Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-01-01
Continued.

/
whomever you may have been before
1 named you, is no concern of mine.
know this much. You can help
me. I'm good, solid plugger, but
1 am brilliant enough to realize that
L haven't creative genius. You have.
1 need it in my business" He turn
ed to the sketch again.
John Doe was silent, though he
tried to speak. He held out his hand
instead.
Then it's agreed" declared Billy,
looking hastily away from the mans
eyes; but he shook hands heartily.
From now on, it's John and Billy"
Burke appeared in the doorway and
smiled broadly, at the tableau.
Shall you dress for dinner, sir ?"
he inquired.
"It depends on john" returned
Billy. eff he's going back to bed l
think I'll make a quick ceremony of
| it, and sit with him a while"
"I should prefer to DRESS" consid-
cred John. 1--WE been in bed so long"
| At dinner there was another change
| in Lanes attitude toward the man
who had been Bow-Wow; and the
change was like Burke's had been.
So far he had only seen him in the
frowsy habiliments of tramp, and
in robe and slippers. He was u diff
IeTenL person IOTIIlhl BdTDt anu
once more Billy pondered curiously
on the mans past. He had been a
| gentleman, at least That much was
certain. How had he fallen so low?
And by what strange fate had Billy
found him? And where was it all
to lead? To bigger business!
The kindliness of the young archi-
tect came out at dinner. He had
| discovered that too long an effort
at concentration both wearied and
confused Doe, who was not yet quite
clear; so Billy chatted away about
everything under the sun. Over their
| coffee and cigars in the lounging-
room, he returned to business. For
the time being he left the discussion
of terms in the background, but he
laid before Doe all his plans and pro-
jects and prospects; and the older
man listened with grave attention.
Suddenly, however, in the very
midst of this quiet talk, Doe stood up
and stretched forth his clenched fists.
"Billy!" There was in his voice
that anguish which, in the cries of
springs of sympathy since the world
began. MY wife! My little girl!
want them" His features were
working convulsively, and Lane
sprang to his side, in fear that he
might fall. Doe shook his head. He
was strong enough now. He had new
strength. He forced himself to sit
down. "I want you to find them for
me. L haven't seen them for fifteen
years. My little Tavy should be q
young woman" He paused q mo-
ment while he tried to picture her.
And Jean - is she living or dead?
1 must know! 1t is torture to me
through every hour of the long
nights"
Wen find them for you" Billy
tried to speak with his usual hearty
assurance, but there was curious
break in his voice, and he felt q
queer numbneSs in his cheeks. This
was the first time he had been quite
near to any big emotion. and all life,
in that moment, seemd to be full of
the imminence of unexpected misery.
Where did you leave them?"
"In Willowwood, but they moved
away from there shortly after 1 dis
appeared. That was while 1 still re-
membered things. Afterwards, 1 -
| forgot. 1t was hard work at first;
but | forgot"
The young man gazed steadily into
the fire. He was listening intently,
but he felt that he must not interrupt.
There was short silence, in which
John Doe struggled with himself.
Humiliation had been possibility
long absent from Bow-Wow, but il
had come back as a benign gift to
John Doe.
"I had an enemy, Billy" he finally
said, and he glanced toward the de-
canter. ut - it got mel 1 neglected
my business. I neglected my family.
| broke promise after promise. 1
was expelled from my clubs, but.
through it all, with the losses of po-
sition, money, honor, manhood, self
respect clung to one thing as if it
were more precious than all the price
less treasures of the world; whiskyl
made a god OF it! 1 devoted my
days and nights to it; then weeks,
then months
"One day, after a prolonged spree.
had a lucid hour. In that hour /
converted every security l had into
cash, and banked it in my wifes name.
Then | sent her note that [ was
dead; and / died."
There was q long silence.
But you have come back to life"
Billy presently reminded him. re-
turning slowly from his contamination
of this deep tragedy.
NO" denied the low voice of the
man who had come back from Hades
with silvered hair and emaciated body
and torn heart; John Doe came to
life, thanks to your goodness; but the
grave still holds Harrison Stuart"
MY God!" Billy could not have been
more astounded if the tomb had sud-
denly yawned to set this man before
him. mot the Harrison Stuart who
built the old Palace of Commerce.
the first important structural iron edi-
flee in Americai Not the Harrison
Stuart, of Stuart on Trusses," Stuart
on Bridges Stuart on Stresses and
Strains! Why, man, I've used those
authorities as my professional ten
commandments" Billy's eyes were
glowing. He was boyishly excited.
He rose and paced the floor. Sud
denly he laughed. "Why, Mr.. Stuart
on the very night met you, Joe Null
len said that he wished Harrison
Stuart were alive And / was touch
ing elbows with you at the timei You
must have heard it! Is that why
you spoke to me about the Pannard
! foundation?
The dean of the engineering archi-
tects knotted his brown painfully.
'I don't know" he pondered. "I
don't remember I don't think so.
Oh, l wish 1 could forget all that
hideous nightmare" A second later
he brought his fist down on the arm
of his chair. mol" he vehemently
declared. 81 must not forget! 1t is
not good for man to forget anything
that he has done! He needs it for
the correction of his heart and for
the life of his very soul! I wish never
again to forget"