The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-09-18

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u interested in the misfortunes of our
fellow-beings, and that the
interest that everybody in Merivale
took in Jenny Walsh.
Frank S~tockleigh and his bride were
coming back to Merivale.
Jenny had been pretty once. I'll
qualify that by relating what our
mayor, Doctor Williams, said. After
t~hirty-five, he said, a woman must
have matronly charm, because the
girlish charm has grown stale. That
bore out his reputation as the village
wiseacre. And Jenny was still slim
and girlish, but she was growing into
a middle-aged wOma
Yet it didn't seem so long since
Frank had been madly in love with
her. She had known Frank since
they were children-but she rejected
him. Nobody exactly knew why,
some thought she was in love with
ne'er-do-well Jim Furber. Anyway,
Frank Stockleigh went West, and now
he was returning, the owner Of the
Montana copper mine and a million
aire several times over. He had
bought Squire Gray's house, and an
nounced that he and his wife were
coming back to make Meriyale their
home.
He and his wife! He had married
a Montana girl, and that was n of
the things we wanted to know how
Jenny would take.
Would Jenny go to the train? Yes,
Jenny was going to the station. The
whole Of Merivale's inhabitants had
gone trooping down, and all the Off
ces were closed.
1t seemed endless, that waiting, but
at last the train steamed In. Jim and
bis wife were in the front carriage.
He jumped down like a boy, and
swung a pretty, buxom lady to her
feet, and stood staring at the crowd.
Then he gave a whoop and stretched
out his hand to the mayor.
my, but I'm glad to see you'll" he
Don't tell me you're not Pete
Williams-red-headed Pete who used
to go fishing with me? Address of
ffCACUAlCf fAldlY AdyOA L CbO hAdyOl !
And Doctor Williamsl Catch me,
somebody !"
Then he presented Doc to his wife,
md soon we were all thronging round
he couple and giving them the best :
Welcome In Merivale. And Jenny?
emmy was blushing like a schoolgirl.
md, before anybody knew what was
.appening, Jenny had kissed Frank,
nd Frank had kissed her; and Jenny
-ad kissed Mrs. Frank, and Mrs. ,
rank had kissed her, too. !
We were ali so excited about this .
hat nobody noticed the thin, tired :
man with the closely cropped .
lair who had got out of the same :
zach, and now stood behind Frank
Itockleigh, his eyes roaming restless
Y about until they lit on Jenny's. But {
suddenly Jenny sprang forward, and !
q a moment the thin man had her in !
lis arms. {
There was a sort Of universal gasp
# s~tupefaction. Frank Stockleigh
leared his throat-and then he wasn't {
at the crowd any more, but
,nly at Jenny Walsh and the thin
nan, who was still hugging her. I
The gasp was succeeded by a breath s
ess silence. Then Mayor Williams
Deered hard into the thin mans face; |
nd suddenly he cried: S
"Jim Furber, as 1 am alivel"
He spun round, and Jenny, too, and
he was looking at us with a kind of l
defiance in her eyes and they l
yere holding each others hands. I
"Why 1 thought you were-I thought !
we're" stammered Doctor VIII
ans, and that was as far as he could '
ct. He couldn't exactly tell him he
bought he was In prison and yet the .
OF Jim's temperance, and =
is appearance in Franks company, =
lade the mayor forget himself. :
Eyes, / was" answered Jim. 81 !
as In the penitentiary eight years. :
ut" :
But 1t was not until the dinner was
YER that the mystery was explained, (,
nd 1t vas Frank Stockleigh who r.
cared 1t up. y
Friends" he began, and there was k
)mething In his tone which checked h
lie air of jollity, II am bringing back O
you not only my wife'-here he
owed toward her-"'but also your fell m
lw-citizen, Mr.. Furber. You prob h
ply know the sad circumstances CON +,
with his disappearance. Let
say that after eight years impris-
1ment his innocence has been proved a
Y the confession Of a dying man. II
y his own desire, Mr.. Furber has
referred to remain under a stigma >,
than drag the name of the dead -
lan's relatives into publicity. You n
annot give him back those eight a
ears, but you can take him into your .,
carts" =,
In a moment every man there, and
very woman, too, was crowding
round Tim chakinp hie hand q.