The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-07-06
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AT TIE Last
Minute

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= By CHARLES 4. BAXTER :
Copyright, 1922. Western Newspaper Onion.
Harris had been released from the
~penitentiary with the greatest posi-
BILE deduction from his term of I'm
prfsonment, which was seven years.
He had been q model prisoner; and,
after all, when a mans imprisonment
is merely q temporary obstacle to the
carrying out of an memorable purpose,
he had no object but to make it as
short as possible.
Goodbye, Harris said the warden,
gripping him by the hand. That job
with Magnus will give you q new start
In life, Nobody will know about your
past. And I believe youth run straight
In future. Goodbye and good luck
to youI"
Harris made his way to the railroad
station. zs
It was only 80 miles to Augsburg,
and his heart pounded a fierce paean
Of Joy all the way in the train. In a
few hours the purpose of the past
i've years would be accomplished. He
would seize Louis by the throat and
strange him. :,
He had often pictured the scene, the
sudden, silent confronting of the trail
tor, the Tightening of his hands on
Louis's throat 1t was not merely that
Louis had given him away about that
burglary. That Harris had suspected
when. Louis escaped with a trffing
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-
coae fortified with steel, and he was
prepared to pay the full penalty Of
the law for his revenge
Late that same evening, in a pour
ing rainstorm, Harris stood outside the
mean little cottage in. the mill dis
triet 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 hope
away as a woman's high-pitched,
raucouss tones assailed his ears.
You're. right, Louis, we'd better
skip. II I'D Harris is coming out,
there'H be trouble, and this burg's
played out for us, anyhow"
"'What about the kidd" demanded
Louis.
'The kidr An oath came from
her lips. e" dunnol Drown him, I
reckon! He's your kid, amt heT"
81 told you a thousand times he
ain'tl"
"Then why d'you put him on ne?
Amt I got enough to do looking after
a lazy hulk like you without him?"
II promised Mary when she was
dying-shut UP, d'y6u hear, or" he
added, addressing the child, whose cry
Of fear came to Harris's r as he
crouched outside the sill.
"Put him outside, Louis! I can't
stand for this hollering!" mumbled
the woman.
. Hey! You git outa here till you
shut up that pipingl" cried Louis.
A slight scuffle followed, a child's
renewed cry of terror. The door
opened, and a tiny form was swung
violently out into the rain.
Harris, erouching within leaping dis
lance, 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. 1900.
But he let Louis slam the door and,
instead, made his way to where the
child crouched In the open doorway.
He saw a boy Of about five years Of
age, dressed in thin, fimsy rags, with
a white, pinched face. and a look Of
terror in his eyes.
For half a minute they stared at
each other. Then the child began to
whimper softly. Harris raised him
to his feet. .~a
"What's your manner" he asked.
ED. Don't hit me, Mister, ! amt
going to cry no more"
"Who's your fatherr'
q" dunno. Never seen him. Guess
I amt never had none"
Els that your mother, inside7"
"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 q 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 80.
"Son,. he said, "Tm leaving for
Elswick q the night train. How'd
yon like to come along and have me
for q father I'll treat you good and
say, thereM be coffee and dough
nuts down at the depot. Like to
comet" s& I
The child slipped his hand into Har-
ris's after q moments scrutiny. And
together they started OF into the rain.
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