Gilpin observer., 1917-04-05

he recalled certain domicile twenty
miles or more distant. There its
grabbed master had set his dogs on
him, not however, until the keen-eyed
mendicant had caught sight of glow
ing wealth in the library of the man
sion.
He was well and strong, as he an
nounced at the breakfast table one
morning that he would be no longer
a burden upon them.
"Better stay over few days,
friend" invited bluff, kind-hearted
Alan Ware.
Eyes, at least for today" supple
mented Mary, "for-Alan. suppose
you had forgotten it, but we were
married just fifty years ago today"
II remembered it," came the prompt,
but muffled response, and a tear rolled
down the speakers cheek, "our we'd
ding. I hoped you had forgotten it,
for there hasn't been much of gold,
or even silver in this house during the
half century,"
"But oh what true, pure gold OF
love, and trust, and faith !" cried Mary,
springing up, agile as girl, and put
ting her arms about his neck. "And
as to the other gold-why, Alan, dear,
we've always kept and revered this.
Don't you remember-brother Bruce
gave this to me only a week before we
ran away and got married."
Mary removed from her neck chain
and locket. 1t contained the portraits
of her parents. She placed it on the
table and 1t should remain there all
day, she declared, as reminder. She
planned a fine dinner to celebrate the
occasion. Jim Darby went outside,
deeply thoughtful.
"They shall have real golden we'd
ding, If I get jugged for it" solilo-
quized Jim and he left the house for
that grander one twenty miles away.
He was not home at dinner time. Mary
and Lois, returning to the house just
before dark, stared strangely at the
table as they entered the house. In
its center was a little heap of gold
coins and a blurred, misspelt note. 1t
read: For your golden wedding
Jim Darby"
"Why what can it mean?" marveled
Mary, and then, picking up box from
the floor which had evidently been the
original receptacle of the coins, she
uttered kind of scream.
What Jim Darby had done was to
rob the brother of his kind hostess
and the box he had stolen bore on its
side his name and description of the
rare coins 1t contained. In a flash
Mary surmised the truth.
Nothing would do but Lois must in
stantly proceed to the next town, seek
out Bruce Watson and restore the
filched treasure and explain. Lois had
n sweetheart who offered to drive her
to Wadham and back very willingly.
Bruce Watson regarded his visitor
with suspicion and dislike. He reused
up, however, as Lois told her story
and restored the stolen coins.
"A golden wedding? Those paupers!
The display must have been opulentl"
he sneered.
"Oh, no." amended Lois, and mean
ingly, for she was an intelligent little
being. There was real gold memen-
to, Mr.. Watson-a locket you gave
your sister, containing the portraits
of your father and mother"
If shot had struck him it could
not have had more effect. He paled
and quivered. A simple word had un-
locked the sealed storehouse of his
memory.
She was beside him, her arms about
his neck, in tears, pouring out the story
of two patient, gentle lives, full of the
love and tenderness he had missed.
He waved her away finally, too choked
up with emotion to speak.
And later-he invited, and there
came into his life the joys of recon-
ciliation, and the peace his soul had
longed for all those dreary years.