Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-02-01

There's his table and his typewriter"
do you suppose" said I, that Mr.
Eurland would object to my using his
Typewriter for about two minutes,
While I'm waiting? would like to
write little note"
Size made haste to show me into the
authors study, and presently I had
written upon a sheet of heavy type
writer paper the words. "In payment
Of tie debt which you may not remem-
Der"
IL; result was even more conclusive
than l had hoped. The Irregularities
that lad appeared in the original were
faithfully reproduced in my copy. Be-
yond doubt the line accompanying
the money which had been sent to me
had been written with this instrument.
I returned to the veranda. and pres
emily Mrs. Colvin came. She greeted
me with sincere good will and without
a trace Of embarrassment.
Mrs. Colvin,' said 1. there Is q
small matter of business between US.
l have recently been led to review the
old accounts, and find that there has
been an error. owe you something
like a hundred dollars"
She regarded me shrewdly, with an
interest which I would venture to call
afectiOnate. *
"How did you learn that was press
ed for money!" she asked, and then,
after a pause: But you needn't tell
me. It is very kind Of you to offer me
this help, and do need it. I had
to make an unexpected payment
"And by a singular coincidence"
payment. The sum was $685."
'And you don't know who sent it."
she said. How odd! This seems like
some romantic restitution. Have you
ever been robbed? Why, yes, surely
when you lived here. How much was
it that was taken"
Eight hundred and fifty dollars" I
replied.
"And this sum?''
WAS $780,"
There was a moments silence. Then
she said, hesitating, could - could
there be-interest, perhaps?"
Mental arithmetic has been my forte
since childhood, but this was the quick
est calculation that ever I made:
Eight hundred and fifty dollars, with 6
per cent interest for twenty-eight
months, 1.14xS5O=960. l saw It In
fash, and it fairly stunned me.
Sydney Durland, accepted sutton of
the woman loved, had striven to ease
his conscience on the eve Of marriage
by making this restitution, and in so
doing lie had put his liberty and per
haps his life into my hands.
"Well," said Mrs. Colvin, smiling,
what do you think Of my explana-
tion?"
I made Jest Of it and turned her
mind away.
Mrs. ,Colvin insisted that l should
stay to dinner. and as it had now be-
come necessary that should see Dur
land I accepted the invitation. So We
passed to Indifferent topics Of CONVEX
sation and finally to Amy's approach
ing marriage. and heard much praise
Of Durland.
Il confess that when he first came here
and l began to know him I was almost
afraid Of him, he had such respondent
and desperate views Of life. But he IL
a different man now = -
Some matter of the household de-
manded Mrs. Colvin's attention, and
was left alone with narrowing thoughts.
I am a narrow man in my judgment
OF character and have small faith In
reformation. I saw Amy Colvin about
to marry q thief and housebreaker. .
man Of weak principle and criminal
tendencies.
was aroused from this black rev.
erie by the sound Of Amy's voice, and.
looking through the vine covered trel-
lis, saw her at the gate with Durland.
He entered alone, and she went on,
doubtless upon some errand to neigh
boris house. I saw how this momen-
tary parting tugged at their hearts. I
read the love in her eyes, and my whole
being became one agony Of bitterness
and loss.
~ Durland came up the walk, his head
turned over his shoulder, his eyes fol-
lowing her, as a needless child runs
upon danger in the delight Of play. He
tripped upon the steps and the next in
slant looked up into my face. Not only
did the blood ebb ava y from his
cheeks, but the bronze Of the sun SEEM
ed to be washed out of them. He put
up his hand to his heart, and his lips
fell open.
He assumed instantly that had
traced his money back to him and had
discovered his onense. a,
"Durland," said I. 1.-The truth! de-
mand It" s...-
He ascended the steps unsteadily and
staggered into the house, beckoning me
to follow him, but when we had reach
ed his room saw that he had regained
command Of himself. Facing me and
speaking In a firm tone, he said:
''This is my story: I never had any
money. When I was In college got
into debt, and-and I stayed in debt. I