| Show A CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS REPENTANCE I The Time room oum was waa cr er very dark daik an and Paul who wa was vais writing n a letter had I the time utmost difficulty In tic seeing what he was doing lb Ho with his imis taco faco nee bent down over o tho time paper his Ills noso flOSO almost touching It And yet outside there was plenty plent of sunlight and If tf he had imad only taken the time trouble le of or raising the tile shades hu lie would have o had h ample light to write b by In comfort I The rue people below were unusually light hearted It was tho time day before ChristmaN and amid there thore Is lit even evenIn In him the time most inest dismal places at this lila time Children laughed with glee their faces aces shown with expectation I Present DesaU Desaix rose with a n nervous movement mO and tottering across time tho I room pulled aside a n. corner of oC thedo the the- shade do and looked cautiously Into tim tho street I It Itus was us one moan dirty street in III in on ono onti of tho tIme worst slums In the tho I auar- auar ter leI a mere huddle of down bricks and mortar mortal Ill III paved and noisy with nothing whatever to bo ho seen Scott in It to attract anybody's s 's attention At least the tho average man maim would have thought so 80 but evidently that was wats not Paul view for he peered lon long and cu eagerly from behind tho Limo cornor of tho time curtain But then Paul raul was a u. mechanical genius an Inventor and anel geniuses often have havo odd tricks of manner manner man man- ner ncr and anu habits of or eccentric behavior quite different from rein or ordinary people und anil often orten quite unintelligible For Tor Instance It wan waa an aim ordinary freak on his part rt to close up his comfortable comfortable com corn home at nt mind and como comno und and live In this lila miserable alley aHey an and Marguerite Mar Mar- hit his only child and daughter laughter a eyed bright-eyed and charming girl of or nineteen summers whom he lie ha laid had dragged with him hire Into thin timis gloomy retirement hull hud had ro io other explanation lion tion of ot his hum conduct than that It was his latest eccentric whim It cant can't be that he hopes to keep mu mo away from Cram Jacques sho she smiled to herself tIer tIer- self seU when imen ho lie curt curtly Informed her of or his lila decision for 01 or ho lie knows thai thal Jacques anti and I correspond although ho hohas hohas has forbidden us to meet It Is Just fathers father's latest craze ho wants to rough it a bit and when tho the craze is over wo we shan hhall return home to comfort and NeuIlly Neu- Neu lily Illy once more But his curious fad fall had imad already lasted lasted lasted last last- ed three weeks and BO so far tar there thero was no visible sign of oC his liLa growing tired of oC It ft Paul laul Desaix peered eagerly from tram behInd behind be be- lie hind the shade at tho the second floor loor window win dow ilow of oC the house opposite o tho the blinds of oC which were tightly shut Ho continued continued continued con con- to stare at It until ho saw the shadow of or a mans man's figure fit tit faintly across the blind rind and then with a 1 muttered mut mut- lie He is still there thank Heaven he ime Is still there thero In a tone which was was- half a 1 chuckle and half hal a groan He lie tottered back to tho timo table nail and resumed tho time writing of hum hilt letter When hen Marguerite entered the tho room a a. few tew moments later Inter dressed for tor going out he was about to close the tho en en- Well Wen father Is your letter ready sh sue sho 0 asked ed It will win be In a second or two my dear I have havo only onh got to address It IL H It Is a very ven Important letter Marguerite I 1 ma may tia say an nn extremely Important let Jet ter tar I 1 trust you will bo be vcr very careful with It it m my dear I wont won't forget forgot Ho lie IH handed ded her tho time letter Jetter anti and glancing glanc glanc- tn ing at It U she exclaimed Why Wily father i I L 6 A v Ju s Vi AA S rL q j 1 A S' S t I f I S i v I I you ou havo have changed your our ing I p I g lEave Havo I I. I m my dear ear Is it really different different differ differ- ent Surel Surely not I have havn not imoL changed It Intentionally r l Marju Marguerite certainly certainly not intentionally But tho time light in tho the room Is so DO bath bad and that t probably ac accounts accounts ac- ac counts for It It Of Ot courso course the light Is bad father If It you will persist in keeping the tho room lb BO 80 dark ark Why Wimy dont don't you let U up UI theIl the tho Il shares And why dont don't you 11 1 go out for a walk In this lovely weather We Vc have ha been here three Jon long weeks works and andou you ou haven't been beon outside the tho door on once No Marguerite l no he Ime answered Ir Irritably Irritably Ir- Ir as she moved to tho window ow I with tho Ito Intention of oC letting In tho timo lI light ht I have already alread explained to you that I nm mini suffering with m my eyes ces and prefer a n dim light and anti I can cant can't t b gi go out because 1 I ont ha the tho time lime I Iam Iam Iam am extremely busy Marguerite and anti the sooner I finish my business tho time sooner we will be ho able ablo to return to Neull