Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1920-08-17
His
Redemption
Copyright. 1918. By western Newspaper Uni
81 cENEvlEvE ULMAR


take my punishment like a man.,
And Hike a man Blake Arnold faced
judge and jury, nor defiant, nor re-
sentful, nor grandiloquent, but with
contrition, shame and submission in
his face. There was little doubt that
whfle under the influence of strong
drink and lured on by specious tempt
ers he had forged a check upon his
former employers to pay off gam
bling debt
Give years in the state penitentiary
at hard labor" was the sentence, and
the prisoner simply bowed his head
and die not lift it as he was led away.
Then it was to sweep the courtroom
with one swift, probing glance. His
face fell. If he hoped to find
friendly or familiar face there he was
doomed to disappointment.
Wild, reckless spendthrift that be
was, he had reached the end of his
rope. A year previous, urged on by
his riotous acts. his father, man of
wealth, had turned him out of his
home and disowned him. Six months
later the parents of his fiancee, sor-
rowful, but loyal Lettie Vivian, had
told him that she had been sent away
to distant friends where he could not
find her and that all was over between
them.
More latterly Lettie had accepted
the decision Of father and betrothed.
He had plunged into new recklessness.
They were doubtless aware of his
predicament, but no one had extend
ed a helping hand. AS a common
criminal, Blake Arnold was shut out
from the world as a branded man, and
stolidly, doggedly accepted the dull,
irksome routine of prison life.
And all the time poor, pining Let
tie passed her days in vain longing
for sight Of the only man she had
ever loved and her nights were tear
full ones. She could not 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 a final blow had Frustrated
her
my poor, suffering dove" sobbed
the gentle-spirited woman. do not
become utterly heartbroken."
NE" answered Lettie quietly, 81
shall only wait"
you will waltz" repeated her aunt
vaguely.
For his release and his redemp-
ton. Both will come in time. His
love for me can never lie. 1t will
purify and save him. We shall meet
again-sometime, somewhere"
Two years had passed by when the
United States entered the war. Let.
tie found some relief from her an
guish by contributing her services to
Red Cross home work. 1t was late in
the year when her aunt, opening
morning newspaper, stared, paled,
and Fastening furtively into another
room, thrust the newspaper into a
journal of the escape from prison Of
Blake Arnold, an honor convict, whose
good conduct entitled him to a rems-
sion of his sentence and whose case
had been favorably regarded by the
pardon board.
So Lettie mourned ON and dreamed
on, all unaware that the man she could
not forget was free. Her aunt fretted
and feared for many weeks, dreading
the possible appearance of Blake in
quest of Lettie. He did hot come, nor
did any letter, and the months rolled
on.
1t was late in the year when the
boys came marching home. There was
a fragmentary contingent of a regi-
ment which had displayed the highest
valor in one of the most desperate bat
ties of the war. The son of the gov.
ernor of the state was in the group,
and the idol of the regiment was a
soldier, Berton Arleigh, who had saved
the life of the young man and had led
a forlorn hope that had turned the
tide of the conflict. Berton Arleigh
had been terribly wounded and was
on the convalescent list when what
was left of the valorous regiment
reached the home town.
The people of the capital could not
do enough to honor these men, and the
son of the governor had invited Ber-
ton Arleigh to become his guest One
day and night the young man remained
in the palatial home of the officials.
The next morning he sought a private
interview with the governor.
81 think it best to quietly leave you
without the knowledge of your son."
he said, and then to the amazement OF
his auditor he disclosed his true iden-
tity. He was Blake Arnold, and the |
intense patriotism of his nature, the |
keen willingness to redeem the past
by giving his life for his country, If |
necessary, had influenced him to sur
reptitiously leave the prison.
you are more than a heror de-
clared the deeply moved official, "You |
will remain here my honored guest I'M
i'll I gather up the scattered strands |
of your broken life and cement them |
anew"
A pardon, rehabilitation in all mems |
eyes and a meeting with Lettie-all |
these elements were stages ip the plan |
of the father of the soldier. how WIN [