“My friends and my neighbors, as you all know, I have this day been saved––from committing, in my blindness and my stubbornness, a great crime,––for which the Lord be thanked. Unworthy as I am, this day my son has been restored to me, fine and strong, for which the Lord be thanked. And here, the young man brought up as a brother to him, is again among you who have always loved him,”––he turned and took Richard by the hand, and waited a moment; then, getting control of himself, once more continued––“for which again, I say, the Lord be thanked.
“And now let me present to you one whom many of you know already, who has returned to us after many years––one whom in the past I have greatly wronged. Let me here and now make confession before you all, and present him to you as a man––” He turned and placed his hand on Larry’s shoulder. “Let me present him to you as a man who can forgive an enemy––even so far as to allow that man who was his enemy to claim him forevermore as––as––brother––and friend,––Larry Kildene!” Again cheers burst forth and again were held back as the Elder continued. “Neighbors––he has sent us back my son. He has saved me––more than me––from ruin and disaster, in these days when ruin is abroad in the land. How he has done it you will soon learn, for I ask you all to come round to my house this night and––partake of––of––a little collation to be prepared by Mr. Decker and sent in for this occasion.” The old man’s voice grew stronger as he proceeded, “Just to welcome home these boys of ours––our young men––and this man––generous and––”
“You’ve not been the only one to blame.” Larry stepped 497 forward and seized the Elder’s hand, “I take my share of the sorrow––but it is past. We’re friends––all of us––and we’ll go all around to Elder Craigmile’s house this night, and help him give thanks by partaking of his bounty––and now––will ye lift your voices and give a cheer for Elder Craigmile, a man who has stood in this community for all that is excellent, for uprightness and advancement, for honor and purity, a man respected, admired, and true––who has stood for the good of his fellows in this town of Leauvite for fifty years.” Larry Kildene lifted his hand above his head and smiled a smile that would have drawn cheers from the very paving stones.
And the cheers came, heartily and strongly, as the four men, rugged and strong, the gray-haired and the brown-haired, passed through the crowd and across the town square and up the main street, and on to the Elder’s home.
Ere an hour had passed all was quiet, and the small town of Leauvite had taken up the even tenor of its way. After a little time, Larry Kildene and Richard left the Elder and his son by themselves and strolled away from the town on the familiar road toward the river. They talked quietly and happily of things nearest their hearts, as they had need to do, until they came to a certain fork of the road, when Larry paused, standing a moment with his arm across his son’s shoulder.
“I’ll go on a piece by myself, Richard. I’m thinking you’ll be wanting to make a little visit.”
Richard’s eyes danced. “Come with me, father, come. There’ll be others there for you to talk with––who’ll be glad to have you there, and––”
“Go to, go to! I know the ways of a man’s heart as well as the next.”