The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1917-06-21
HIS CONSCIENCE
By ARTHUR PEACH.
(COpyrlsht, IJI1, UE VIC
paper Syndi"ateD

! smoke and chat in one Of the smok-
| ing rooms Of the hotel. They were
mining engineers and had come from
! different parts of the West. Naturally
| while the cigars were going, stores De-
| gan to appear of experiences thaI
| ranged from the tragic 10 the
Iudicrous. Finally. they swung, under
the guidance of the spokesman OF the
| group. Granger by name, to cohsluer-
| alton of what might be called the
| meanest act they had ever witnessed.
After various experiences had Deeh
related, a man who was known 10 De
friend OF Granger spoke:
Suppose you picture yourself driV-
ing ND a winding road in New Eng
land, up among the hills, and coming
IN n lane that leads to a house set
some distance back. 1t IS almost tWl-
light. and as you approach you see
figure at the entrance. Driving near
err. you find the figure is that OIL q
| girl And, then, suppose you recog-
nize her as the girl who had been walt
ing there at dusk for ten years for
chan who had never returned.
THAT is what l experienced one
early evening last year. | was going
there to see a man OF the name OF
Tpson. who owned a small right in
stream that we were planning to dam.
There | heard the whole story.
81 found Epson to be grim sort OF
nd
enough after he thawed out, and that
night after the rest had retired, he
and | smoked a pipe together. In the
midst of our conversation, | happened
to think Of the young woman at the
entrance. and asked him about her.
Epson smoked in silence for some
time. Then he said slowly;
Ten wears ago, | had quite little
money. and | was looking around to
invest 1t, and wrote in to a Boston
firm Well, it was not long after
had written that a young fellow came
from the city and explained propo-
sition TO me. He seemed to be fine
sort of chap in every way. The boys
took him off for fishing trip, hunted
with him a little and all the time he
was talking to me about the PROPOSE
ton.
well. | fell for it. But ! WASH
the only one who fell. That girl
seemed to find in him just the man TO
love. They were together good deal
and many times alone, and the upshot
i of it was-she came to me one night
in this very room, with him following
close behind her, and told me they
were engaged.
"'She was so happy that her happi
ness went all through the house.
" They made preparations for the
wedding and the wedding day. He
i talked about 1t as much as, if not more
than. she did.
lone day he departed, taking my
money and her love.
Everything moved on smoothly un
til | could see her beginning to b'
/ troubled. Finally, got the truth. Ht
had not written. My suspicious were
aroused, and l wrote to the company
The information | got was like {
bomb in our quiet home. 1t seems h'
had left the employ of the company t.
L go West, had vanished so far as They
were concerned, and had never report
!, ed the money had given him.
"'She recovered from the shock, fo
she comes of stern stuff; but the cir
still believes that he will return.
= "'She goes down to the road abou
u the time you saw her, for if he cam'
back he would arrive about that time
!. It used to make my old heart ach'
y to see her standing there in the dusk
waiting for a scamp and a scoundrel
but, some way, | have come to see
meaning in it. 1t has helped my faitl
in humanity after the jar he gave il
She is serene and sensible through
it all. It's case of a splendid womal
having an undying trust in man, with
out her soul being wasted
THAT. gentlemen, is the story as Ur
son told me-" said Changers friend
. "and | have always thought of it as
!, story OF the meanest man and tn
meanest act within my knowledge"
:, Suddenly a tall figure arose. and il
: a voice that was strained with emo
ton said:
# Gentlemen. that was the meanes
\. aCt-it is more than that-but | teI
p you that the chap who did it has SUI
fered for those years. He stands RICH
4 here-Im the man. l thought l ha
b forgotten, but | can't forget. l Civ
you my word that | shall take tn
next train for New England and, Go
giving me the chance. l shall reappea
)" there. / did not think she could be S
q faithful. l did love her, and l hav
n always in my way. l hope l may ye
I be worthy of her. I'm sorry
d Without another word, the tall, thi
d figure passed from the room.
e. The silence that followed his will
1t drawal was broken by Granger: "Yo
lr did a good job in telling that stor.
Mason. You gained your end"
d What do you mean" someon
a asked.
Why, the facts are these" sal
Y Changers friend: Il recognized hill
{. just before l came in | had sort {
2, looked him up. / told Granger to stee
the conversation so that l could tie