The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-11-24
m N m n IA ~ ks Al m ~ m n
PADDED BRICK.
nm BY GEORGE ELMER COBB. m
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He sat watching the CONFUSING hg'
ure, the fair golden hair, the cheap bu'
Immediately neat and modest attire
His was a hard, heartless business,
And it 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 his 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 III me.
l 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 chancer
"His last one, yes"
She had sunk to her knees before
him. She had clasped his hand aud
was covering II with kisses.
Within the month Detective Ray.
mond went before the state pardon
board. Two days later Jim Waldroh,
alias "The Ferret" was released on
Communication of a ten years sentence.
Still later the detective noted a modest
line in a daily print among the mar
riage licenses-"James Waldron and
Winnie Morse"
The detective could find no n will
ing to go hostage for Jim, so he had
him parOled TO himself. He felt Ii 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 vas poor
pay, but a beginning, and oh, they
were so happy
Then, somewhat later, the detective
met Jim coming home from work.
There was no m%istaking 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 |"
Good for you, Jim. Keep 1t up"
nodded the detective with apparent
Indifference, but joy was In his soul.
For over a 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.
1T 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 ar
dusk that he located them In a shabby
tenement house. His inquiry divulged
the fact that Jim about a 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. II was Winnie Wal
dron, but woefully white and thin, de-
spair in her wan face.
He vas about to speak to her, when
her shawl moved aside. Under II she
concealed a bundle, boxlike and
wrapped In a pillow case.
"pve hit It'll" muttered Raymond.
'"The swag. I'll bet! and she's taking
IL to jim"
Square after square he guardedly
followed the lone figure. He gasped as
she reached the edge of the city. II
was to enter the gateway Of a GENE
terry.
Winnie Waldron glanced all abou,
her, as II fearful of being observed
She finally reached a 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 dul
a shallow grave, and placed the bo,
In IL.
She heaped the loose soil upon tn,
mound and left her poor. short-livec
darling TO the mercy of God.
John Raymond Swallowed the poo
creature home. He paused outside. III,
drew back as some one came down thu
street and entered the house. 1t wal
Jim.
Within ten minutes Jim reappeared
His pinched, agonized face bore q
stricken, desperate expression. III,
stumbled down the street; Raymon,