The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-09-04
1.-THE Boy Stands Before You"

"Warbritton-!" He muttered the
name huskily, the bloody froth upon
| his lips. She was not distained. It
was all a mistake. 1 let you think it
because l hated yOu-because l loved
her-because she loved you and not
me. Twenty years she's roved these
rivers. pure,as the dew at dawn
She sleeps tonight in a grave four
| days old at Fallen Rock"
He picked up his hand from where
| it sagged down upon the floor car
ried it at great labor to his BOSOM
fumbled under the fancy vest. drew
forth a picture and laid it against his
lips. The Pearlhunter snatched it
away. The action brought the pic
ture near the old man. He seized it
held it an instant before bis eyes,
and with a deep groan laid it against
his bosom.
And the boy?" he cried to the man
on the floor THE boy?"
The Red Mask was going fast, but he
raised his face and muttered hoarsely:
The boy-stands before you"
Since the old man snatched the pic
ture the Pearlhunter and the girl had
been staring at each other. Events
were happening. developing unfold
ing, too fast for comprehension. The
old man was staring at them both,
from one to the other, as if unable to
grasp revelation that had been TWEEN
ty years coming He stretched up his
hands. at last to the young man,
pulled his face down to him, gazed on
it as at something of which he had
long dreamed but never hoped to see;
Martin Redmond, I'll requite the
deed you've done, the one good deed
of your evil life. The little girl I've
raised as my own, the child of the
good woman you cruelty killed, the
child you deserted, your daughter
stands before YOU
The girl recoiled in horror. The
unnatural father strained his glazing
eyes toward the daughter his thought
had outraged; cry muttered up out
of his chest and brought with it a
gush Of froth and blood; he stiffened;
his face frightened horribly; he fell
heavy against the arms of the sheriff
dead.
The girl turned away from the grue-
some sight, stole a half faltering
glance at the bewildered face of the
Pearlhunter, threw herself down by
the side of the couch and bowed her
face upon the old mans bosom.
"Unsay 1t, Daddy! oh. Daddy, I'M
say it,"
He softly stroked her hair with his
gaunt hand.
Its the truth, Dotty, and it can't
be unsaid. But you owe him no re-
spect-a parent only, never a father.
He deserted you, and killed your
mother,-in ways unspeakable killed
her-a woman of the high blood of the
Dawns." He fumbled the picture up
off his breast, held it before his ace
a moment, laid it back "God!" lie
groaned. The ruin he>wrought! Foc
years 1 searched for her"-he spoke
the name in reverence, ana you, my
SON
His hand found its way. back into
the Pearlhunter's his eyes strained
hard toward the face bending over
him.
They seemed hungry to know many
things-the twenty years of wander
ing; the death of the woman of the
picture; how the young man came TO
be just there; of his wounded arm. But
with the steady courage of a soldier
who knew the end was near, he put
them by, and dropped his eyes to the
girls hair.
Your grandfather, Dotty, old God
frey Dawn, cast your mother off when
she married Martin Redmond. Alone,
and dying in poverty and want. she
sent for me at last" The girl was
crying softly. He stopped. put his
arm about her and drew her close. Il
had the privilege-and honOr-of'
making her last hours less terrible.
She died withdrawing you. You
were three years old when l gave up
the search, left everything in the
hands of my good friend, Judge Esk-
ridge, and came up here to lose my
self in these vast woods along the
Wabash, a present from General jack
SON
His eyes closed YEARLY. He lay so !
still, and the pallor on his face was
so CHASTITY that the Pearlhunter bent
anxiously over him. But the heavy
lids presently Enclosed: the voice, |
queer and hoarse from long disuse.
and noticeably growing weaker, fall
tered on.
seven years! It seems only this
morning he shot me! And yet, it
couldn't be, or Dotty wouldn't be the
wonderful woman she has become, nor
you. my son, the man you are.--the
man I was when l led Jacksen's
rangers. Hesper Dawn Red" the