Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1921-09-08
After Serving Five
Years
BY FREDERICK CLARKE.
- ~~~sSS~S~~~~~~~~
%. 1871. Mestern MeMspaper unlon.l

hungry ana weak.
There was black shadow upon tins
forlorn beings face as upon his soul.
The PRISON blight told in the unnat,
ural pallor the shrinking nien and
panied eyes This man had been sud-
denly, mysteriously snatched from
work, position and contentsnent. with
little OF no explanation He had just
ended five years penal servitude.
No news from the outside world
had reached him during his convict
life. He recalled his last day of lib
erty-teller In country bank. lie
remembered a hldeous charge of EN-
beZzlement, the case railroaded
through He had sent for his closest
friend, the cashier of the bank, Ellis
Wood. Word was brought back TO
him that young Wood was danger
ously I'll with brain fever,
The first move of the wretched con-
Wet was to visit the town where his
life had been bighted. He learned
that Ellis Wood had been abroad for
five years, a confirmed invalid, and his
father and sister had removed to some
other town. Then a dlsplrlted, almost
purposeless wandering, and now Ran
dal Thorne, shivering outcast, front
ed the Wild night storm
He turned in desperately at the gate
of somewhat pretentlous house. Ne
cessity, the urgings of his sufferings,
inspired him momentarily with a GER
tain reckless audacity. He rang the
doorbell A tau fair woman about his
own age responded to the summons.
"Madum,' he said simply, II am a
stranger in a strange place. | have
been Just released from prison.
am bewildered, stunned unable to
find my way back into the world that
has forgotten me since five yeats
ago
give years :" came in a strange
gasp from the woman's lips, Her eyes
seemed filed with sudden dread. an
indefnable emotion What is your
nameY
Randall Thorne."
Come ill.," she said ooh, the pity
OF 1t You are Randall Thorne? | am
Laura Wood, the sister Of your old
friend
The beautiful woman led her in
vited guest into the parlor of the
house Her gray-haired hOusekeeper
had been summoned 70 prepare a
hnsty meal, Now Miss Wood listened
to his story with bowed head Then
she told of her brother.
you were his friend" she spoke,
never lifting her eyes to the face Of
Thorne THAT is enough for me. HAD
you not appeared here so strangely as
you have, | should have sought you
out"
MY brother died in Italy, where lie
had been a helpless invalid since
since the time of your trouble, My
father died year ago. For a few
days efore his death my brother was
rational. He sent a last message to
me regarding you, Mr. Thorne. 1t
was t. say that-that you were an In
nocent mana dark flush momen-
tnruy crossed the intense pallor of
her face at was to direct me To take
from my fathers estate two sums, one
to cover the bank defalcation, and So
600 for yourself as a token of his I'M
dying friendship to you
When Randall Thorne left the home
of sorrow It was nearly midnight.
When he planned the next day to go
TO Some far country where his dis
grace was not known, somehow he
could not.
81 have come back" he said one
evening week later, as with some
wonderment Laura led him into the
house.
Il cannot face the world-alone,"
continued Thorne ITO me, after my
terrible experience, 1t is cold, harsh
unreal You have given me succor in
the hour of my darkest need" he
went on, "but all outside of that
seems unreal For your dead brothers
sake give me your fricndship-if you
can; your love-I am perishing for
that. The world, else is wilderness
10 me"
She arose to her feet in dlreful dis
tresS
"You-you ask that" she cried, burst
ing into tears. cor me. so unworthy
of the family that has so cruelty
wronged YOU Oh. hero, martyr that
YOU ARE. must tell you all or my
heart will break II was for the
crime of my brother that you suffered
SO nohly, So unjuSly II was not I'M
TN after the death of my father that
learned how we'll he had kept the
wicked. dreadful secret"
"Rut Ellis cried Thorne, his face
uumjned-"my poor sacrifice gave
him FIVE years of rest, OF safety. If not
Of happiness Thank Cod am con
tent His weakened, ungeSiStant mind
lea him to an act NE never realized.
on, II IS sweet, sweet 20 know that
/ could prove my friendship and bear
his burden
Sh, put out her arms toward him.
The nobility of loyal soul was a
refuge She dared not refuse,
The nc ing Shortage.
This Is very desirable house,
madam said ne agent
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