the judge introduced as the reporter sent by the
"Free Press" to write their interesting story for that paper.

Joe then repeated the story of the mysterious disappearance of their
baby sister, and while he narrated her recovery after so many years, his
strange tale caused the attentively listening lady reporter to exclaim:
"How wonderful are the ways of our Lord." When Joe had finished the
judge inquired of the brothers what their intentions were concerning
their sister's future, to which question Jim answered that they would
take the earliest train to Rugby and that he thought it would be best to
leave her there in care of their mother and their eldest brother Donald.

While he was talking the judge had taken off his wig and laid aside his
robe. Hardly had Jim finished unfolding his plan, than the judge wheeled
around, and when the brothers looked in the direction of his uplifted
finger, which was pointing towards the back of his head, to their
complete amazement they saw there the same strange streak of snow white
hair that distinguished every member of the McDonald family. Ere they
could utter a single syllable the judge again faced them and told them
that he himself, was their brother Donald McDonald, and that after they
ran away from home he and their mother had emigrated to Canada, where by
hard work and frugality they had managed to send him to a university,
from which, after he had studied law, he had gradually been promoted to
a judgeship.

Joe, whose conscience had troubled him ever since the fatal moment when
his unopened letter had been returned to him from Rugby, broke the
profound silence that prevailed in the room after the judge's revelation
as to his identity, by asking the one question ever supreme in his mind.
He wished to know if his newly found brother Donald could not tell them
their mother's present address, so he and Jim could hasten to her and
beg her pardon for all the trouble their running away from their home
must have caused her.

Tears were welling into the judge's eyes when he pointed to the lady at
the table, and then with his voice choking with emotion he said: "This
lady is not a reporter, but is our own dear mother, and I am sure that
she will gladly forgive you for your thoughtless boyish prank, for you
plainly show how grieved and repentant you are, and how anxious you will
henceforth be to atone by true filial devotion in the future for the
nameless woe you have brought upon her