Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1917-04-27

least let me know II you are Well. 1
have been out of prison for over six
months, but have found 1t hard to get
anything to do. The faint follows me.
At present / am working on railroad
with day laborers, but this job will
not last very long"
Jean copied the address, and put the
letter back in the basket.
Her thoughts played havoc with her
work. The appeal and pathos Of
the letter haunted her. 1t seemed
tragic to her that this father and
son should be so far apart. But
even suppose she could bring them to-
gether, what would she be doing for
herself? She had begun almost to
know that Shields felt toward her as
though she were daughter, and her
future seemed assured.
II am we'll punished for my curios-
ity," she thought. 'If / had let that
letter alone, / would not have to be
fighting this battle with myself"
Day after day she put off doing any
thing, till only a short time interviewed
before the two weeks would be up.
There was only one right, one just thing
to do, and that was to try to bring this
man into his own. She wrote to him,
explaining who she was, and telling
him his father had never opened his
letters. She asked him to have con-
f1dence in her, and to let her know any
change in his address till she could ad.
wise him further. He answered, ex-
pressing his gratitude for her kind
ness.
One day In the parlor of her board
ing house she faced man Of about
thirty, with clear-cut features, a good
pair Of shoulders, and the bearing of
gentleman. 1t was Nathaniel Shields.
He told her something of his story. A
woman whom he had found out to be
an adventures, had managed to gain
the affections of his father some three
or four years after his mothers death,
and when he had finally succeeded in
unmasking her to his father, so that
the engagement had been broken off,
her revenge had not rested till she
had succeeded by the help Of one Of
her pals in throwing the guilt of the
forged note on him. After his convic-
ton she had written his father that he
meant to give the money to her, as
he had been giving her large sums to
buy her silence, since he was deter
mined she should not marry him, and
that all his stories were lies.
Jean believed him. The more she
saw Of him, the more was her conf
dence enlisted in his behalf. One day
she said to him: II can see but one
thing to do. will bring you to him. If
he sends me from the house never to
enter it again, it must be tried"
II can't let you do it." he said.
"You must" she answered. at win
be kinder to me to do as ask than to
refuse"
The next day she took him with her
to the house. She put him in the
drawing room, knowing that Shields
would not be likely to go In there, In
the library she found the elder man.
'There Is someone waiting for you"
she said. Someone you ought to
see"
mol" he broke In seeming at once
to divine who it was.
eyes," she said. "By the eternal
justice! by Gods justice, you must!"
She went to the other room, and
brought with her Nathan Shields. The
old man stood like rock, not speaking
nor moving.
"He is not guilty--and he is your
son." she said. Then she turned, and
went from the room.
Jean waited in the great drawing
room wondering what would happen.
In about half an hour a maid came and
asked her to go to the library. Peter
Shields met her taking her hand in a
warm grasp. Looking in his face she
knew what had happened.
You must stay and dine with u.s."
he said. Eve viii have a family par
ty."
Jean did not at once lose her posi-
ton as secretary, though there was a
slight interruption when she became
Nathan Shields wife.