The Ocala evening star., 1919-08-12
His
Redemption
By CENEVEW ULMAR


probably speaks the truth Perhaps
1t would be best to shut me up away
from the world for a time. I viii
take my punishment like a man"
And like a man Blake Arnold faced
Judge and jury, nor defiant, nor re-
sentful, nor grandnoquent, but with
contrition, shame and submission in
hiR face There was little doubt that
whRe under the influence Of strong
drink and lured on by specious tempt
ers he had forged a cheek upon his
former employers to pay of a gam
bling debt
Five years In the state penitentiary
ut hard labor" was the sentence, and
the prisoner simply bowed his head
and did not lift it as he was led away.
Then It was to sweep the courtroom
with one swift, probing glance. His
face fell. IL he hoped to find
friendly or familiar face there he was
doomod to disappointment.
Wfid, reckless spendthrift that he,
was. he had reached the end Of his
EaDe. A year previous. urged on by
his riotous acts, his father, a man Of
| wealth, had turned him out Of his
home and disowned him. Six months
later the parents OF his fianeee, sor-
Yowful, bat loyal Lett1e Vivian, had
| tOld him that she had been sent away
| to distant friends where he could not
| And her and that all was ever between
| them.
More latterly Lettie had accepted
/
He had plunged int new reckleSsneSs.
They were doubtless aware Of his
predicament, but no one had extend
ed q helping hand. As a common
criminal, Blake Arnold was shut out
from the world as a branded man, and
stolidly, doggedly accepted the dull,
irhAome routine Of prison life.
And all the time poor, pining Let
tie passed her days In vain longing
for q sight Of the only man she had
ever loved and her nights were tear
ful ones. She could net forget, and
she told her parents so. Practically
exiled with an aged aunt, she faith
fully kept her promise not to write to
Blake, and when his final downfall
was announced in the public prints
her aunt found her staring at the
dread intelligence In a dazed, stony
way as If q nnal blow had prostrated
her.
NY poor, suffering dove" sobbed
the gentle-spirited woman. "Do net
become utterly heartbroken."
NO" answered Lettie quietly, q
shall oAly wait"
"You will waitT' repeated her aunt
vaguely.
Fer his release and his redemp
ton. Both will come In time. hi!
levs for me can never die. 1t viii
purity and save him. We shall NEE
again-sonetime, somewhere"
I've years had passed by when tn
. United States entered the war. Let
tie found some relief from her an
FaiSh by contributing her services 4
Red Cross home work. 1t was late II
the year when her awRt, opening
morning newspaper, stared, palec
+ and Fastening furtively into anothe
g F0om, thrust the Newspaper into
O blazing crate. She had read in tn
Journal Of the escape from prison o
q Blake ArnOld, am honor convict, who's
good conduct entitled him to n remii
" sion Of his sentence and whose cas-
9 had been favorabIy regarded by tn
i, pardon board.
t So Lettie mourned on and dreame
f. on, ALI unaware that the man she cOul
$ not forget was free. Her aunt frette
O and feared for many weeks, dreadin
| - kA
4 quest of Lettie. He did not come, nc
): did any letter, and the months role
On.
1t was late in the year when th
boys came marching home. There wa
a fragmentary contingent Of a res
: ment which had displayed the highei
S valOr in one Of the NEST desperate ba
g ties of the war The son Of the 60
ernOr Of the state was in the grou
: and the idol of the regiment was
= soldier, Berton Arleigh, who had save
q the life of the young man and had Il
I: a forlorn hope that had turned II
= tide of the CONFLICT Berton Arleie
3 had been terribly wounded and W,
on the convalescent list when VIII
|: was left of the valorous regime
2 reached the hometown
y The people of the capital could n
b. do enough to honor these men, and u
son of the governor had iAvited BE
|: ton Arleigh to become his guest. Oh
y day and night the young man remain'
In the palatial home OF the Official
q The next morning he sought a priva
Z: interview with the governor.
q at think 1t best to quietly leave u
y without the knowledge OF your son
he said, and then to the amazement
his auditor he disclosed his true ide
tity. He was Blake Arnold, and Z
intense patriotism of his nature, {
keen willingness to redeem the pa
by giving his life for his country,
necessary, had Influenced him TO 81