Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-05-20
Dramatic Incidents Mark Reunion
When Criminal Goes Back to the
Home Where Childhood Was Spent.

oeioTe YESTERDAY. Tie nau Salu, w ny
haven't a cent In the world"
How about your family the
treasurer had suggested. They
would be Interested.
Very" he had replied. But 1 have
no family. left home when l was
twenty. There was little trouble
with card game. My mother--we
had words. Let it go. | left They
didn't hear from me again. I went the
pace. Twenty years. have nothing
but poor relatives. All poor. All lame
ducks. Except my brother John"
"Ah-your brother john" the treas
urer had said insinuatingly.
Yes, john" Erode had said
John Erode"
NO. his name is not Erode. ! was
the one who changed my name Mine
is Frodes I'm the black sheep" Mil
burn had admitted.
Well, your brother Jof1n-whatever
ais name is?" :
"Oh. yes. That might be. John was
the steady one. The one who earned.
He was always for keeping the family
together. John was the one who paid
my fathers funeral expenses instead
Of going to college! John was the one
who always had family loyalty and
talked about the family name. John
might loosen up-if went back and
asked him
Well. Mr.. Erode" the treasurer had
said. that Is your one salvation. Your
brother might care to make restitu-
ton. There has been no arrest. no
arrangement, no publicity. IL you
choose | can send you to your old
home with two of my men. can give
you twenty four hours. 1t would be
rather better than
-Four yeats" Erode had said grimly
Just tell your brother what it
means" the treasurer had suggested,
rustling the papers on his desk like
an executive about 10 close an inter-
view. Make your appeal to his un-
selfishness. his family loyalty. the
stain on the name and he may again
be-"
"A mark" Erode had said rather
cynically. The same dear old. Iovable
easy mark"
Certainly"
"Blackmail the Innocent"
The treasurer had looked at him
sternly and said. You are not a man
in position to talk like that to a
corporation trying to find a way to
save you from punishment"
Erode had said. "Bosh"
Now to this private detective. the
coarse mouthed Sells he said again,
"Bosh,'
What do yer mean"
"Oh i don't know" said Milburn. II
was just thinking of my talk with
the treasurer"
Well. he gave you chance. at
that the detective argued II hope
you play in luck. I hope you shake
this brother Of yours down. This
John, what's his name"
You don't know his nance"
You said you wanted US to keep
off that"
Yes"
Well. ! should wear out my rub
bers finding out your real name and
address. All We want is ten thou
sand"
"Or me?'
Yes, and make the suspense short"
y X x x
ERODE had lived hard. He knew
1 what it was to spend months
with men like Sells. He had not
cared-professional gamblers. racing
men, resort keepers and their ladies.
Good fellows all. A whole album of
almost tender memory of the good
old. bad old days. And now he was
back again. Life had been like
forest. where one goes feeling a way,
hoping to come out into some kind
Of sunlight on the far side, but in
stead goes in a circle and comes back
to the starting place. Here he was
In front Of Celia Berton's house,
where the same old woodbine leaves
rustlsd in the wind. 1t was so quiet
So quiet one could hear the drip,
drip of water from the cutters COM
ing down the water spout and the