The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-08-09

lAAC ACAfy
cumbrOus greenery.
Constance was about to leave the
gruesome wreck of a home when she
started. halted and turned in a flash.
A creepy awesome sensation held her
in momentary thrall. A strange thing
had happened.
Clang-clang
A bell had sounded forth two
cracked somber notes. Whence? Sure
" near at hand, for the air quivered.
BY whose hands? No human being
was in sight.
Clang-clangi
She paused, about to hasten from
the spot, so strong was the spell Of I'M
canniness. Then she discovered that
the bell must be in the belfry of the old
granary. Employed to call in the farm
hands in the olden days, why had it
sounded now?
She could see the Stats in the belfry
vibrate, in fact the whole structure
shook visibly. The denuded doorway
of the granary below showed no dan
Cling rope. Her senses curdled. Then
she bent her ear keenly, awake to
new manifestation.
"Help!"
The word was faint and muffied. 1t
surely came from the belfry or its near
vicinity. 1t was repeated.
Then a moan, low, pitiful, despair
ing, and then all was still.
Il mustn't be superstitious-I will be
brave!" Constance told herself, but
her tone quavered. Yet she approached
the granary. The bell and the voice
were no longer in evidence. Had it
been all a superstitious delusion? She
crossed to where some stairs ran up to
the second floor. She mounted them
till her eyes were level with the upper
flooring
There is rope" uttered Constance.
She could see it dangling amid heap
of wreckage piled up in the center of
the loft floor. The heap seemed to
move. A moan issued from the heap.
"Oh, surely somebody is there !"
painted Constance. at looks as though
someone climbing into the belfry had
brought down part of it upon him.
self. He may be dying under all that
wreckage. Courage-duty she whis-
pered to herself and approached the
motley pile.
Constance lifted board after board
from the heap. She quivered as a hui
man arm was revealed. Gently she
pulled aside a heavy timber. She
thrilled. Beneath, apparently uncon-
scious, lay bruised form. In flash
she recognized the face. 1t was that of
the young man whose portrait she had
seen in the deserted house.
Albion Russell opened his eyes. He
stared askance at her. He managed
to sit up. She aided as he strove to
move the debris from his lower limbs.
Il FELL" he said family, cor rather
the lower part of the belfry broke with
me-"
Constance helped him down the
stairs. He moved limpingly, but the
color came back into his face grad
ually.
Il have to thank you all the DAYS of
my life" he said. Il feel still weak-if
1 could get to the nearest house"
"Our own" decided Constance
He was the son of the man
her father regarded as his deadliest
enemy, but humanity, interest, pity
moved her to signal resolution.
Il must rest" he finally said, and he
sank to fallen tree by the wayside,
whom is it l must thank?" And Con-
stance told him her name. She noted
glad eager light come into his eyes.
How fortunate! 1t is destiny I" he
cried. and awakened new emotion
seemed to impart strength. She sat
spellbound as he narrated to her the
secret of his presence.
His father was an escaped convict,
Discovered by treacherous acouaint-
ance, he had fled the country on brief
notice and had sent for his wife and
son to join him. They found him in a
strange dazed condition, caused nv a
rail- on shipboard. He had died only a
month since. Once only, in a flash of
he had remembered the
thirty thousand dollars he had hidden
in the old belfry.
so Albion Russell had come to find
the money. 1t was now in his possess
sion and restitution of his share was
made to Robert Merrill that night.
And then the mother came back to
ne old home. And Constance consoled
ler loneliness. The crime for which
'ohn Russell had suffered was proved
20 have been nothing worse than ac-
luaintanceship with the real cuIprit.
Love and peace came to the troubled