The Washington times., 1913-11-19
THE DAILY SERIAL

it for bed unless you want me to give
YOU one that won't he rs soft as your
own. Where do you live?' he asked
nursing his finger.
''ThaS smi house. ri there-the one
over this way so funny. But what
wanta know s if there was eight men.
r only six men that you tackled, an
saved me from a CORY grave. You give
me your number, an I'll have you
broke-I mean promoted as a life-saver.
TIL commissioners pers'nal frien' uh
mine. N say! I know that guy that
b,oke into TIL game. off shur. Thas
Bing Harvard. BinS amt s full name,
but it's 'nuff. Used to be downtown in
a bank. | knew him-sureS' thing you
know-when the light fell on him; He 3
muscular progy-no-prodigy. Used I
tie bow-knots in crowbars. n break ball
clubs in two, across his knees We was
college chums tgether Un-huh. Thank
distinctly 'bliged.''
Compton, after assisting the errinS
citizen into his home, passed on his way
through the street. occasionally touch
ing spots Upon his person, tentatively.
He had paid little or no attention to
the prattle of the man with the load.
Only the name that had been men,
toned had sunk into his memory. for
he had beard 1t before somewhere, al
though he could not remember when or
where.
So. also, the fact that he had men
toned that name clung to the memory
of the man with the load, for notwith-
standing his befuddled condition that
night, he was a gentleman of respecta-
bility, responsibility, and position. A
class reunion and banquet had tenn
porarily diverted him from the beaten
path.
Nevertheless. the name of Bingham
Harvard-Bing, as the young man had
been called-recurred to him while he
was in his bath the following morning.
and it kept on recurring TO MIN at in
tervals during the day. so that when
3 o'clock came and he was free, he
walked several blocks IN a direction
opposite the one he usually took when
he left his office. And he entered q
prominent bank just before the doors
We're closed. and passed, without OBJ
struction, into the private office Of the
president of it.
II have called upon subject that
isn't business, Mr. Chester" he an
nounced, familiarly, 80 go ahead with
whatever engages you. I'm in no
hurry"
Nor l." was the reply. And I'm
glad to see you. You're a busy man
these days. ! suppose, and therefore
forGetful of your. fathers old friends,
Eli. Tom? What particular thing
brought you here today? I'm anxious to
hear about it"
Il saw an old acquaintance last night,
Mr.. Chester. and If ] hadn't been on
my way home from banquet. where /
had taken too much champagne, ]
would have seized upon the -~ortunity
TO renew an almost forgotten friend
ship. AS it was, 1 didn't recognize him
until after he had gone-but / think he
must have known me all the time, and
realized the condition l was in, too.
Anyhow. he followed me. and saved
me from being blackjacked and robbed.
At least, that is the way 1t looks to
me now, although I wasn't very clear
about IL at the time. 1 am referring to
Bing Harvard"
The banker Strengthened and stiffened
in his chair. His caller continued:
THE last l knew about him, he was
employed here in your bank. If ne is
here now, | wish you'd send out for
him and have him in. I'd very much
like to What's the matter?'
The bankers jaws had snapped shut
and his eyes had become hard and cold
and almost eXpressionless at the men
ton of that name. 1t was the change
from a genial friend to the practical
banker with secrets to keep that
Thmas Clancy had noticed.
He is not with us now. He has been
gone-a month. 1 don't know where he
is" the banker announced, shortly.
You speak-and act-as If the part
ing between you was not a pleasant
one" Clancy said, dryly.
Il was not. 1t was decidedly I'M
pleasant. Tom" was the slow reply.
You don't mean, do you, that Bing
went wrOng?"
Yes. l do mean that
''Stole?"
Yes"
II can't believe 1t. Mr.. Chester"
Nor could l, at first. But 1 had to,
at the end
Tell me about it, won't you? ] can't
believe but that something is amiss.
and that you have been misled. Bing
Harvard steal? Take what did not be-
long to tim? I'd as soon think
''IIl tell you about II. Tom, under
pledge of secrecy-and that is the only
NaY [ can tell 1t