The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1897-03-12
made up my mind to know more

Ter MS WOrk was over 1Of UDe uAN-
He went IN bakers shop and came
out eating cent roll. He went to his
poor lodging and in five minutes was
ont again, putting on a white tie as
he went along. He went to the little
side street and knocked at the door of
small shabby house. A woman
came to the door and he took her hand
and held it for minute while he talk
ed to her in low tone. Then her
hand was drawn from his, and he went
away, the door closing softly on him.
He went through the street with his
| head lowered. Never once did he
raise his eyes till he reached the thea
tire at which he was employed and
passed in.
In the morning Morningdale was in
his place as usual when | reached the
counting-room, and as chirpy and as
| innocent looking as he had ever been
| At noon when he should have gone
out for his lunch he came up to my
desk.
Twill you lend me ninety seven dol
| lars - he said. .
looked at him.
at is to pay debt" he went on.
"A debt Of honor"
Still said nothing.
II suppose it's cheeky in Inc to ask, >
he said laughing, but scarcely merrily;
but | rather thought you d lend it if
told you you needn't give NE any
wages ill it was paid back"
Look here Morningdale," L sd i
severely. Look here,'
He raised his eyes to mine burning
ly.. Whats the Diff he asked, still
trying to keep up his old manner.
stop your slang | commanded.
and listen 10 me- You earn, all told,
according to what you have told me
of your pay at the theatre, twelve
dollars IL week. You pay only dol
lar a week for your room and you buy
cent roll for your supper.
You seem to have found out good
| deal, sir, =" he slowly returned. May
be you'd like to know more. | don't
often buy the roll for lunch, and l
have been known to do without dinner
now and then. 1t means you won't
lend me the money That's all right
He reached for his hat.
What, sir" | said. ut is not all
right. | am not through with you"
He stood with his hat in his hand,
his pale shrunken face. confronting
me.
hepU YOU III vie" IdSU L
said, from the time you left this Of
flee till you entered the theatre"
For moment he appeared to con-
slider. Then dull heavy red crept
into his cheek, only to 90 away sud
denly and leave him whittier than he
had been before.
"More than that" | went on, 81
have been to Shanahan's. You are
evidently too reticent in your life.
In the case of Shanahan's your re
ticence did ,rou little service; they
have discovered their dishonest clerk
whose name you refused to divulge
and. he is pay ing back the money he
took"
He Strengthened himself, his head
went up in the air.
Now" said, will you tell me
what you want with ninety-seven
dollars -
There was flash in his gray eyes
that made them look like opals.
What have you DONE" he said not
without dignity, has not been hon
orable. | will never work another
day for YOU
But | had caught him by the arm.
He had not expected it. lie swayed,
he almost fell.
Let me GO" he said, ''Ihave some
thing to do have got to post letter.
-
He slid out of my grasp to the floor,
unconscious.
This time he was so long a time in
his faint that Jones had to go for pro-
fessional aid.
"Why, the boy is starving" the
physician said. How long has this
been going on?'
We could not tell him.
| went with the ambulance to the
hospital. l staid beside Morningdale.
All at once he looked at me and smil-
ed.
Thank you, sir he said almost in
his old manner. "All the same, I'm
all right, and-and I'll get there. Will
YOU do me favor? For l feel sort Of
shaky and think I'll take it easy in
bed until tomorrow, and the letter
must go today. Would you mind
posting it for me? / wouldn't like
you know so much of it all that-It's
in my inside coat pocket, there on the
chair"
| got the letter.
Read who it's to" he said.
1t was addressed to S. S. Shanahan.
open it, said Morningdale.
In it was ten dollar bill. There
was also IL scrap of paper.
Read it, said the boy. And then
| knew all about Nancy all about
the theft at Shanahan's.
Its all paid off but ninety-seven
dollars" he said. you saw me go to
the house last night The fellow that
took the money lives there, and he's
dying. l wanted his name cleared be-
fore he died. | made him own up to
Shanahan, after that l couldn't do
anything else but help him. His fear
was that his sister would find it out.
But she don't know word of it. She's
all he's got, and-well, she's as good
as they make 'em, and I'm nearly
twenty; when Pm of age and can af-
ford it, well be married. And will
afford it, for Nancy is worth any
hustling fellow can do. So I'll get
there What. You'll lend me the
ninety-seven dollars, and"
For Nancy was our former typist,
Annie Morton, and the scrap of paper
that went with the money to Shana-
han had written upon 1.-THE week
ly instalment of Charles Morton's in
debtedness."