Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1918-01-26
THE BEACON
by MARY RANDALL.


night. no matter n Il was the BRIGHT
est moonlight. always and ever there
was n light shining In the parlor al
cove window In the home OF widow
Janet Graham.
The neighbors and townspecpie gen
orally related a weird tale connected
w'.h the familiar beacon. The widow
and her son, Verne Graham, had come
70 Roslyn and had rented the pretty
little cottage. The young man was
brisk, industrious. always had q smile
on his face, and n was no wonder that
he attracted the attention OF Marjorie
Dale. who was the nearest neighbor.
Her life was devoted TO the case OF a
crippled father and an invalid mother.
She was one OF those sweet. patient
souls whose face N irradiated with a
purity and gentIenees almost ethereal.
and when Verne was called 10 q more
promising position In the city her pride
mingled with that Of the fond mother.
and they built great hopes az 20 his
business future.
A year went by and twice Verne Wis
tied home. and each week he wrote to
both the dear ones. When he had FIRST
left them Mrs. Graham had looked ear
nestly into his eyes.
Verne she said. you see the light
I have placed IN the window. II shall
be there on the dnrkest night. your
beacon. Think OF IT, cherish IT,"
One day Mrs. Graham and Marjorie
were seated conversing. when a Keen
eyed, hard-faced man knocked at the
door. lie edged his way into the room,
glanclng about sharply.
81 am looking for Verne Grnham,"
ne announced I'm a tone OF assurance
and command that somehow chilled
the hearts Of mother and fancee.
"He is not here" Mrs. Graham ad-
vised the visitor. 1T II three months
since we saw him last. Even his usual
letter missed us last week. on, siri
l trust there Is no trouble
"Sorry to say there is" biuntiy re
sponded the stranger. -and I am a de-
tective looking for him He disap-
peared from his work ten days ago,
taking with him twenty thousand dol
lars OF the funds Of the company In
trusted TO his charge"
my son a theft" cried Mrs Gra-
ham. ut Is fnlsel"
The man shrugged his shoulders In
differently.
IL do not believe him." breathed
Marjorie, agitatedly. There is some
error, some plot. OH be assured Of
that. Mother Graham, I am going
straight TO the city TO ferret out all
the details Of this terrible thing"
Marjorie Dale was received at the
place where Verne Graham had been a
cashier by the manager. a Mr.. Thorpe.
The man was coldly polite and matter
Of fact The money and Verne Graham
had vanished together. this man told
Marjorie.
Marjorie carried breaking heart
back 10 the little country village. She
told her story aEid the tears To the
stricken mother. "Oh, II is vain ]"
cried Marjorie. Verne will never
come back"
"He well come" solemnly declared
the mother. "Of his innocence or guilt
what can / say. but he Is always my
son. always welcome, no matter how
black his sins may be. Some night
Verne will come hack TO the hight In
the window"
Then came break In their onmpan-
lonshlp Marjorie's father d1ed and q
brother insisted on hrsL Dals making
her home in his household Marjorie
went to the city and became a nurse
in public hospital. Ons night the
word went round that a terrible rail-
road accident would send In many suf-
ferers for treatment. After tho sur
geons had attended To one victim I'm
her ward. he delegated the patient to
Marjorie's charge. TIE man was TN
sensible and had sustained frightful
Injuries. Marjorie WINS startled as she
recognized him. He was the plant
manager, Mr.. Thorpe, whom Marjorie
had called upon In regard 10 the dis