The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-12-14
n M " NJ - nn ~ Nj
. The PADDED BRICK
= BY GEORGE ELMER COBB. =


LIZ sat sfLAAN4AAAAk> l44C NO14f 0ASAA1S
ure, the fair golden hair, the cheap but
immediately neat and modest attire.
His was a hard, heartless business
And II had made his nature hard, but
not heartless. The pitiful pleader had
impressed him. For the moment he
lost his stern, rigid bearing. A wave
of genuine sympathy swept hfs iron
nature. He sighed
Quickly that human signal of emo
ton went to the mark. The girl looked
up. She caught the trace of pity in
that immovable face before the mask
was on again.
''Oh, sir!" she pleaded, reconsider.
Put yourself in my place. If you have
no faith in poor Jim, try and trust me-
know him, sir. He has been bad and
wicked"
young lady," spoke Detective Ray
mond, rising to his feet, ''for your sake,
yes"
you'll give him a CHANGER
His last one, yes"
She had sunk TO her knees before
him. She had clasped his hand and
was covering it with kisses.
Within the month Detective Ray
mond went before the state pardon
board Two days later Jim WaIdroh,
alias "The Ferrett," was released on
Communication of ten years sentence
Still later the detective noted a modest
line in daily print among the mar
riage licenses-"James Waldron and
Winnie Morse
The detective could find no one will
ing to go hostage for Jim, so he had
him paroled to himself. He felt it his
duty TO look up Jim within a month
His heart warmed as he found the
happy pair living in two pretty rooms,
neat, though humble.
The contented wife told him how
Jim had "found a job" 1t was poor
pay, but beginning, and oh, they
were so happy
Then, somewhat later, the detective
met Jim coming home from work.
There was no mistal1ing the manly
spirit in the ex-burglar His eye was
clear, his head erect.
How is it, Jim?" Raymond In
quired.
Grand. sir. Just to work, just to
keep straight for her sake-bless her I"
"Good for you, Jim. Keep it up"
nodded the detective with apparent
indifference, but joy was in his soul.
For over year Detective Raymond
did not hear of his protege. An i'm
| portant government case sent him to
Alaska. He returned to his city post
on the eve of a great burglary. A
| jewelry establishment had been looted.
An expert had done the job, but his
identity was not even guessed-except
| by John Raymond
ut looks like Jim Waldron's> <old-
time work." he decided and proceeded
| to look up the ex-convict. At his old
home he learned that the Waldrons
had left there four months previous.
| The detective started in to find the
| missing couple. 1t was one evening at
dusk that Relocated them in shabby
tenement house, His inquiry divulged
the fact that Jim about week before
had gone to another city, hopeful of
| finding work where he was not known.
"And the poor lady, sir" said the de-
tective's informant, "only yesterday
she lost the little child, only ten days
old. She has shut herself In her room
and just mourns and mourns. See her
| there she is now"
The detective, drawing back in the
shadow, was shocked as a figure wear
ing a shawl about her came weakly
down the stairs. It was Winnie Wal
dron, but woefully white and thin, de-
spair in her wan face.
He was about TO speak to her, when
her shawl moved aside. Under it she
concealed a bundle, boxlike and
wrapped in pillow case.
''Tve hit it!' mnttered Raymond.
''The swag, I'll betl and she's taking
| it to Jim.''
Square after square he guardedly
[ followed the 1one.figure. He gasped as
she reached the edge of the city. 1t
was to enter the gateway of a Gene
terry.
Winnie Waldron glanced all about
her, as if fearful of being observed.
She finally reached remote plot/of
ground bearing two mere fragments of
stone, on one Father and on the
other Mother" She placed her hidden
burden on the ground. She produced
a trowel. Mid tears and sobs she dug
shallow grave, and placed the box
| in it.
She heaped the loose sod upon the
mound and left her poor, short-Iived
darling to the mercy of God.
John Raymond Swallowed the poor
creature home. He paused outside. He
drew back as some one came down the
street and entered the house. It was
| Jim.
Within ten minutes Jim reappeared.
His pinched, agonized face bore a
stricken, desperate expression. He
| stumbled down the street; Raymond
followed him. At an alley Jim found
brick. He wrapped his heavy mufier
about it. Bereaved, his wife starving
the wretched man came to delicates-
sen shop, with its tempting array of
food. He raised the padded brick.
mo needI" spoke John Raymond,
| detective, the man of heart now, halt
ing the descending hand "Jfm. hero
brother, I greet your
His arm was around him and the
man was sobbing on his breast-the
man who, with his loyal wife, should
never know wfnt and poverty while
John RAYMOND haG the means 70 hold