaming idly there came a patter o
running footsteps outside and he starte,
to his feet. A moment later there wa
the sound OF heavy body fallinI
! against the door. and In a second Hugl
was across the room and had fiung tn
: door open.