I have in the world. I am not going to use
it. I will work my way west and leave the gold for you. It is
the least and probably the last that I can do for you.

If, when you read this you have any desires to know who you
really are, I will leave you the following information:

Your mother, a wonderful woman, was Barbara Parker of
Litchfield, Connecticut, daughter of Judge Arnold Parker of
Litchfield, now deceased. I am Donald Mullen, the eldest of
three brothers; Fay Mullen is the next of age and Patrick
Mullen, the gunsmith of Maiden Lane, New York, is the youngest.
We were born in Byron Bridge, Ireland, and we three came to this
country after our parents died. You come of an honest,
worthwhile people on my side, and of the best American blood on
your mother's, Donald, and I ask only that you live an honest,
honorable life and have faith in your country and your God, and
He will be with you to the end.

Good-bye, boy.

Lovingly,
YOUR FATHER.

I read the letter aloud but I confess that my voice broke toward the end
and I choked up until reading was difficult.

For some time after I finished, we three sat in silence. The thoughts
and mental pictures of that broken man parting with his baby son
seventeen years before made me most unhappy.

Dad broke the silence.

"Well, now you are acquainted with the whole situation, what do you
think?"

"I scarcely know what to think," said I. "It does not appear natural for
a man to abandon his own son in the manner he did. It seems heartless
and cruel. I cannot understand it; yet I wish I could see my poor
father. I wonder if he is still alive. Certainly with the information at
hand it should not be impossible for me to trace him or some relatives
of my mother. Don't you think so?"

"That is what I thought, Don, for when you were three years old I began
to wonder about your father's whereabouts. I wanted to meet him and
perhaps help him if I could. Do not think that your poor father was
cruel, for it is evident that the man was suffering from a nervous
breakdown and consequently more or less irresponsible; I think he acted
wonderfully well under the circumstances. In order to help him I began a
search and for ten years I have had detectives and private individuals
following up every possible lead. Yet, with all my efforts, the search
has amounted to nothing. Your father's trail ended at a Spokane
o