The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-01-14
CHAPTER ~.
(ContInued.)


Hold on, john" said Langham, de,
tanning him. Evelyn is home. She
came quite unexpectedly TODAY; you
won leave town without getting up
70 the house to see herr
81 think shall" replied NortL has
THY. II much prefer not TO say good
bye"
"Oh. nonsense" cried Langham.
mo, Marsh, don't intend to say
Kood-bye TO any one!h North quietly
turned back into the room.
IT had intended having you up 70
the house tonight for a blowout,
urged Langham, but North shook ms
head "You and Gilmore, JacF; ana
by the way, this puts me In q nice
holei ! have already asked Gilmore
and he's coming. Now, how the dew
am ! to get out OF 1t? | can't spring
him alone on the family circle, ana
don't want to hurt his teenngs'
call II on, Marsh; say couldn't
come; that's good enough excuse u
give Gilmore. Why, that fellows a
common card-sharp, you cant ask
Evelyn 10 meet him."
A slight noise In the hall caused
both men to glance toward the door,
4
threshold the swarthy-faced Gilmore.
There was a brief embarrassed
silence. and then North nodded to the
newcomer, but the salutauon was not
returned.
aWell. good-by, Marsh" he said,
and turned to the door. AS he brush
ed past the gambler their eyes met
for an instant, and IN that instant
4
"I'll fix you for that, so help me
iood. / will" he said, but North made
mo answer He passed down the nail
down the stairs, and out into the
street.
-MeBfIae.s-was- directly opposite ON
the corner OF High-st and the Square
a mean two-story structure OF frame
across the shabby front OF which huhS
a shabby creaking sign bearing Wit
ness that within might be found:
"Archibald Mcbride, Hardware and
Cutlery, Implements and Bar iron.
Mcbride had kept store on that cor
ner time out OF mind.
He was an austere unapproachaOle
old man, having no relatives OF whom
any one knew; with few friends ana
fewer intimates; rich man, accord,
ing to the Mount Hope standard, ana
miser according to the Mouat-Hope
gossip, with the miser's traditional
suspicion of banks. II was rumoreu
that he had hidden away vast sums
OF money in his dingy store, or In the
closely-shuttered rooms above, where
the odds and ends of the merchandise
IN which he dealt had accumulated ia
rusty and neglected heaps.
The old man wore an air or ms,
terry. and this air of mystery extended
to his place of business. Ii was dark
and dirty and ill-kept. On the
brightest summer day the sunlgnt
stole vaguely in through grimy COD
webbed windows. The dust OF years
had settled deep on unused shelVes
and In abandoned corners, and whole
4 days were said to pass when no one
but the ancient merchant himself en-
tered the building. Yet in spite Oh the
trade that had gone elsewhere he hau
grown steadily richer year by year.
When North entered the store he
found Mcbride busy with his books
I'm his small back office. lean black
cat asleep on the desk at his elbow.
Good afternoon, John!' said the
old merchant as he turned from his
high desk, removing as he did SO
pair of heavy steel-rimmed spectacles
that dominated a high-bridged nose
which in turn dominated q wrinDed
and angular face.
Il thought should find you her@!
said North.
you'll always find me here for
\ weekday" and he gave the young fe!-
low the fleeting suggestion OF smile.
He had q liking for North, whose faith
or, years before, had been one OF the
few friends he had made in Mount
Hope.
The Norths had been among the
towns earliest settlers, Johns grand
father having taken his place among
the pioneers when Mount Hope had
little but It's name to warrant Its place
on the map. At his death stephen,
his only son, assumed the family
headship, married, toiled, thrtyed ana
finished his course following his wife
to the old burying ground after a few
lonely heart-breahng months, and
leaving John without kin, near or far,
but with a good name and fair riches.
II have brought you those gas
bonds, Mr.. Mcbride" said North, go
ing at once to the purpose OF his
visit.
The old merchant nodded under
standingly.
IT hope you can arrange to let me
have the money for them today" con-
tinued North.
II think can manage II, John.
Atkinson and Judge Langham's boy,
Marsh, we're just here and left bit
OF cash. Maybe / can make up the
sum. While he was speaking, he
had gone to the safe which stood open
IN one corner OF the small office.
In a moment he returned To the
desk with q roll of bills in his hands
which he counted lovingly, placing
them, one by one, in neat pile be
fore him. ...
"You're still. In the humor to go