The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-04-19

president agreed to give him another
| chance.
Months passed Charley did not
drink now, but he had become strange
ly furtive in his manner. Something
allied him. He was unflagging in his
attention; he was always the first to
arrive at the bank, and the last to
leave. He had thrown out obscure
hints of wealth to come
This scene faded. Miriam was con-
scious of the awful Death Angel at
the bedside. its weapon poised, its
face turned inquiringly toward her.
She saw herself in black, kneeling.
sobbing at the bank presidents feet.
Other men were there, with hard. I'M
sympathetic faces. Charley was there.
white, and wearing a look Of bravado.
She knew what had happened. He had
been caught hundred miles away, in
the metropolis. after three weeks
chase. with half Of the purloined TWEEN
ty thousand dollars still unspent
Give him another chance" she
pleaded.
He has had his chance" the presi-
dent answered coldly Now he must
have Justice" He advanced and put
his hand on Miriam's shoulder See
where he stands. impenitent." he said,
pointing toward the boy Only q prison
sentence will avail to set him right
with men"
Miriam rose, her face set in agony,
her mothers heart yearning toward
the boy, in spite Of his bravado. Then
she was aware that her husband stood
at her side.
He is right, Miriam" he said 1T
was our own Indulgence that brought
him to where he stands. He must pay
his debt to man"
The scene changed. Miriam Steele
was aware Of long lapse of time. She
looked up, to see man Of thirty, bro
ken, prematurely old, emerge from the
gates of prison. Haggard. sneering,
scornful, and hard of heart, this was
her boy.
She seemed to watch him during
that long railroad journey back to the
little town. She saw him pause before
the house. A harsh-faced woman
came out-out of her own homeland
Knocked him.
Get out, you jail-bird!" Miriam
heard her say, and her own heart
swelled with bitterness. Then she was
aware that she herself stood at Char.
ley's side, comforting him, and that
he could neither see her nor feel her
presence.
She turned away with the boy, walk
ing at his side until they reached the
little cemetery upon the hill She
entered with the boy, and presently
they paused before a grave with a new
headstone. On 1t she read her hus-
bands name-and hers.
She gasped; and then she was aware
that the vision lasted, and that the
Angel Of Death still stood at the beds
head. Beneath the sweep of the wide
wings she could see her husband.
seated. still holding Charleys hand,
and the child, lying Just as he had lain.
Then came final scene. She saw
her boy lying, white-haired, in a bed
IN a pauper ward Of a hospital. She
seemed now to read his heart She
saw the tardy penitence for the folly.
the grief, the sorrow that the earthly
pilgrimage had brought him And over
the vision Numbered the voice of the
Death Angel
"Choose!" it seemed to say you
have prayed as few women have
prayed, as few mothers have prayed,
and because the kingdom of heaven Is
taken by violence, 1t has been revealed
to you to know the inscrutable mean
ing Of Gods actions. Choose now, be-
tween life and DEATH"
Miriam Steele raised her head and
answered.
You say the kingdom Is taken by
violence" she answered. well, will
take 1t. l do not believe these pic.
lures. know that man is gifted with
free will. and that no inexorable fate
can lie In wait to trap my boy know
that II his heart Is right, and II he
Is treated rightly, he will grow up to
be q good man. What you have shown
me Is warning. not q prophecy; 1t is
a lesson, not an memorable doom. +
choose, and I choose life; and I will
save our boy against all the terrors
of life and all the promptings Of the
Evil One"
In the dread silence that followed
the face Of the angel seemed to as
sumo majestic benignancy. He
turned and she saw a slow, plying
smile cross his face.
1T is possible But 1t is hard" b,
seemed to say.
What Is mother worth IL she can.
not guard her OWN" answered Miriam
Steele. "Begone, choose life for
our child, and | will make that life
what 1t should be-"
She saw the angel lower his sword.
A moment, and the grim shadow van
fshed from the room. Then, out OF
blank unconsciousness, Miriam Steele
awoke, to find the doctor bending over
her
He has come through the crisis"
he said gravely
Miriam Steele raised herself pain
fully from her bent knees Her hus-
band sat by the bedside still, holding
the hand Of the boy. whose eyes we're
open and, for the first time in days,
filled with consciousness. And outside
the glow of dawn was fiItering into the
room
She felt her husbands arms about