The times., 1899-09-24
The Best man's Coat.


SSS1S9E6SGS9
would have given up my Fellowship-to
get away, would"
He paused for breath Every eye was
upon him; every sound was hushed.
The Inspector" he said, was a little
more reasonable, and thus / am here That
policeman must have been little mad l
believe. | could not quite make out his ex-
planation, but it seems that one Of his ex-
cnses for arresting me was my coat-my
coat! 1t was most extraordinary
Then, of course everyone looked at Pc
ter's coat and saw that it was blue beneath
the dust. Barron glanced at Miss Pattie,
and she, perceiving his meaning, remem-
bered her threat. She looked at Peter
Sand once more for the third time.
There was no ridicule now, no contempt.
Peters face was flushed; his eyes were
bright Miss Pattie saw in his countenance
something that caused her own to soften,
to change. She saw. perhaps, an old Pc
ter, the one who had been Barron's friend
and had won Barron's faith and loyalty
long ago-the plain, unselish Peter, who
during the whole of this unhappy adven
ture, had not given one thought to himself
Or perhaps she saw in his face the Peter
of a possible future, when some soft hand
a woman's hand-should have brushed
away the dust of his studies, and sent him
forth neat and FURNISHED, to face the world
again.
Then Peter, in the silence, looked up
also, and his eyes met hers. For a mo-
ment they gazed at one another and for
the second time that day Peter Sands Fell
lowship became very small thing. Then
the incident was over.
We'll, upon my word!' muttered Bar
ron, who had seen it all. Upon my world"
AS l have hinted, everything came about
through the blue coat. Had it not been for
that Miss Pattie would have paid no more
attention to Peter than to any other fusty
scientist, and Peter would never have been
led to observe her eyes. Had it not been
for the coat Barron would not have for
gotten the ring. Peter would have had no
need to break into house, the policeman
would have had no reasonable cause to
doubt his explanation. Further, but for
the coat Miss Pattie would never have
given Peter that second glance which
moved her sympathy for him, Or that third
glance which laid bare to her quick eyes
his simple, unselfish heart and the possi-
bilities that lay beneath the dust.
The remainder of the story is simplicity
itself. When the Fellow reached home that
night he sat up to a late hour calculating
what amount annually he would be worth
if he lost his Fellowship! When he hal
settled this question he shook his head in
doubtful way, and took down from shelf
those packets of manuscript which were
the beginning of his Epoch of the Masto-
dom They had been neglected for two
years; but from that hour he spent large
proportion of his time in adding to and re-
vising them.
He also developed socially, paying fire.
quent visits TO Barron under the pea that
it was well to keep sight of an cid school,
fellow, and that he was greatly benefited
by change of scene. 1t was observed that
after each visit he showed signs of further
development in the form of increased ac-
tivity. In six months he looked as many
years younger.
His book went to press, and he visited
Barron still more regularly. He had found
a friend there, he said, who was greatly in
| terested in it, and who desired to see the
proofs. 1t may be remembered, also, that
at the time of its publication chair of an
thropology was founded at the new Hex
minister University.
The Epoch of the Mastodon'' made a
| great mark in scientific circles, where it is
still regarded as standard work. The
most prominent candidate for the chair at
Hexminster was the author of that book,
neat and scholarly fellow-they write it
Fellow-whom few even OF his enemies
would have called fossil. He was elected
/ almost unanimously, and on the next day
I told his admiring landlady that he had re-
! signed his lectureship and his Fellowship
/ that he was now Prof. Sand of Hexminster
and that he was about to be married.
He also intimated that. in Difference to
/ the wishes of his bride he had visited his
/ tailor, and had ordered new coat. 1t was
! to be a black one.-Chambers' Journal.