Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-01-26
The Daily.
Short Story
THE BLACK sHIEP.
BY George Elmer Cobb

Pierce Duntley when he gave !, =.
position a. . store clerk and ,oa..s
show. Duntley did not become :, :.
tor or performer, but to tina 49,
strict deacon the circus was An ~.
nation and the theatre q deem M 81
bluntly informed Duntley that hs -. s.e
on the downward path, ana intims.s...
that he should see to It that 10 di6 -
also dng his wife and child n - 4"
| struction. -
Better not Interfere savs...
Duntley in his off-handed way. ~ ~
. chance TO make money ana I'm a
ing to take It" "
Edith, the wife, and daushtsr
grieved, but she accepted ths ~.
ton unmurmurfngly. She knew n.
FESTIVE spirit Of this impulsiye m
band Of hers. and hoped 9 brisf :,
perience would cure him Of the rev,.s
faint. Each month Duntley cana ~
FOR q couple Of days. He dressed IN
ter and had great dreams Of soms ~.
owning1 show Of his own.
The dismal deacon continual "A -.
test. He called the behavior Of n.
son-in-law simply disgraceful. i1s
censorions and narrow-minded fnths.
worked on poor Edith until. vAss
Duntley came back from Z long tn
he found the household effects T.
storage and Edith and the baby und,,
the parental roof.
Give up your nefarious callins. ..
back to honest work, and your III.
will come back to you." said jam
Hall. Otherwise. l shall see 70 Il
that there is legal separation
A GOODNESS grew UP between man
and wife. Duntley few away, anrry
defiant, stubborn. A year went BY snd
he did not reappear. Stories were -
tailed to the effect that Duntley hsa
been seen at a picnic In the midst AZ :
a rollicking, wine-bibbling set Of men
and women. Another story was thai
Duntley had been manager for Mle
Esturfa, "the brilliant, meteoric tran
exc artist" In quiet way q divorce
was secured. The deacon died ana
Edith, taking her child, little Paul
with her, removed to a quiet country
town.
One day Edith left little Paul IN
charge Of the nurse for the day. Her
plan was to visit friend in . neirh-
boring village.
"I'll take the baby down to my SIS
ter's and spend the day there, If you
don't object" said Mary.
Mrs. Duntley reached the next town.
to find her friend away. She returned
home, and went to the home OF The
sister Of the nurse, to find them both
chatting on the porch. Mary turned
pale as she viewed her mistress.
Il found my friend absent" e.
planned Mrs. Duntley. "and thought
would come and take Paul home"
The nurse exhibited embarrassment
and was trembling all over. Suddenly
she burst into tears.
"oh, ma'am!" she sobbed, "the baby
is not here"
mot here?" cried Edith in Quick
alarm. "Has anything happened to
Paul."
mo, ma'am," dissented Mary woe
fully; "but, oh! you'll never forgive
me, but gentleman has taken great
fancy to Paul, and he asked me to let
him have Paul with him for today"
Where? Where?" gasped the asi-
tated mother.
eat the hotel"
And you left my darling with
stranger" cried Edith "Wretched
woman! Take me at once to my child
Who is this man."
HE is-oh, ma'am, forgive me! for,
give me! He is your husband-thAt
was"
They made due haste to the hotel.
Mary knew the room Duntley occu-
pied. Its door was open. PLEASED.
prattling tones mingled with tender
ones. On the floor va
Paul, and near to him his father The
place was Uttered with toys.
Into the room Edith rushed and
clasped the boy in her arms, ~ though
from the Jaws Of peril Pierce Dunfley
regarded her gsavely. His face and
bearing suggested q sedateness that
had not formerly existed.
"You-you have changed" spoke
Edith, rather abashed at the repfoaeh-i
ful look her husband bestowed upon
her.
Somewhat" nodded Duntlsy. Net
that I was ever as bad as Father Hall
fancied me. That wild orgie IN IL
woods was simply a movie scene U
which I figured Mile. EsturiA the
flashing trapezist whom manage
was grandmother to eight childfen.
But Father Hall was right-it was
.rifling life and now I am part Of
great humanitarian society, spreading
education in the dark places OF ne
earth. On that mission l leave fof
Hawaii next week, and l just had 70
zee the dear little fellow here before
went away"
Paul want good man come home
with him." here cried out the lisfle>
elbow, and ran back to his father ana
)ut his arms about his neck.
mo. little man; but I'm going "
lend all those toys home with you
I'm q lonesome man." said P!eEce
sadly. Couldn't you forget-tnele
sn't much to forgive, except my ON
owing ways--because Of the love !
lave always cherished for you!
She could not resist the sincere N
zeal. They were remarked, and Eul!n
,ecame a co-partner with Pierce y
lis great life work.
+ = WE ME- ADT " MINK.