The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-09-29
In Dubious
Garb
@a1
Copyright. 1919. by the Western News
paper Union)
By RALPH HAMILTON

SITdW-llltereu HUT VI du dDdHuOueu
shelter shed at remote corner of MIA
farm.
He was genial old soul. this pleas
ant-faced, kind-hearted deacon. select
man and the prop and stay of sterling
uprightness and dignity in the com
immunity. He had been passing the shed,
when he fancied that groan proceed
ed from within. He stepped across
the threshold and.> startled and puz-
zled, gaZed down at the recumbent fig
ure. 1t was that of a young man with
q refined cast of features, his eyes
closed In sleep. Two further discov-
cries of the farmer brought serious
expression to his face. One hand waa
abrased and bleeding, and cut in the
head showed second recent injury
"a convict-an escaped convict" So
lloquized Prince. Poor fellow! And
he's badly hurt. What is my duty in
the case? He looks likely, and per-
haps mother. sister is worrying
about him. There isn't anything Of
the criminal In that face. Shall pro-
tect him?"
The decision was quickly made.
Prince proceeded across the farm, got
to the house, made up a bundle and.
htching up horse to the old family
carryall, started back the route he
had come.
Mother and Zelda away" he solilo-
quized. land don't see Zeph anywhere
around. That just suits me-"
Zeph Barnes was the handy man
about the farm. At that moment he
was making bis way past the old shed.
His coarse lips puckered as he dis
| covered its inmate. He scented mys-
| terry as he saw Prince returning. He
wondered If there was any reward Of
fered for the apprehension of con-
victs and, climbing TO the shallow loft
! in the structure, waited for develop
| ments.
These materiaized with the arrival
of Prince. The latter proceeded to dis
robe the stranger. He made a bundle
Of the discriminating convict garb and
thrust 1t into an old Munger. attired
| him in q suit of his own. lifted him
| into the wagon and drove to The house.
| He got his involuntary guest to bed,
applied lotions to his wounds. and Won
dered what his story would be. When
| consciousness was restored. Alvin
Prince gently inquired If the injuries
were painful.
II think only stumbling fall" re-
piled his guest. LET me see. was
Where was I? What was | doing?
I'm all dazed. My name is Wilbur
| Thorne. | have a home, but | left
1t for wandering a long time ago. I've
kept going with all kinds of jobs. You
must be a pretty kind sort of man
to take in stranger this way"
"Oh, that is. all right" declared
Prince lightly. and felt certain deli
cacy about referring to his convict sus-
picions.
Mrs. Prince and her daughter Zelda
came home two days later from
weeks visit to relative, to find the
interesting-looking stranger insisting
upon doing some light work about the
farm, They were so used to the chart
table impulses of the husband and ia
Their. that they did not question him
when he told them that he was taking
care of his visitor until he got on his
feet again.
His frank, engaging ways won the
favorable opinion of Zelda and her
III tha .1,,sg
Wilbur Thorne became so useful and
so happy that Prince had not the heart
to either question him or turn him
away.
He had not noticed that a bond Of
mutual liking was being cemented be-
tween the two young people, but Zeph
Barnes, himself secretly in love with
Zelda, though the latter detested him/
was witness to an interview between
Thorne and herself when the latter
confessed his deep affection for the
farmers daughter. Just before dusk
that evening, just as the family were
seated on the lawn, Mr.. Prince read
ing, Mrs. Prince at her knitting and
Zelda and Thorne looking over pic
torial magazine, there appeared Zeph
Barnes and man whom the farmer at
once recognized as the town marshal.
"There's the man." spoke Zeph,
pointing to Thorne. Hes an escaped
convict, and here" and he tore open
bundle under his arm, revealing the
cOnvict's garb in which Prince had
first seen Thorne.
"Why! you give me a link in the
past always mystery to me-" exclaim-
ed Thorne abruptly, arising to his feet
with an animated expression on his
face. II wore that suit the day I
got hurt. Where did you ever get it,
Zeph? You see, Mr.. Prince, my last
job was playing the convict for some
movie people over beyond the village.
took a casual stroll in it while wait
ing for my part in the scenario. had
a bad fall. and-and | guess you can
tell how you found me-"
Zeph drew back crestfaIlen. The
marshal however, insisted on some
close questioning, and Wilbur Thorne
was forced to tell that he was the son
Of a wealthy man with whom he had
quarreled to become a wanderer. A
repentant truant, now that he had won
IolJo'c Iora bo tr-oc ,,,;I1;,,u -. -