The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-11-19


 dreams.
 But never before had it been the stage of such a scene. Brounstein on one side of the counter and Sands on the other, and between them five crisp treasury notes for a thousand each.
 'Vaitr' said the pawnbroker, in what was meant to be commanding tone, but which was only cracked whisper. He reached behind the grilled desk for his magnifying glass, picked up one of the bills and in- spected it. Then, with the sickly smile of a man who has just been missed by an automobile, he laid the bill on the counter. Its goot!'
 An idea popped into the pawn brokers head, a shrewd idea. Ab- sently he stretched out claw to- ward the coat; but a counter-idea was already galvanizing Sands into action. He swept the suit into his arms. His head filled with Mary, he remembered now that he hadn't ripped out the little cloth tickets upon which were written his name and address, and these were not identical with those written on his pawn tickets.
 No" he said. I'll keep this suit. It's going to be an heirloom. In fact, I've an idea that I'm going to be married in it."
 With his free hand he seized the bills and rammed them into pocket. He then folded the coat, the waist coat and trousers, and wrapped them up. As he came to the knot in the string, Brounstein's finger came down upon it so it would not slip.
 ''No questions asked" he said dryly. Want your stickpins und cuff buttons?"
 "No,v Sands produced his watch. ''This cost two hundred once upon a time. Will you lend me fifty on it?" The pawnbroler threw up his hands. 'vot init five thousand in your pockut?"
 Sands laughed hysterica1ly. Hon. estly, now, that would happen to me if l tried to get a thousand dollar bill changed this time of night in this part of the town?%
 well, dere's somet'ing in dot" Brounstein admitted. All right; l giff you fifty on der watch. But. looky here. young feller, dis looks mighty stranche.'
 How stranger
 Well, how do I know dot you haffn't been ropping a pank, or steal ing somepody's suitcase? Suppose 
 look der way l half t look2"
 Sands saw at once the reasonable ness of Brounstein's stand. Got couple of chairs in the rear where we can sit down?'
 Brounstein crooked his finger, and Sands followed him along the counter fo the rear of the shop. The pawn- broker waved his hand to one of the chairs and sat down in the other.
 We'll, shoot"
 An hour later Brounstein still sat in his chair. alone now. From time to time a strange, unusual sound is- sued from his throat. No doubt the shade of Cumulative Misery looked down upon his resentfully. Laughter in this den of anguish? Chuckles in this ante-chamber of Hades? Some tLing was wrong with the world.
 Sands returned to the Calthrop house. He neither walked nor ran sprinted; he floated. As he reached the fourth landing, he paused. He wanted to kneel down and kiss the uneven board in front of Mary's door,
 Pearlsl Well, she should have them. pink as dawn. lustrous as mist in the sunshine. Nothing in the wids world would be too good for Mary.
 He emptied his drawer of com pleted and uncompleted manuscripts. the rejected and the untried-and ripped them lengthwise and sidewise, tore them into little squares which he dropped into the waste basket that literary graveyard. Not finding full satisfaction in ripping up the manuscripts, he put his foot into the basket and stamped.
 Then he went to bed; and, without the least regard for the romantic values, fell asleep almost immediate ly-fell asleep with love in his heart and five thousand in his trunk! A truly creative soul would have tossed all through the night
 That's what Mary did; and there wasn't five thousand in her trunk, either. From one pillow to the other and back; cool spot for her hot checks, a cool spot which became warm at once. She reversed the pillows smoothed them out, punched them, without finding what che sought Thus. when she sat at her drawing board in the morning, her eyes were red and swollen.
 A knock on the door made her heart jump. Physically she was in rags and tatters. Who was out there Morgan, Sands or Mrs Calthrop?
 Mary! It is I, Herbert. Open quickly, something has happened~
 Because she was in tragic mood there instantly leaped to Marys mind