Neuilly You will be so 50 glad to return t home horne little girl Of or cour course e father Cather but butHis butHis but buL His evident uneasiness seemed scorned in mn some sarno way to havo have suddenly communicated communicated communicated Itself to her She pause paused as thou h she were to see seo some some- timing thing which t she he was was most reluctant reluctant- which sho simo was c even afraid to afraid to sec see while he lie was too anxious to tu bo be re relieved re- re of ot tho time necessity of or answering her embarrassing questions to notice these unmistakable signs of a motionless motionless motion motion- less distress Now do O go hO darling I want that l loiter letter mailed It Is vcr very Important and anti must not be forgotten Dont worry father ruther I won wont won't t for for- get feet Good Good-by and amid dont don't wait walt for tor mo mu If I am um not back In time for 01 lunch for forIt forIt's forit's It Its It's I be late late- s Just possible ma may She Sue stooped an and kissed him but It was not until she sho had gone gono that he lie discovered tho time tear on his cheek cheel which toM tOll him that sho she had been crying Oh Ohm dear dear ar Poor girl Poor arguerite She Sue is is unhappy here hundred thousand francs' francs It will make her Independent of all an changes and misfortunes after I urn am gone the gone the dream of oC my waking hours the time one thing timing 1 have tolled toiled for Cor slaved for lIe He paused In his muttering and thena then a added a fierce groan roan idea not nut lle Besides It was wa m my Jolts lons I If ho he helped at all nil ho lie only onh helped a er very cry very little I t task ask him to steal the time mon money to buy I time the patents Ho lie took It without consulting con con- suiting me He lie stole on his hut own ro- ro lIe He must bear time the consequence consequence consequence con con- sequence of ot what ho he huts halt done ilone for tor ho lie hohas has brought It Jl on himself I 1 could have got the tho money In time without that a and ll it Is all un mine mille all nU mine by byrich rich 1 t 11 lIe He started up nail and carried hla hlll chair to tho UIO window pulled aside ci a corner of ot th time the curtain an and sat staring at ot tho time house and murmuring OCCAsionally occa occa- lIes Hes still there Thank Heaven hes he's still there thero And so ho lie sat for Cor hours hour And now that the time thing done Paul Desaix was suffering the most terrible torments of ot remorse He lie had hail betrayed to tho the police Alfred Alfrod d Rc lila his friend un and partner the tIme man mull b by whoso whose guilt he lie hadn't hesitated to profit For the lie la last t three weeks he lie- ha had boon been trying to force Coree himself to Commit this abominable act of ot treachery reach reach- cry ery and ond tit ctt last he Ime hail had nerved his lila heart henrt to ta do It U. U Now that It was done he lie would hl have havo va given gl all an tho time world worl to havo It fl undone and to reco er his lost honor and self respect T nl wn tn s l a Re ge- nl nina Ills His ls gift of r i cn c ss was us abnormal his lila brain was Val always Cullor full Cull of or novel Ideas but his life had been bee I ono ono one lon long row of failures Ills strange powers lacked something something some somo- thing tho lacked Jackell that particular touch which was requisite for the turning of or the products of or his plan Into amid articles of ot commerce His ills latest invention ln proved no ex exception mx- mx x- x to the rule It H was a n motor engine designed to beu bf be u used etl with a n flying machine an nn engine which If It successful tul would revolutionize revolution revolution- ize ire the science of or aeronautics It was wasa a wonderful and clever er thing but there theresias was si-as Just something missing and at last he had to call In tho Limo assistance 0 of f Alfred lIlon He a n. mechanical engl- engl geer tho tIme father of or Jacques I Continued on un Tim Two T o. o A Christmas 5 Repentance ln Inge c who sho was as engaged to Marguerite his mis help tine tho engine was mall made and it a between Mn trl another But now there was gie difficulty Neither olther or of them hind an any mone to secure the patents with and the they were faced with the tho of oC the result of nil all their labor ant and andall all their skill going to enrich somebody somebody some some- body else I Aller man ninny unsuccessful attempts to beg or borrow horrow the mone money without disclosing dis- dis disclosing closing their secret solved the in despair b by francs Cranes from his employers and antl giving It to Paul went Into hIding and De Desaix alx secured cured the tho patents which he subsequently sold to a a. firm or of promoters for francs In cash and a large number or of shares In the com company pan which was to tn lie he orm d for the lie purpose of exploiting ex- ex plotting the Invention One or of tine the stipulations made b by Re- Re villon was that the tho francs which lie ho had stolen from his employers should be Imme immediately latel to them II out of the monc from Crom the sale saJe or of the lie patents In the liopo that I he ml might ht be Pardoned and so 80 be able I to tn show himself again but this Desaix did 1111 not do I I All tIne the mone