The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-10-11
CHAPTER VIII

coat. The mere weight OF the golt
suggested an unpleasant possibility
His clothes were 50 worn that the frai
calico might give way and every gold
en- COIN rattle forth to the pavement.
! So with one Of Mr. Abingdon's shil
lings be made his first purchase. a ca
pacious tobacco pouch with a snaI
mouth. for which he paid ninepence
Then he adjourned to an aerated bread
shop and ordered some refreshments
While the waitress was bringing bis
cup of TEA and piece of cake he con
triyed to slip all the soveHeigns but one
into the tobacco pouch.
He did this with his hand In the
pocket itself, and more than once there
was a pleasant clink as the COINS fell
into their novel receptacle.
A man sitting near caught the sounG
and looked up suspiciously. Philip
whose senses were very much on tn
alert today, realized that his action
was somewhat careless. Without eve''
gIancing at his neighbor, he took out
his remaining couple Of shillings ana
the three pennies, and affected to count
them with a certain degree Of astonish-
ment. as If some were missing. The
ruse was satisfactory The man gave
him no further heed and soon quilted
the restaurant.
Philip rendered the odd sovereign in
payment of his bill The girl cashier
seemed to be surprised that such q
ragged youth should own so large a
sum.
"Au silver, please" said Philip, when
Sna began to count his change.
He would take no more risks If he
could avoid them. Not single police
man In London would have failed 10
arrest him at that moment We're MS
store of gold revealed by any chance
Yet Philip was rich honestly, and there
were men driving away from the city
at that hour whose banking accounts
were plethoric with stolen money. For
their carriages the policemen would
stop the t"afic. In neither instance
could the guardians Of the peace be
held bamewOrthy such is the impor-
lance of mere appearances.
The hoy. duri g his short and terribly
harp tussle with London life, had al
ready grasped this essential fact, and,
with great skill and method. he set
about the task Of altering his own
shabby exterior.
In a side street leading out Of Gray's
Inn road he found q secondhand
clothes shop. Here he purchased a
worn, but decent, blue serge suit for
shillings sixpence, a pair of boots for
B shllings, cap for ninepence. wool
en- shirt for shillings and linen col
lar for threepence.
He haggled sufficiently over the bar
gain to suit the needs Of a scanty
purse. a..ssae. issSa4e~
"I've cut 'em dahn low enough" said
the shopkeeper mournfully. Things
isn't wot they was In the ole clio line,
let me tell yer. Not but what you co
want new rig-aht."
YES" said Philip. 1--WE got job
and can't keep it unless look decent"
For the life of him he could not bur
lesque the cockney accent, and al
though he used the simplest phraseolo-
gy the man glanced at him sharply.
Philip ratified all his silver and cop
pers on to the counter. He counted out
16 shillings sixpence.
"Not much left, is therer' he said.
well look ERE" said the man.
"Gimme fifteen bob. You're a sharp
lad. You'll myke yer wy all right.
Mex time you want some buds come to
me an I'll treat you fair"
THANK you very much" said Philip.
considerably surprised by this generous
act Il certainly will not forget you"
"You can change in my little back
room II you like. That lot you've got
on amt worth tykin' 'ome."
II am obliged for your kindness, but
I must be of now. 1t Is bate, and l
have long way to 60"
where tor Holloway"
mo; cityward.-
The clothes and boots were made up
In parcel by this time. Philip hui
RED away, glad to escape further ques
t1oning.
Philip sprang into bus for the Bank.
At the Royal Exchange he would catch
q green bus for the Mile End road.
It was almost dark when he reached
the Bank. Thus far the omnibuses go
ing east were not crowded. Now the
situation had changed.
The human eddy In that, throbbing
center Of life was sending of Its swirls
10 all points Of the compass, and the
eastbound vehicles were boarded by
an eager crowd almost before the pas
pengers arriving at the terminus could
descend.
A poor woman greatly hampered by
\ baby was struggling with others to
Dbtain seat in the Mile End road bus.
Philip, coming late on the scene, saw
her swept ruthlessly aside by num-
Der of men and boys. The conductor
lerkec the bellrope several times.
There was no more room.
The woman, white faced and dlsap-
pointed, looked around with woebe-
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