STORY

Though Charles Ross had been unlucky in birth and upbringing, though at the opening of the story, he was looked upon as a vagabond, he had drifted through life clean-minded and happy. About our first meeting with him is in a small farm town, where he arrives via the box-car route. And about the first thing he does is to rescue a consumptive stranger from some drunken toughs. Though he spends several days caring for him, the stranger dies. He leaves a note to the new-found friend, to the effect that he is the son of a Los Angeles man who will give the vagabond a good position. The stranger, as a youth, seemed to possess everything to make him happy and a success in life; position, money and good parents were his. Yet he drifted into bad society, like a ship without an anchorage. Drink and drugs added their downward pull. At last, in a fit of half-drunken rage, the boy left home. His mother fell ill through sorrow; she became blind, but never gave up hope that her boy would return some day. The vagabond decides not to follow his drifting ways further. Arrived in Los Angeles, he decides to be shaved before applying for the job. This done, he is struck by his likeness to the dead youth, Tom Mason. In fact, Mason’s own sister mistakes him for her brother. The vagabond tries to explain, but the blind woman’s happiness overcomes his better judgment and he carries out a painful deception. The vagabond works well and all seems happy. Months pass and he suddenly realizes that he loves the girl with more than a brother’s affection. However, he is forced to remain silent, particularly as the mother is sinking into death. When the mother finally dies the one-time vagabond realizes that he has no real share in the sorrow. He leaves, after writing a note explaining everything, and promising to return when he has made good. Time goes by. One day the vagabond, now successful, comes back. The girl has at last awakened to her love for this man who posed as her brother. He enters the house and the father meets him. He shows the boy a picture of the real son, and explains that he knew all the time of the deception. The vagabond tells the story of the son. The father leads him into the garden where the girl is waiting. The vagabond comes to his real anchorage, his sweetheart’s arms. Written by Moving Picture World