The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1920-05-07
A CRY IN
THE NIGHT
By CENEVIEVE ULMAR
Copyright. 1920 Western Newspaper Unionl


mersed in painful thoughts. Two vivid
pictures, coming, going, haunting,
agonizing at times, stirred his spirit
to its depths.
He had known two women In his
life who had filed it and then van
ished. His lips grew stern as he re-
called Vera Liscomb and pictured her
dark, scornful siren face. It was an
instinct Of pity that had led him to
be a friend of one who came across
his path as poor orphan girl, with
tale of friendlessness and struggle,
the very falseness Of which made him
| doubt all mankind when he came to
know that she was a scheming, heart
/ less adventures. Sorry for her ap.
parent loneliness he had asked her
| to become his wife. He did not love
| her; it was all an impulse of sympa.
thy. Her brother had preyed upon
him for monetary assistance, and when
Vance was certain Of the stained past
OF the plotful twain he had confronted
them with stern, set face.
I'm that envelope" he said, casting
the same before them, sis money
enough, I hope, to take both of you
out of my life forever!"
The man had seized the envelope
with eager avarice. The woman had
turned on Vance in a fury of hate
and menace. She raved, she threat
ened, she swore to have revenge. She
admitted her unworthiness, she even
Haunted it in his face.
A year later, after the scar had
healed, he met Evelyn Wilton. simple
country girl. She was the direct op-
poste of that other one. 1t seemed
as if destiny, seeking to make amends
for the first stunning blow to faith
and hope, had brought into his life
an angel. Love irradiated the hours.
They welded, and at the end Of a
year a sweet little cherub, Dorothy,
came to bless their happy lives.
And then-heartbreak, devastation,
misery, sudden as a lightning stroke
Vance came home one day to find the
house deserted-wife and child were
gone. For a week he sought them
frantically and then came a letter ex.
planning all. It was signed with the
initials of Vera Liscomb and it gloat.
ed over the revenge accomplished. He
was told that Evelyn had fled from him
as from pestilence. Craftily the
cruel siren had poisoned every thought
of the pure. innocent wife and he
would never see her again! Then
Vance had settled down into a dull
monotony, suffering. feeling bereft Of
all that made life worth living.
"Hark ~
Involuntarily the word rose to his
lips. Outside there was borne upon
the chill night blast a cry-long, vail.
ing. infantile. He knew not why, but
the accents seemed 70 echo within his
very soul. He fastened to the door,
opened 1t and stared down at basket
covered with a warm wrap. Trembling
all over he lifted it into the room and
drew aside the covering.
Dorothy he gasped, and tottered
and reeled. His own child.
Instantly he ran for a neighbor and
his wife. Incoherently informing them
of the. situation, Vance dashed forth
into the storm and darkness in quest
OF the person who had left him
blessing, but had disappeared. leav-
ing mystery unsolved. Had the moth.
er brought the child, or sent it? At
least she was the inspiration for the
act. He spent weeks seeking to trace
the mother, but his efforts met with no
success.
Time drifted on and the child be-
came the one thought of his life. He
employed kindly old lady as house
keeper, and day By day, the little one
grew dearer and nearer to. him. One
night a telephone message reached
him, announced as from q large city
hospital. fsst
"A dying woman begs us to send for
you," it said, and. thinking of his wife,
Vance hasteaed upon Ibis eager mis-
sion. He was amazed when he was
shown to cot upon which lay what
vas left of Vera Liscomb. He was
SuOCA6U as lac tlGWEu lAG WICK VI
a once dominant grace and beauty.
n have but a few hours to live" she
breathed. catching feverishly at his
hand. ~ could not die with my aw.
full deeds upon my soul. cannot re-
store your dear enes, for I know not
whittier they went. but Oh! say that
you forgive"
Then the quivering woman sank
back. Vance stepped from the room
as a physician fastened to the cot
with a ,reviving cordial.
"Send the new nurse to take charge
Of the case" he directed an assist
ant. Vance. his head bowed in SON.
Der thought. looked up startled as
from the lips Of Vera Lscomb there
burst forth the ippassioned words:
"Ohl heaven has answered my
prayer, Philip vance-your wife,"
Vance stood spellbound. Appearing
through the doorway was the new
nurse. After all the years-his wife 7"
"Quickl come here!" cried Vera LIS.