The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-11-24

Mother and Zelda away" he solIlo-
nulzed, "and 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 his 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 10 The shallow loft
In the structure. waited for develop
mentS.
These materialized with the arrival
of Prince. The latter proceeded TO dis
robe the stranger. He made bundle
Of the discriminating convict garb and
thrust it into an old manger attlred
him in a 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 IL the injuries
We're painful.
II think only stumbling FAM re-
piled his guest. let me see. was
Where was 1? What was l doing?
I'm all da2ed My name is Wilbur
Thorne. have a home, but | left
it for wandering long time ago. I've
kept going with all kinds of jobsa You
must he pretty kind sort of a man
to take in a stranger this way"
"0h, that is all right" declared
Prince lightly, and felt certain deli
cacy about referring to his convict sus-
plcIonS.
Mrs. Prince and her daughter Zelda
came home two days later from
weeks visit to relative, TO find the
lnteresting-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 lie 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
mother, and as the weeks drltted on
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 ana 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 q pie
torial magazine, there appeared Zeph
Barnes and Il 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
q bundle under his arm, revealing The
convicts garb in which Prince had
first seen Thorne.
"Whyl you give me link in the
past always a mystery to me-" exclaim-
ed Thorne abruptly, arising to his feet
with an animated expression on his
face. II wore that suit the day
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 ia it while wait
ing for my part in the scenario, had
a bad fall, and--and guess you can
tell how you found me-"
zenh- drew back -crestfallen. The