The Press., 1898-10-06
A DEBT OF HONOR.

A DEBT UE HONOR.
 It was at Charing Cross station, where called to make some inquiries, and knew her instantly, though she was yelled. She recognized me also and returned my greeting with a warmth which hoped was not altogether due to the fact that was able to extricate her from 8 human eddy in which she was entangled. I forgot all about the time table and turned back, delighted that the rush of the preoccupied crowd around us gave an excuse to keep her little silk gloved hand upon my arm. She had been seeing Cousin Phil and his wife of, she said, and was now, guessed, returning to the desolate house in Bloomsbury square. The picture called up by the thought was so poign- ant that I proposed visit to Vest minister abbey. She appeared 8 shade surprised-I certainly was myself-and then agreed, with little sigh, which plainly said, "As we'll there as any where else" :" But once she accepted my companionship by stepping into ..the hanson I called she made, could See, a distinct effort to take interest in the multicolored life swirling by.
 "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 am leaving town tomorrow. Papa meant''- She did not finish the sen- tence, but added, Ut is so kind of you to give your time.
 "I am man of leisure, " said dryly.
 "Papa was always in 8 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 considerately, though the best of us but write their names on water after all. A very consoling reflection for the idlers.''
 "Yes, if everything ended here" she replied as the cab pulled up and the great gray temple loomed 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 ly prominent. Neither do I remern Der having shone among the tombs. On one thing at least am quite clear. It is when we came out l was decidedly hungry; so, artfully piloting my charge past a restaurant, I suggested lunch. Here again a lacuna occurs, for 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.
 "Oh, MT. Patterson" she cried, "what shall do? I was to call upon MT. Turnbull-he is my guardian, you know-about papa's will at half past 9, and now 1t is quarter past.
 "Where does he ive?'' asked.
 "In the city" she replied despairing- ly, land, oh, he is so precise, and there may be delays-you don't know him. |"
 I did, having met him in his profes- sional capacity some years before, when was 8 witness for the defense.
 "We'n drive there at once !'' I cried royalty, putting my hand in niy pocket while she fumbled for her glove. Then an awful fact struck me; my purse was gone. suppose my econsternation got into my face, for caught the eye of the polyglot waiter fixed upon me. He was tall, and, I doubt not, swift of foot, and as he smiled thinly could see that he had lost one front tooth and all his illusions. l put my hat on and took it of again. At another time, in another place, the incident would have been merely Imaginable, but now, with her l had been 60 blase, so mildly cynical Oh, 1t was unthinkablel I moved to- ward the counter which was near the door. shadowed by the waiter, who was mentally calling the police, and ap- 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 a narrow, literal nature glinting in her small eyes The comedy of the situa- tion did not strike her. She only saw that I had no money. "Dey pay, dose
 
 reiterated, declining even to examine the ring I offered, "as guarantees of good faith. ''
 The waiter, who had been fielding iD the immediate vicinity, advanced and asked me if I 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.
 'LXrusc me, ' reIi...rkctt a thin, crisp voice, ''it is 8 little trouble about the bill, is it not? Miss Langton, shall be with you in a moment. Don't be alarm ed."
 | Of course it was old Turnbull, who ought to have been miles away and had been lrnching 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. I recalled his terrible, ''Now, upon your oath, sir, 1" as stood clutching the edge of the witness stand, a bit of court plaster over one eye.