The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1918-01-22
THE DEAD PAST
sy cEcILLG LAwopoN.
scopyrisht. 1917. western Newspaper usios

! uui Biuu sOu uuNc lOuiIO y AEscuO
at your new iplnce Of work, Roland"
said Mrs. Vincent.
Hes good friend, too" replied
Roland Vincent. ut was awful strange
and awkward the first day or two. for.
You zee, l knew nobody among my fel.
low workers. and II is;7't much like
school. thought they would say !
wouldn't do when Numbered and
made mistakes half dozen times.
Then my new friend. who has charge
Of the stock room, spoke to me and
told me to see him Mt the lunch hour"
"what Is his name. RolandT In
qulred Mrs. Vincent.
"Robert Leigh. He II queer act
ing man. hardly ever speaks to any
body, but has been 20 kind and helpful
to me-"
II got to be 20 finally that Roland
visited Mr.. Leigh regularly once .
week. When he did so, he remained
till after ten o'clock at night. N|
/ "It's just jollyl" Roland told bis
mother repeatedly. "Mr. Leigh has
q gas stove and = regular housekeep-
ing OUTFIT. He gets up a meal about
a. fine az yours, mother, and that's
saying q lot. Then he clears the table
and gets out the books, and goes over
what have read for the week. ! am
learning 30 much, mother"
sDoes he never smoke, or drink, or
play cards, or that liker' QueSti0ned
Mr.. Vincent anxiOus1y,
"Oh, never thatw replied Roland,
quickly. "He has a cabinet Of curl
osities. Once, a long time ago, he says
he knew all sorts Of men, for he was
doing some detective work. In his cab
inet he has the rope that hanged . mo-
torious murderer and Q knife with
which Q foreign prince was assassin
ated. He showed me last night trick
rambling outfit, and proved to me the
frauds employed to defraud gambling
victims. II was 20 interesting"
Mrs.. vincent's eyes dilated. She
seized Ronald's arm with trembling
hand.
"Oh, my SOM my soni" She spoke
In 10 Intense tone that Ronald view.
I'll IleI III WVuhUCIp kpHVhluCo AAsC AACvSAt
never to touch card ~
sDon't worry about that" returned
Roland ut once. "Anybody hearing Mr..
Leigh tell whit gambling leads to
would never do co."
RI wish yotl would ask Mr. Leigh p
tea some evening. Roland" naid MA
Vincent. 1--WE must return his cor.
tssies In some way"
" did once" explained ROlArl, put
10 said he never went 'anyv4&rs. ldo
wish you could meet him. though He
seems interested in anything that con-
Germs me. You know, could not tell
him much" and Roland glanced closs-
" at his mother, and then st = framed
photograph on the wall.
Always he had believed that coun-
terfelt presentment Of an austere, dig
nified looking man to be that Of the
father he could not remember. She
became strangely agitated.
Roland" she said. ~ have taught
you from childhood to regard your ia
ther as dead to rs"
Slut not really dead, mother" per
sisted Roland.
sAt all events lost to the world and
to us," continued Mrs. Vincent. " for
bid you ever to mention his name
again." Mrs. Vincent broke down In
tears and hurried from the room.
One evening Roland came home in
a great state Of excitement. He was
earlier than usual, and his ami
mated face told that he was stirred up
'Oh. mother. l guess qur good luck
has come !" he cried buoyantly, SWhst
do you Think The house Is going to
open branch In Rio de- Janeir0, and
Mr.. Leigh II to take charge Of It at Q
big salary. He says he has been work.
Ing for the promotion for years, and
he has the privilege Of appointing his
own assistants, and he says II we will
remove to Brazil he will start me In
MS his chief clerk at four times the
| salary nm now getting" 4
Mrs. Vincent had been busting the
furniture and wall hangings when .Rol.
/, and came In, and now she listened to
him, buster suspended.
L "Won't you come andscall upon him
with me?" urged Roland. "Maybe you
would consent to move to Brazil after
hearing Mr.. Leigh tell Of the great
business prosnoct it would be for me-"
eyes" assented Mrs. Vincent, after a
moment of thought. II think we had
better have talk with him together
There Is the door bell" and she left
the room. AS she passed Into the hal
she struck the cord suspending the
time-honored photograph. Frame ant
all came to the floor with crash. Two
photographs fell out upon the carpet
As the under one caught the eye of Ro
land. he uttered quick ejaculation. II
was Mr.. Leigh!
"Father!" he said simply, extending
his hand and looked appealingly into
the eyes of the other.
"You know. then" began Mr.
Leigh.
"Only that you must be the father
have loIged to know. oh, tell me
ALL"
And then the veil of mystery that
| had so long hung over the past Of
! the devoted family was drawn aside
/ Born with the instincts of q gambler