The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-28

muCh L nee0I DO you KNOW lot now
long I shall need It? Do you know
what the chances are Of my making
good? You! Why, Harrod. I'd swamp
you! You can't afford"
II can afford anything-now."
Shannon stared: "You have struck
something?"
Something that puts me beyond
want" He fumbled in his breast
pocket, drew out a portfolio and from
the fiat leather case he produced a num-
bered check bearing his signature, but
not filled out.
Tell them to bring pen and ink" he
said
Shannon. perplexed. signed to a
waiter. When the ink was brough,
Harrod motioned Shannon TO take the
pen. Before went to Bar Harbor,"
he said, II had a certain sum He
hesitated. mentioned the sum In low
voice and asked Shannon to All In the
check for that amount. Now blot it,
pocket 1t and use It," he added listlessly
looking out into the lamp lighted street
Shannon. whittier than his friend
stared at the bit Of perforated yellow
paper.
81 can't take It," he stammered; my
security Is rotten. tell you-"
II want no security: IL am beyond
want" said Harrod. Take It: I came
back here for this-partly for this"
Came back here to-to-help
mel
ITO help you, Shannon. I had been q
lonely man in life: I think you never
realized how much your friendship has
been to me. I had nobody-no init
macies. You never understood-you
with all your friends-that cared more
for our casual companionship than for
anything in the world"
shannon bent his head. II did not
know it," he said.
Harrod raised his eyes and looked up
at the starless sky: Shannon ate in ST.
lence: into his young face. already
married by dissipation, a strange light
had come. And little by little order be-
gan to emerge from his whirllng senses;
he saw across an abyss bridge glitter
ing and beyond that. reckoning to him
through a white glory. all that his heart
desired.
81 was at the ropes" he muttered;
how could you know II. Harrod? IL
never whlned-"
II know more than I did-yesterday,"
said Harrod. resting his pale face on
one thin hand.
shannon, nerves on edge, all aqulver,
the blood racing through every vein. be-
gan to speak excitedly: IT'S like a
dream-one of the blessed sort--Harrod'
Harold the dreams I've had this last
year! And I try try to understand
what has happened-what you have
done for me. / can't-I'm shaking all
over. and suppose I'm sitting here eat
ing and drinking, but"
He touched his glass blindly; It tipped
| and crashed to the floor the breaking
froth Of the wine kissing on the cloth.
"Harrod! Harrod! What sort of a
man am / to deserve this of you? What
can do"
Keep your nerve-for one thing"
II will!-you mean that" touching
| the stem OF the new glass, which the
waiter had brought and was filling. He
| struck the glass till 1t rang out clear
| thrilling, crystalline note, then struck
| II more sharply 1t spintered with a
| soft splashing crash. us that all?" he
| laughed.
| mo, not ALL
what more will you let me do?"
They passed out of the dining room
| through the deserted corridors and de-
scended the stairway to the lounglne
room. 1t was unllghted and empty;
Shannon stepped back and the elder
man passed him and took the corner
chair by the wlndow-the same sea
where Shannon had first seen him sit
| ting ten years before, and where h,
| nIv lnnka1 IN And hin,
ending OF business day. And con
tinuing his thoughts the younger maj
spoke aloud impulsively:
II remember perfectly we'll how W
met. Do you? You had just come bacl
to town from Bar Harbor and saw yo'
stroll in and seat yourself in that cor
ner, and because I was sitting mex
you. you asked II you might includ
me In your order-do you remember?
"Yes, remember"
"And told you was a new membe
here and you pointed out the portrait
Of all those dead governors Of the clu
and told me what good fellows the
had been. I found out later that yo
yourself were a governor Of the club.
"Yes-I was"
Harrod's shadowy face swerve
toward the window. his eyes restin
on the familiar avenue. empty now saw
for the policeman opposite and tn
ragged children OF the poor. In Au
gust the high tide from the slum
washes Fifth avenue, stranding a gasp
ing fiotsam at the thresholds OF tn
absent.
And ! remember too what you tol
me-" continued shannon.
"What?' said Harrod, turning noise
lessly to confront his friend.
about that child. Do you remember
That beautiful child you saw? Don
you remember that you told me ho'
she used to leave her governess an
talk to you on the rocks"
YES" said HarrOd. THAT too
why / came back here to tell you tn
rest. For the evil days have come
her, Shannon, and the years dra'
nigh. Listen to me-"
There was a silence; Shannon, nut
and perpleXed. set his coffee on tn
window sill and leaned back, fiickin
the ashes from his cigar. Harrod passe
his hands slowly over his hollow ten
pies. Her parents are dead; she Is M
yet 90: she Is not equipped to suppol