The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1898-10-06
A DEBT OF HONOR.

returned my greeting with a warmth
which hoped was not altogether due
to the fact that was able to extricate
her from a human eddy in which she
was entangled. forgot all about the
time table and turned back, delighted
that the rush of the preoccupied crowd
around us gave an excnse to keep her
little silk gloved hand upon my arm.
She had been seeing Cousin Phil and
his wife off, she said, and was now, I
guessed, returning to the desolate house
in Bloomsbury square. The picture
called up by the thought was SO poign-
ant that / proposed visit to West
minister abbey. She appeared shade
surprised-I certainly was myself-and
then agreed, with little sigh, which
plainly said, LAS we'll there as any
where else. - But once she accepted my
companionship by stepping into .the
hanson called she made, could see,
distinct effort to take interest in the
multicolored life swirling by.
1.-THE abbey is the first place one
thinks of visiting when one is away
she observed, land yet, when one is at
home, it is SO near that one keeps defer
ring the visit from day to day, and I
am leaving town tomorrow. Papa
meant She did not finish the SEN
tence, but added, "It is SO kind of you
to give your time"
81 am man of leisure, " said dryly.
Papa was always in hurry she
went on, and then stopped again. All
roads of conversation led to her father
and death had written "No thorough
fare across every one.
Better wear out than rust out, - said
considerably, Though the best of us
but write their names ON water after
all. A very consoling reflection for the
oilers"
Eyes, if everything ended here, she
replied as the cab pulled up and the
great gray temple doomed above us.
If time be duration set out by meas
ure, my watch was of opinion that we
spent two hours here. My conscious
ness, however, has nothing definite to
say on the matter, "the endurance of
all enduring things" not being painful
~ prominent Neither do L remember
having shone among the tombs. On one
thing at least [ am quite clear. 1t is
when we came out was decidedly
hungry; SO, artfully plotting my charge
past restaurant, l suggested lunch.
Here again a lacuna occurs, for l have
no distinct recollection of the earlier
stages Of the banquet save the other
fact that her mode of eating and drink
ing forced me to make comparisons
which would have brought me slowly
to my senses had not the unforeseen,
which has such trick of happening,
done SO with paralyzing promptitude.
Her little hunting watch had run
down, but the officious cuckoo belong
ing to the restaurant clock spoke SO
plainly that the young girl almost
jumped from her chair.
ooh, Mr.. Patterson" abe cried,
"what shall ] do? / was to call upon
know-about papa's will at half past
Q, and now it is quarter past. -
"Where does he live?' asked.
"In the city, " she replied despairing-
ly, land, oh, he is so precise, and there
may be delays-you don't know him. ="
did, having met him in his profess
sional capacity some years before, when
was witness for the defense.
"We'u drive there at once p cried
royalty, putting my hand in my pocket
while she fumbled for her glove Then
an awful fact struck me; my purse was
gone. I suppose my CONSERVATION got
into my face, for / caught the eye of the
pOlyglot waiter fixed upon me. He was
tall, and, l doubt not swift of foot,
and as he smiled thinly I could see that
he had lost one front tooth and all his
illusions. put my hat on and took it
off again. At another time, in another
place, the incident would have been
merely laughable, but now, with her
had been so blase, SO mildly cynical!
Oh, it was unthinkabIe! I moved to-
ward the counter which was near the
door, Swallowed by the waiter, who was
mentally calling the police, and APP
preaching the lady in charge explained
the situation. She was a German frau
Of spotless morals, and she listened
calmly to my tale, the cold contempt OF
q narrow, literal nature glinting i'll her
small eyes The comedy of the situa-
tiOn did not strike her. She only saw
that had no money. ''Dey pay, dose
| who eat here; dose are de rules, she
reiterated, declining even to examine
the ring / offered, ''as guarantee of
good faith
The waiter, who had been fielding in
the immediate vicinity advanced and
asked me if / had lost anything. | in
quired for the proprietor, but by some
hideous i'll luck he was not accessible.
saw Miss Langton, who had gone to the
door, looking back, evidently surprised
at the delay. Then the storm burst.
The German was impenetrable; the
waiter passed rapidly from legitimate
doubt to open skepticism as rendered
my card which was not a trump one,
and seeing that we all talked together,
the effect was very striking.
''LNcuse me, =" rel....rked u thin, crisp
voice, cit is little trouble about the
bill, is it not? Miss Langton, l shall be
with you in moment. Don't be alarm
ed
OF course it was old Turnbull, who
ought to have been miles away and had
been lEnching here all the time instead.
bowed, he looked me in the face, and
understood that he remembered the
last occasion on which we had met
recalled his terrible, Nov, upon your
oath, sir, !" as stood clutching the edge
of the witness stand, bit of court
plaster over one eye.
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