money lie he w as as In iii his possession lii In fact the usual thing happened Tine The demon o of t tomp- tomp tation attacked ed Paul Desaix W h by shouldn't lic hc all the lie money fot fOl himself Wasn't tIne the Idea his his alone it II thIef It rl right ht to allow a a. thief to profit hy by his crime It be fair ah Why h not betray him to the tho police pollee and nud then the whole of the proceeds s would be his hI By such ar arguments as these he sue sue- cee ed in conquering tine the protest of Ills his conscience and tho first stop toward to- to ward s-ard carrying his treachery intO ef- ef oct was to break off ocr tine the engagement between Marguerite and Jacques Ills next was to move P from and take up Jo lodgings In g-In s In On an obscure street In the La tin Quarter Qu where here He was In hiding ilIon ne had his whore where to him alone Whom hom could lie lu trust with thc secret It if not nol his and But Dut his mind was not yet el unite made up lie He could not disguise se from Cram himself the lie dastardly nature or of the act he proposed to cornin corn com in mit II lIe wont on vacillating lie He was watching the house linus-c In dreadful apprehension ap- ap lest Jest should move mOle U some anti anal escape nun I Still he l to hesitate te despairing des des- pairing himself until the greed of old nold got ot the best of him and the letter nn an ins anonymous o oil Ill written In a chan changed el handwriting to the chief or t department was given to tu to mail mati Shouts In the tho street again reached his far ear Ike He started liD no suddenly A vave of oC remorse hits his soul Christmas lie he muttered Every ono inC Inns has jo In hI his henrI but I. I HerO Hen I p liat wealth and credit In iu grasp Yet vet Im I'm miserable Ill iii not let tints this hother me iTne Ill I'll lau laugh h of In my Tow Jow Ill I'll rouse m myself elt 2 rite l where are yen ou Come Com Well eli go out to the cares cafes Tell dine nd laugh an h hear Oh h JIve liv Vell irin n mu I. I lc I nl Ill I'll bu buy YOU ChrIstmas Ia dla nfl I 01 S. S Cog costly I I fu ever Curs y eve s r t In i ii I Ilk i 1 c g yo Oll in The man seemed delirious E shouts houts from Cram the Other tOY toys-brought him to himself cry cry- tInt what nhat about him Th The ht startled I In time the face him like n a blow woes o tl Li nd lail hv m my treachery lie he The hells tt to j morrow ringing In out ot of fes- fes t nl will I retch reach hit his Hr I willis aril th the will ilI die the bars of oC his cell vas not miot n a bad I man main nt at heart On the contrary he wa was an unselfish man man and had always been true trul to h hs frIends It s must have be of oC p I-him I the invention In es were one gone antI th tine whispers JIO yielded to Oh Cod he crIed I l wl h It us na undone Revill on r dont don't know how I ever er could have done llone It And lie hp bowed his Tinte nn and wept afternoon had almost passed the sun was a about fut to set fiet nn and he sitting nt at tho ho was WaN still sWI V street ut iti the mouse house into lIto tbs tb's to oPPosite lie He been een sitting there thero for An and so absorbed wa was he that he notice that to wa was late III lug back IIo Ho In COIn COIn- was waiting for tIne the police to conic come and arrest his partner At last Jast he heard a noise outside outs sawan saw an automobile come up the alley and I stop ImmedIately opposite the house howle It mus be tIne the police pollee thoU that had con me to ur am rest reMt IS ok burled hla r. r aI 1 ilk ChUc s in h deer te tel f flie lie He had not nol heard the door open he had rl lint i-een i cn Marguerite lar come in In an anI h he looked up now no noto to find her bending n- n I over him hini her hand re resting lInS' lInS on hl his shoulder her eyes looking lovingly Into his I Father deat ear she he I said uld In a 0 Jo low winning winning win win- ning and bash bashful Cui voice olce Father I 1 have brought you ou a Christmas girt gift bride I father ath r. r She whispered the last three words Desaix sat as It if In a trace And An I ave brou brought ht you ou m my husband Its It's Jacques father she continued Why dont don't you greet reet Jacques Desaix Desai rose to his feet reet He seemed to tobe tobe be choking or Of course Jacques I see Jacques II do you ou Jo Jacques Jacques and I have been married father she continued anti and we are on of for Neuilly in iii an automobile for or our honeymoon and we have come to sa sa I good good-by tu to you ou and it Is not tIne the least use 01 or you OU to be annoyed father Cather because be- be call cause p. p we are safely married now nl can possibly us I T tried fried to tell you OU before and yo you didn't give he heme me a chance Ail Ald father ather dear I ann am awfully sorry you OU must try to forgive me mc bOt In the excitement or of getting married I call i-call- tor forgot ot to malt mati your letter Desaix leaped to his feet and caught his slaughter b by the shoulders I hat lie he cried You forgot Sa Say It aan again do Marguerite yell hear me Sa Say t t again as-aln Ills His face was beaming with ith joy an and his hissen sen came In short jerk jerky excited sentences Marguerite was Tell cant can't you rou see I cant can't walt wait cried her rather father You did forget didn't lie He was trying hard to calm cairn |
