The Devils Lake world., 1922-08-30
9lllllllllllIlIlIiIIlIlllllllIllIIlIIlIllIlilin
! At the Last
Minute

By CHARLES E. BAXTER
Observation-Disclosures,


Copyright. 1929. Western Newspaper Union.
Harris had been released from the
penitentiary with the greatest possi-
bic deduction from his term Of I'M
prtsonment, which was seven years.
He had been model prisoner; and,
after all, when mans Imprisonment
Is merely temporary obstacle to the
carrying out Of an inexorable purpose,
he had no object but to make 1t as
short as possible.
Goodbye, Harris" said the warden,
gripping him by the hand. "That job
with Magnus will give you a new start
In life. Nobody will know about your
past. And believe you'll run straight
In future. Goodbye and good luck
to you!"
Harris made his way to the railroad
station.
1t was only 80 miles to Augsburg,
and his heart pounded fierce paean
Of Joy all the way in the train. In a
few hours the purpose Of the past
five years would be accomplished. He
would seize Louis by the throat and
strangle him.
He had often pictured the scene, the
sudden, silent confronting Of the trail
tor, the tightening Of his hands on
Louis's throat. It was not merely that
Louis had given him away about that
burglary. That Harris had suspected
! when Louis escaped with trifling
sentence. But Mary had promised to
wait for him, and Harris had learned
through prison wireless about her TAX
ing up with Louis. That had been
what decided him.
And when Mary had died, two years
later, Harris's determination had be-
come fortified with steel, and he was
prepared to pay the full penalty Of
the law for his revenge.
Late that same evening, in pour
ing rainstorm, Harris stood outside the
mean little cottage in the mill dis
trict that was Louis's home. For
an instant as he listened outside the
window he saw a woman's shadow On
the shade. and the fierce hope that
the story Of Mary's death was false
came to him. But he cast that hopo
away as a woman's high.pitched,
raucous tones assailed his ears.
you're right, Louis, we'd better
skip. II Ed Harris Is coming out,
there'll be trouble, and this burg's
played out for us, anyhow"
"What about the kid7" demanded
Louis.
"The kid7" An oath came from
her lips. II dunnol Drown him, I
reckon! He's your kid, amt he7'
II told you thousand times he
anti"
"Then why d'you put him on met
Amt got enough to do looking after
a lazy hulk like you without hint"
II promised Mary when she was
dying-shut up. d'you hear, Or" he
added, addressing the child, whose cry
Of fear came to Harriss ears as he
crouched outside the sill.
"Put him outside, Louisl I can't
stand for this hollering!" mumbled
the woman.
"Hey! You git outa here till you
shut up that piping!" cried Louis.
A slight scuffle followed, child's
renewed cry of terror. The door
opened, and a tiny form was swung
violently out into the rain.
Harris, crouching within leaping dis
tance, saw the face Of his enemy
silhouetted against the light within.
For just an instant he crouched, with
lips drawn back, and hands clenched,
ready to spring.
But he let Louis slam the door and,
instead, made his way to where the
child crouched in the open doorway.
He saw boy Of about five years Of
age, dressed in thin, flimsy rags, with
a white, pinched face, and a look Of
terror in his eyes.
For half minute they stared at
each other. Then the child began to
whlmper softly. Harris raised him
to his feet.
"What's your name?" he asked.
ED. Don't hit me, Mister, l amt
going to cry no more"
"Who's your father?"
II dunno. Never seen him. Guess
I amt never had none"
"1s that your mother, inside?"
"What, herr" The tone was enough.
Harris drew the boy by the arm to
where the light from the room shone
through the side Of the drawn shade.
! And again he watched his face.
Out of the white face he saw Mary's
eyes looking at him.
And, as man relinquishes the dear
est hope in life, he put his dream Of
revenge aside. He must live now,
because-Oh, anyway, he must live
and let Louis 60.
"Son," he said, I'm leaving for
Elswick on the night train. How'd
you like to come along and have me
for a father? I'll treat you good and
say, \there'n be coffee and dough
nuts down at the depot. Like to
come7'
The child slipped his hand into Har.
ris's after moments scrutiny. And
together they started of into the rain