The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1918-01-24
THE DEAD PAST
~ cEctLLE LANcDoN.
'opyrisht. 1911. western Newspaper Union

~ CECJILE EANGOON.
tcopyrisht. 1917. western Newspaper Union-)
Il am glad you have found a friend
at your new place Of work, Roland"
said Mrs. Vincent.
"He's a good friend. too" replied
Roland Vincent. at was awful strange
and awkward the first day or two, for.
you see, knew nobody among my fell
low workers, and It isn't much like
school. / thought they would say I
wouldn't do when / Numbered and
made mistakes half q dozen times.
Then my new friend, who has charge
Of the stock room, spoke to me and
told me to see him at the lunch hour"
what is his name, Rolandr In
Quired Mrs. Vincent.
Robert Leigh. He is a queer act
Ing man, hardly ever speaks to any
body, but has been 80 kind and helpful
to me-"
It got to be 30 finally that Roland
visited Mr.. Leigh regularly once q
week. When he did so, he remained
till after ten o'clock at night.
TITS just jollyp Roland told his
mother repeatedly. "Mr. Leigh has
q gas stove and a regular ~housekeep-
Ing outfit. He gets up a meal about
as fine as yours, mother, and that's
saying a lot. Then he clears the table
and gets out the books, and goes over
what / have read for the week. I am
learning SO much, mother"
! "Does he smoke, or drink, or
/ play cards, or that nke?" questioned
Mrs. Vincent %anxiously.
"Oh, never that" replied Roland,
quickly. HE has q 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
met he has the rope that hanged q no
torious murderer and q knife with
which . foreign prince was assassin
ated. He showed me last night a trick
gambling outfit, and proved to me the
frauds employed to defraud gambling
victims. It was so interesting"
Mrs. Vincent's eyes dilated. She
seized Ronald's arm with a trembling
hand. Z
"Oh, my son! my sonl" She spoke
In SO intense a tone that Ronald view
ed her in wonder, promise me never,
never to touch a card"
"DOn't worry about that" returned
Roland at once. Anybody hearing Mr..
Leigh tell what gambling leads to
would never do SO"
II wish you would ask Mr.. Leigh to
tea some evening, Roland" said Mrs.
Vincent. "We must return his cour-
tesies In some way"
IT did once" explained Roland, but
he said he neve went anywhere, I do
wish you could meet him, though. He
seems interested in anything that con
Germs me. You know, I could not tell
him much,"' and Roland glanced close.
" at his mother, and then at a framed
photograph on the wall.
Always he. had believed that coun-
terfeit ~presentment Of an austere, dig.
nifled looking man to be that Of the
father he could not remember. She
became strangely agitated.
Roland" she said, II have taught
you from childhood to regard your ia
ther as dead to u.s."
aBut not really dead, mother" per.
sisted Roland.
AT all events lost to the world and
to us" continued Mrs. Vincent. II for
bid you eyer to mention his name
again." Mrs. Vincent broke down in
tears and hurried from the
One evening Roland came home In
q great state of excitement. He was
earlier than usual, and his ami
mated face told that he was stirred up.
"Oh, mother, l guess u good luck
has come" he cried buoyantly. "What
do you think? The house is going to
open a branch in Rio de JaneirO, and
MI. Leigh is to take charge of it at a
big salary. He says he has been work
fng 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
as his chief clerk at four times the
salary I am now getting"
Mrs. Vincent had been busting the
furniture and wall hangings when ROl-
and came in, and now she listened to
him, buster suspended.
"Won't you come and call upon him
with me?' urged Roland. Maybe you
would consent to o to Brazil after
hearing Mr.. Leigh tell of the great
business prospect 1t would be for me-
.sYes,,' assented Mrs. Vincent, after q
moment Of thought. II think we had
better have q 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 tn
time-honored photograph. Frame ant
IN came to the floor with a crash. Two
, photographs fell out upon the carpet
AZ the under one caught the eye OF Ro
land, he uttered q quick ejaculation. /
! was Mr.. Leigh!
sFather!'' he said simply, extending