Weekly Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1919-1920, 1919-04-02
CHAPTER x.

In Which Life-Weary Man Puts
His Troubles Up to a World-Wise
Fatherly Old Fellow and Things
Begin to Look Up For the Purses.
Jack stopped along the six miles
into Paris hoping against hope that
he could reach Preston Hill before
Mary left. If he could only do that,
he could explain to old man Ezekial
that he had not put the good woman
"up to it,"-that she had interviewed
him of her own accord and in her
ignorance of the ways in which men
did business and looked upon such
things. He could try to convince the
old financier that he was not the
kind that had to send women to plead
for him-that was the shame of it.
Down below McDermott's he
heard horse and rig coming along
the muck and slush of the road. He
recognized Timothy Bailey's old
white horse and high-bodied buggy.
He stepped out in front.
"Tim, Tim," he cried, shave you
just come from Paris?"
The long, lank young farmer de-
clared that he had.
Ibid you pass my little black mare
on the road,-with my wife driving
herr"
"Reckon I did," returned Tim,
down near Marshall Mills pond
bottoms"
"Tim,-would you turn your horse
around and drive like the devil to
overtake her? 1'll pay you WE'LL!
"Youll pay me! drive like the
devil! say, what tn hell, Jack?
you're woman amt runnin' away
from you, be she?"
"No,-she's started on an errand to
Paris that's an awful mistake and
misunderstanding. I've got to reach
her before she gets to a certain par
ty. Please, timothy"
Timothy backed his old white horse
clumsily about and the two men splat-
tered back toward the town.
Twenty-Five minutes later they
reached the top of Preston hill on the
west side of Paris village and turned
south on Vermont Avenue. Here
stretched our residential section con-
tanning the homes of our summer
people. One fine old-fashioned place
with broad verandas stood back from
the walk amid lawn dotted with
silver birches. At the hitching post
a rig was tied. Jack Purse recog-
nized the horse from afar.
"Old Zeke's place!" echoed limo
thy. "Cripes! What's you're woman
aoin, at old ZekeIsz$
81 can't tell you-now," returned
Jack. allow much for bringing me
here, Tim? You don't need to wait.
I'll drive home with Mary"
II guess you don't owe me
nothin'. had trouble with my wo-
men folks myself. We all do"
He would take no pay. Jack a.
lighted and went up the walk.
Panic siezed him as he approached
the enormous pile which he had al
ways viewed from the street and
which increased in size and ominous
dignity like a nightmare as he came
close. He could never ring the bell
and 60 into this house and face the
man of whom leading financial writ
er had once penned: when E. E.
Ezekial takes snuff we all sneeze"
And yet Mary was in there now,
putting him to shame. And Timothy
Bailey was down at the end of the
walk standing in his buggy and
watching to behold the miracle of
Jack Purse gaining an entrance to the
SWEETEST" place in Paris, and ready
with embarrassing questions if he
went soft now and turned back. He
had to 60 on. He pulled the china
white knob of the bell as in a dream.
A horse-faced man servant came
in response to the summons. He,
snapped on a light over Jacks head
and the whole broad varanda was
illmined.
81 want to see Mr.. Ezekial. |
I've got to see him on something
real important. Purse is the name.
I'm from the local newspaper"
"Wait here" directed the servant. !
81 believe Mr.. Ezekial is busy at
present"
ayes, l know! Tell him that's
just what l want to see him about
I'll not take No for an answer. !
l cantw
The servant left the big glass door
ajar. In moment he was back.
"Mr. Ezekial says he'll give you fif-
teen minutes because you're on
the local paper. Follow mew
He led Jack into a richly appointed
hall and up a wide staircase. They
turned the balustrade post in front
of stained-glass window with lux
urious window-seat and went down
the upper hall. At door on the
right the servant tapped. /
CAN right! declared heavy voice.
Jack was being consumed with ague
and nerves. His thoughts were con-
fused, his vision blurred. He only
knew he was going to make some
sort of an apology to old man Eze-
kial, explain that it didn't matter
what his wife had asked, he knew
how business men looked on such
things and would seek the capital in
L = y 4 II