Middletown transcript., 1907-09-14
THANKSGIVING

-A~N~N- - " 49, - - ~ J
but there was no other way to
Mary Carmichael Good Lord,
! this was no time for superstitious
scruples What nonsense it was,
this about mine and thine It
was his to keep who could take,
who could make the best use of
it, who could set it moving and
make it the heart of a hundred
other enterprises, and SO give
life to business, and food aud FIRE
to countless households. And
when all was said, it should be
paid back with interest and bonus
to Mrs. Folsom. He knew just
where and how to put that money
| till it should increase like a snow
ball rolling doWn-hill!
When at last Mr.. Averill closed
the Office door behind him, the
paper with its signatures was in
his wallet He could hardly
have told himself why he did not
leave it in his safe. Perhaps
because. if the building burnt,
there would be nothing to prove
his contract unless he did the
work over perhaps because, if
he were run down in the usual
mob of the street at this hour, it
would stand its chance of being
destroyed with him and no harm
done; perhaps because he was
not yet so used to his turpitude
that he could let it's evidence
leave his safekeeping. He swung
along the street, though, with a
quick, strong step; the air was
frosty; his heart was light ; he
was on the way to fortune far
back in his subconsciousness the
intention Of eventual restitution
was SO firm that practically it
was already made.
Express wagons and cabs
loaded with trunks went along to
the stations where travellers were
hurrying home for Thanksgiving
and those he met with their
satchels and parcels all had about
them an air of glad expectancy
of the morrow's festival. A
woman was pricing articles at a
stall, shivering, and pulling her
thin cloak about her as she turned
away; Mr.. AverilI stopped and
filled her basket with the best
the stall afforded. A few steps
farther on, two urchins gazing
wistfully il the lighted window
of a provision shop arrested him;
he loaded them with turkeys and
potatoes, onions and apples, till
they could take no more. He
went on, almost gaily; a man
with a million of money in his
pocket could afford to pleasure
himself that way. 1t was a
trifing earnest of all he meant
to do in the future. The lights
of the streets and of the shops
Showed his face bright with sat-
isfaction, a handsome, a rather
heroic cast of countenance, with
finely cut, strong features, a
steady smile, and shining dark
eyes full Of spirit but also full Of
friendliness. The friendliness
was no more apparent than the
daring strength of a splendid
athlete when he sprang into the
crowd and held back a pair Of
trampling horses till the police
man snatched a child from under
their glittering hoofs.
Mr.. Averill dined hurriedly at
his club, and then went to his
rooms and made a careful toilet.
He was goint to call at the Car
michaels'. 1t was still rather
early, however; he would have
another cigar first. He touched
a match to the fire that lay ready
to light, and threw himself into
the easy-chair beside it.
There was good deal Of gay
going and coming in the, house,
some lodgers making ready for
departure to keep Thanksgiving
at their homes. A certain spicy
fragrance prevailing the halls
told OF the landlady's preparation
of the morrow's festival dinner.
Everything suggested cheer and
contentment. By and by the
hustle had subsidized and Mr..
Ayerill found himself, in a slight
reaction from excitement, yield.
ing somewhat drowsily to the
spell Of the quiet and the warmth.
Of course, Mr.. Averill knew
he had not slept but if you had
asked him he could not quite
have told you how he came to be
standing by the library fire in
! Mr.. Carmichael's house, with
Mary Carmichael sitting in the
/ low chair OpnoSitn Tho firoliObt