Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-05-16

happen to know that he went the pace
considerable when he was my age"
Pritchard made no reply to this, hap
pening to know it was a true statement.
man of the largest possible charity
and insight, he understood that Gar
vices own past partly explained his
harShness to his boy. His parents had
erred on the indulgent side, and it was
only experience of life that had taught
him how severely he had tried them.
Charlie, we are not going to say any
more about it now; neither of us is
fit. What I've come after you for is to
know where you are going now.''
Il don't know, and don't care. I've
been consigned, you see, to my proper
element" he said again. Pritchard did
not altogether dislike his iteration Of
the words, showing that his heart and
pride were still assailable. With one
entirely callous little can be done
Il can't stay long with you now,
Charlie, but I've a plan. Will you
promise to meet me this evening at Z
o'clock at Simpsons? We can have a
bite of dinner together, and talk things
over. If you'll promise I'll wire my
wife not to expect me till late"
All right" said Charlie grufiy, "Ill
be there
Pritchard held out his hand. and
after a moments shame-faced hesita.
ton, the lad placed his in it.
You are a good sort and no mis-
take," he muttered, and slouched away.
Hes got to be lifted l wish I
could have seen Lucy first" unused
Prltchard as he reascended the stairs.
1t would be work after her own
heart"
From that day Charlie Garvice dis
appeared from the office of Garyice.
Garvice & Pritchard in little Britain.
and was heard Of no more It was gen
orally supposed he had gone abroad.
Garvice never spoke of him even to
his partner, and it was as though q
austere pail of silence had descended
between them. But Pritchard. watch
ing closely, did not fail to detect his
partner as an aging man. Also he
knew that his wife had scarcely lifted
her head since the boy went away.
Seven long years passed before any
thing further was heard of Charles
Garvice; and then the revelation came
about in an untoWard way.
Pritchard was confined to his own
house with a slight attack of illness.
and in his absence some misunder-
standing arose regarding a bit of bust
ness which had been under his depart
ment. Garvice through the telephone
was unable to come to a full under
standing of it. and was invited to come
at a fixed hour and interview the man
ager.
He had a busy morning, however,
and was detained till the lunch hour,
when he took a walk along Cheapside
to Finsbury Circus, where was the
habitation of the firm in question.
They were relatives of Pritchard's, sub
stantial people, and Garvice had been
pleased when they began to do business
with them.
'Mr. Linskill is out, sir, at lunch"
said the Office boy, 'but Mr.. Girard is
in"
"Who is Mr.. Girard?" he asked,
struck by the name, which had been
his wife's before her marriage.
Our confidential clerk. sir, always
sees gentlemen when Mr.. Linskill is
out"
"All right, I'll see him. said Gar
vice, with a nod, and followed the
youngster up the stairs. The place
was almost empty for the lunch hour
he passed through a long counting
house in charge of one solitary scrib-
bier, and so on to an inner room. where