“So I have, Pat. I will find a place in a trade where he will not have to toil so hard, for it means a long time for him. I will take care of that Monday morning, Pat. Don’t bother him. Let him get used to his new clothes and room. You may go, Pat. I’ll take care of him Monday.” “So you have come back to see us, have you, Clarence?” “Yes, officer. I could not rest and know that my brother was here in prison, all on my account. I am the cause of it all. I should have written home after I left. I should have written to my dear mother. Then I could have been notified when she died, and poor Oliver would not be in this trouble. That is why I am taking all this disgrace upon myself. “Brother, I am going to help you, but not in the way I asked you to be helped at first. I am going to take you home now, and introduce you to my family, and try to have a family reunion, in honor of the prodigal son’s return—in honor of poor mother.” “You may go now, Mr. Pearson. I can spare you for a few hours.” “Come along, brother. Clasp my hand and we will walk hand in hand to my home—or, rather, yours, and we will spend the rest of our days together.” “Oh, how beautiful your voice sounds to me, Oliver! As I walk along by your side I feel as if we were indeed beginning a new life.” “By the way, we shall have a wedding soon. My daughter Amelia is to be married to-night, at ten o’clock—yes. And we shall be there on time, I see. The place is all aglow. I wonder—” “Yes, and I wonder how I will be received.” “You must be treated as my brother, and the family will do so. Music? Yes, Gertie, playing ‘Home, Sweet Home.’ There is no place like home. Oh, how true! We will surprise them. Just step in, Clarence.” “Oh, papa, papa!” “Yes, Gertie; I heard you playing just as I feel, that there is no place like home.” “Mother, see who is here.” “My dear wife, I want you to meet my brother, as a gentleman—which he is, and has been proved to be. “And, Clarence, this is Gertie, my pet now, as I must soon give Amelia to someone else. “I hope that he will be as kind to you, Amelia, as your father has always been.” [Illustration: “THE PLACE IS ALL AGLOW.”] “Father, you have been good and kind to me. You gave me all I ever asked for, and I want you to forgive me for the way I treated you when you were in trouble, I am truly sorry.” “Yes; and, dear husband, I shall always look on that time as the mistake of my life. For doing as I did I will ask you in the presence of your brother, and mine also, to forgive me.” “My dear family, you are all forgiven. Now I ask that you show love and kindness to my dear brother and share our home with him—or, rather, thank him for sharing his home with us.” “We shall always treat you as one of the family, brother.” “Oh, Uncle Clarence, we are going to have a wedding to-night! Sister Amelia is going to get married to Mr. McHenry.” “And, Uncle Clarence, I want you to stand up with us.”