The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-30

room. where shortly Miss Rowly joined him. He had not expected this. and was uneasy in mind. His idgetinR was not unobserved by the nstute old lady. He was disconcerted; -overwheImed'' would better have rescrtbed his feel. ings when she said.
 Miss Norman is sorry she cannot see you today as she is making a visit: but she has given me q message TOT you. or rather a commission to dis charge l am not much in the habit of doing financial business, so you must excuse me if I am awkward in any way. Perhaps you had better sit down at the table; there are writing mater iais there. and I shall want receipt of some sort.-
 In an impulsive way he blurted out.
 Stephen did not say anything about receipt" The other smiled sweetly as she said in calm ways
 "But unfortunately Miss Norman 10 not hare: and so have to do the best can. really must have some proof that I have fulfilled my trust. You see, MT. Everard. though f Is what law yers call a friendly transaction. it fs more or less a business act; and must protect myself"
 Protect yourseIfI what dc you menng~ asked Leonard amazed.
 s'Certainfwr'--she atfM smiled For instance. let us suppose. Mir. Everard--- ' of course an impossible thing, but let us take 1t as an iliusfratlon--suppose that you were afterwards to repudiate the tranKactioni"
 How do you mean7" he intercepted She went on serenelx:
 "That you should say. for instancA that you never had had the money, what position should I be in? I would be put in position where even my own honor might be held in question; of not having fuihlled what I had likely that Miss Norman should ever have such q suspicion. but some one else might. 1 must therefore have some sort of acknowledgement from you and certainly thought t'-this was said with considerable stiffness-"that you would have no hesitation in writ ing for me what I should wish"
 When will stephen be backT asked Leonard with a directness which un- der the circumstances seemed rude. The old Iady's eyes flashed; her precautions were being Justified.
 T can hardly tell you" ahe said. My niece. Kiss Norman. regulates her own movements. She will probably re- main the night wherever she is at sum ther prided herself on the verbal ouib- bic in this answer. Then with little extra stiffness she said:
 "Of course if you prefer, Mir. Ever ard. we can hold this over till AfIss Norman is here herself I should never have wished to take part in the trans action If she had not asked me. I have noe been uaed to deal with large sums of money. and this seems to me ,,so large that I wish to do all that is right
 n don't see the necessity of re- cefptg' he said again T am quite sure stephen would not wish ity' he said almost brutally. He did not. as he had often said. take much stock in old women. She rose up saying:
 well. perhaps we had better wait. There is certainly no hurry insofar as I am concerned. Miss Norman told me that the matter required haste Stayi" she added. There is way breaking in upon her There Is a way of avoiding the necessity of such. can get in one or two of the servants! The presence of some one Is all I should require for my part" She con- tinued looking at him with a. glad smile as of one released from an embarrass- ment.
 Leonard saw that he was checkmat- ed; and besides. time pressed He sat down at the table. Taking up a pen and drawing a sheet of paper towards him. he said with what command of his voice he could:
 What am to writer The old lady took from her basket folded sheet of notepaper. and. putting, on her read- ing glasses. said. as she smoothad 1t out:
 T think 1t would be we'll to say something like this--T. Leonard Ever ard. of BFindehow. in the Parish of Eormanstsnd, in the County of Norces-