Show by MARAH ALICE PETERS HW for good or bad the world all be before me freedom health which path shall I 1 take the man who spoke was an ex con vict he had just been released from the penitentiary after serving a ten years sentence for embezzlement he was not thirty five yet bis hair was streaked etre aked with gray and there was a certain hardness about the lips that comes from solitude and resentment in a word hark buraham Bu with lit tie or no bringing up an orphan from a tender age had wasted five years of his life had secured a good position finally temptation had come he had appropriated funds of his employer and had been convicted during all those years of hard labor he had preserved a stolid rather than a submissive attitude he had count ed the days on a notched stick the last one had been reached he was treed with new suit of clothes and a few dollars in his pocket at the door of the prison he was met by a lawyer A distant relative had left him A tree man he could now claim it the snug little fortune or its equivalent now reposed within a secret pocket that afternoon he had walked to a line of hills overlooking the coun try around to analyze his unexpected on dUlon of affluence to plan tor the future his mind was blank as an ten page he had no friends he had paid the law its penalty he was clear of the world and its fortune good or bad all before him which path indeed might he take As he recalled how harshly fate had dealt with him as afar to the east he caught the glittering spires of a big bustling city bis breath came quick and hard with all he had heard of A bitted scowl wreathed his face clever criminal ways in his prison cell bow shrewdly might he use his little capital in schemes to fleece the un to enrich himself then too the pleasures of the great metropolis dazzled him to live the life be breathed hot ly after those ten years chained up like a wild beast just then an echoing ball attracted his attention from the doorway of a neat little farmhouse a comely girl ish matron was waving a welcome to her husband returning from work in the fields the observer noted the aspect of comfort and plenty about the place the warm genuine love greeting of the twain his lip quivered a tear fell upon his outstretched hand he turned from the sight love peace happiness be muttered in a broken tone but not for me the branded the accursed of humanity A bitter scowl wreathed his face and be walked away from the spot amongst the deep shade of the river path at that moment as be realized that his hand was against every man and every man s hand against him the wealth that bad come to him was as worthless dross there was a gle between bis better nature and the of his recent environment but the struggle was not decisive help the word rang out involuntarily from bis lips engrossed in thought tramping on recklessly in his desper ate mood be lieu not noted his course he bad stumbled on a trailing vine the next moment he went headlong down the steep decline and was en gulfee gulfed by the rushing waters of the turbid river there was a rapid swirl to the current that at once swept him into mid stream durgham was not a swim mer helpless be sank once twice then his water drenched gaze made out a man on the path 25 feet up the eloping bank he was a stranger and quickly dropping a satchel he carried he sprang into the water sinking tor the third time almost unconscious burnham felt himself being seized and dragged ashore As be finally regained his senses it was to find his rescuer lying by bis side oa the hore he waa pale and gasping for breath lou saved me cried gratefully but you I 1 am hurt internally seriously panted the other painfully listen my side struck a rock when 1 jumped but I 1 am glad I 1 saved you but man but just here the stranger closed his eyes and lay nerveless only once he revived 1 I am dying he breathed feebly promise me my brothers widow in the satchel and passed away grasping burnham s hand in a connul sive clutch the next day burnham started tor a distant city he carried with him the satchel belonging to the man who had saved his life A change had come over him the first strong am pres slon of his new life was the sight of the peaceful farm life it lingered like a picture the second was agrati tude for the man who had given up bis life to save bis own ills thought ran rapidly sud denly this outcast found his existence directed into new chan nels he had seen that bis rescued was burled then he had opened the satchel and inspected its contents from that moment mark burnham became ell walters for he felt it a sacred trust to take up the life of his rescuer where the latter had lain it down in the satchel he found a little hoard of about two hundred dollars there were also let and papers an appeal had reached walters from his brothers widow whom he had never seen he had decided to go to her relieve her necessities and devote his years to care for her and her little family burnham found the walters family destitute indeed he had assumed the identity of a relative they had never seen and was accepted as the real uncle ell that hard heart of his softened like wax as be employed the to bring cheer and comfort where there had been despair and suf bering the widow was sickly and al most an invalid there were five lit tie children within a week the ahll dren were grouping about him as though he w ere a real father and the widow was filled with gratitude and hope for the first time one day burnham saw ida worth she had been tor a month and called while be was in the bouse from the first her earnest patient face attracted him he learned that she had practically supported the widow and her family for several months but illness had come and she was now as poor as themselves she said the doctor had prescribed a rest country air but that was beyond her attainment I 1 m going away for a day or two burnham told sirs walters that eve ning my dream I 1 will make it true he pledged himself fervently two weeks later burnham conveyed the walters family and miss worth to their new home a lovely country cottage he had used his own money to give to the widow a surety of provision for the rest of her life 1 I am going away he said to ida later noted that she changed color and her lips fluttered and he won dered why 1 I must tell you what the others need not know he continued badly I 1 am not the uncle of those children and be told her all then you are even a nobler man I 1 thought burst forth ida am I 1 am an ex convict and the rest of the wretched story came out you have nobly redeemed yourself breathed ida oh do not go away they need you we love you her hands had now rested in hia own he looked into her eyes fearsomely and then with a rare thrill she swayed towards him and he knew that bis fond dream had come true by W 0 chapman |