Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-04-15
The Daily
Short Storv
REDEEMED!
BY Wallace BeresfOrd

power. but his face bore traces -
past dissipation or heavy cares.
IF you would allow me 10 sbss
You some letters he began ~,
, the fussy. technical attorney d.
INJURED.
Now. don't ask me 10 bs M
ethical" he spoke AS the attor
ney OF Mrs. Anterior ] canpe.
plead with client outside Of strie.
legal procedure
IF I could only see the chn5
just for a moment. only cnce! M
heart is hungering for her"
"See here" said the lawyer, @eo
TO the house and try and see yo1-
wife. You look Ike changed mar
and | hope you are. You canno.
however, blame your wife for her
dfstrust and resentment"
81 don't" murmured Anterior.
humbly, but have tried to >rs-
deem the past"
He left the Office dejectedly. he
WINGED as he passed down the
street, and perhaps a dozen Der.
sons whom he had not seen for
two years nodded IN a chilling
perfunctory way, or evaGed any
form of greeting.
Wade Anterior had left the town
two years previous worse than m.
der a cloud. Within a year after
| his marriage TO Ethel Briggs hA
had become a tippler. and then a
sot
Atherton hesitated as he came
to the street where he had learned
his wife lived. He had about de-
cided to leave the town as abruptly
as he had come, when he saw an
preaching his wifes sister. Ha
hurried forward to address her
She gave him a startled stare.
Mrs Guthrie, won't you speak
with me for just a moment? I
have come long way TO see Ethel
and the little one. l am not as
was. II you would hear my story
and intercede for NE"
IF you continue to annoy me
said Mrs. Guthrie, II will call
policeman and give you in charge"
Like one utterly crashed, real
izing the uselessness OF an appeal
to that stony heart, Atherton turn
ed from the town and struck of
across the fields. At the base Of
the bluffs ran the railroad. lie
decided TO get to the upper level
and take the road to the next town.
A long freight train was coming
and he hurried his pace 10 get
across the tracks ahead OF L.
Abruptly from the roadbed on the
further side the bluff arose. His
eye taking in the ascent, Atherton
Lhalted, transfxed
1t is Ethel" he whispered to
himself.
Where the road ran at the top
OF the bluff was a figure he recog-
nized as that Of his wife She was
walking up and down conyersing
with a lady Mrs. Atherton had
evidently brought out her little
child for an airing. for near by
was a baby carriage. and the hear.
OF Anterior throbbed wildly as he
decided that IL held the little one
he longed for, but whom he had
never seen.
Suddenly that occurred which
tangled every nerve in his frame
and sent him irresistibly forward
with the force OF a missile pro-
jected from catapult A sudden
gust OF wind sweeping ever the
height had caught the frail baby
carriage in its swirl, carried il 70
the sheer edge OF the decline, and
then of its own momentum 1t went
shooting downward.
In a flash Atherton had realized
frightful situation. The freight
train was coming, and within a
half minute its locomotive would
be between himself and descending
vehicle.
Atherton sprang directly in from,
OF the locomotive. Its pilot strRcN
one foot, and with a sickening
sense of pain and peril he was
projected through the air TO land
fiat at the bottom OF the incline,
One limb was numb and useless.
He crawled. rolled and writhel
into line with the speeding baby
carriage. He braved. swept out
his arms. caught the webbing We
hicle by its front wheels. upset II.
and, fairly flung into his arms. was
the little occupant Clasping Il
close in, his sheltering clasp be
tainted away
When Wade Atherton awoke 20
life he found himself lying on a
couch in a darkened room. One
limb was bandaged and he coula
nor move il. His mentality was
still disturbed from the shock Of
the last thrilling incident OF which
he was conscious.
The little one-her baby, minet
he murmured incoherently.
And, quickly stealing to his
side, holding a child in her arms
Ethel Atherton knelt by his SIDE
and a pair Of little hands reached
out TO caress his face. while his
wife bent over him In fervent we.-
come.
1t was later that Atherton knew
that what he had TO tell his httls
world from which he had wandered
away was known 70 vile aaa
friends, for the surgeon who a.
tended him had handed TO the
wife packet OF papers fallen Irom
his pocket, telling OF how for owe,
year he. reformed. redeemed hso
been a tireleSs worker in the rahAs
OF a society in the city devoted 70
battling vice and crime and TO tn5
rescue of their victims
\ He had saved his own child ron
a terrible death, showing hlnlsgu
to brave man, In the later hsa.
OF discovery and revelation az
wife knew him 10 be a better una
and the shadows lifted, and N 'Ls
sacred communion or those W.
tried souls there was no token o.
another parting.