The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1919-12-25
The Test Of
Time
81,
- TX. 0@
BY ALvAH JORDAN GARTH
Copyright. 1919. by the Western News.
paper Union.) .

| cipitatlng runaway. Gerard wa
squirming in the powerful grasp O
the outraged agricuturalist and
| ablaze with pain and resentment
(, smarted most under the realization
j that half dozen of his comrades a
| distance were witnesses of his cast
] CATION. Nearer by little Effie Warner
| his true friend, though Il sOrrOwfu
mourner over his constant escapades
would break.
The farmer had snatched up heav!
leather strap and doubled it to rair
the singing blows on Gerard's shoul
ders. At length he gave Gerard fling
and the strap after him.
"There, young man." he painted
There's more in store for you if you
come medding about my place again.
II could kill YOU" Kissed out Ger
ard in a wild paroXySm of rage. 81
hate you, and I'll raise a crowd and
hang you to 4 tree with this very
strap" He seized it as he spoke. Ger.
ard, gaining grove just beyond the
farmhouse. flung himself down, his
mind tempest tossed with thoughts of
dircful revenge.
"Fll keep this strap" he declared.
"1'll face that man, With it sometime
when the odds are equal" He was an
orphan and his life with a distant rel
ative had few charms to hold him to
Rushville. He was in disgrace, he had
been whipped publicly! A gentler spir-
it came to him as he thought Of Effie.
He left Rushville that night. His
last act was to indi1e rude penciIIed
scrawl to Fife. 81 shall never forget
YOU" he wrote, land you have been
kind to me like an own sister, but
I will never forgive your father, new
er threw the apple. Think III give
away my friends, though! I'm going
away to make my living and grow big
enough to some day make your father
pay for disgracing me-"
Gerard's plans for the future were
vague. 1t seemed, however that for
tune favored the homeless lad from
the start. Ten miles from Rushville
he was overtaken by a man driving
an automobile. He looked pale and
weakly as he hailed the foot traveller.
Are you going far?" he inquired.
Anywhere to get work." responded
Gerard.
"Tll hire you. am on five hun
dred mile trip to Chicago and am an
an invalid. can manage the wheel
we'll enough, hut it exhausts me to
get out of the machine. I'll pay you
we'll to attend to the various little
chores for me-yes, and maybe find
you further work when we reach the
CITY,"
They later went to a large hotel for
the night and Gerard slept on>a cot
in the room occupied by his employer
ready for any service, required. 1t was
just after midnight when Gerard
aroused to dread alarm. The room
was filled with smoke, beyond the win
dow was glare, yells and screams
echoed through the building. He ran
to the door and tore 1t open. Beyond
roaring mass of flames presented.
1--WE are hedged in from below; our
only chance Is by the window" said
Gerard, but glance there was scarce
ly encouraging. His invalid charge
was practically helpless. Quick witted
in action, however, Gerard followed
out the only desperate plan in view.
After he had accomplished this he
could scarcely credit the details. Five
feet below was jutting section Of
roof. Still further below that was the
cornice Of an adjoining
building. The strap was the only
medium Gerard could adopt, first to
lower his companion. But for this frail
strand of life both would have per-
ished.
Endeared to him by his courage and
daring the invalid took up Gerard as
a protege. Five years later when the
former died he, left Gerard large
business, and the emotions and i'm
pulses Of the latter drifted into the
mature experience Of the successful
business man.
''The strap has brought me luck
many a time" meditated Gerard. "But
for It would never have left home,
but for it l would have lost my life
at the hotel fire. What a wild hater
1 was of old John Warner in those
days, and I wonder what has become
Of little Effie."'
One day there came to his desk
a young lady. Diffidently she told that
she had applied for a position to the
subject to the approval Of
his employer. AS Gerard looked up
the past suddenly burst upon his as
tonished vision. Then the applicant
started and the light of recognition
came into her face.
Gerard gently spoke her name and
took her hand. How lovely had Effie
grown! He encouraged her to talk.
not as to prospective employer, but
to her friend 1t was a wearisome
story Of struggle and toll and loss that
E6ie recited. TT has been bad luck
for poor father" she said. HE is an
broken now. and we are both depend