Evening star., 1923-07-08


Pres Gibbs, feeling instinctively that
he would head for the river.
Then, almost as suddenly as it had
! begun, the storm ceased. The sun
burst out over d radiant, dripping
world. People ventured from door
ways and dwellings to appraise the
extent of the damage.
| Happy Sally came back from the
river after a time. satisfied old Pres
| trance to Riverview cemetery, she
chanced to look in.
And there among the graves she
| caught sight OF the man she was
after. He had been frightened out
of his frenzy b. the violence of the
storm.
The world was bathed in molten
gold as Sally confronted him. The
old man moved over to the steps Of
the Preston mausoleum and sat down
Sally shook out her skirts, twisted
up her hair and sat down beside him.
| Il know all about 1t, Mr. Gibbs"
=, she said quietly. But why did you
do 1t? Was twas it-Ruth?"
| "Ruthie-and her mother-yes," he
| answered. Things were 50 hard at
home, and money was SO scarce"
And he went back and told her
| what his life had been for years.
| Happy Sally listened. only inter-
rupting with an occasional word of
sympathy.
And when the old mans story was
4 nj ad cot = a
silent.
"Mr. Gibbs" she said that moneys
got to be put back. It's Mr.. Hod's.
He's having a hard enough time to
run his newspaper. Yes-it's got to
| be made up to him"
81 can't give it back; I've spent 1t.
spent it for Ruthie and her mother
just to get some peace at home" the
old man answered.
Happy Sally Brown swallowed
hard.
i've got some money, Mr.. Gibbs"
she declared in a husky whisper, Its
what mother left me. I'll loan it to
you. And If you can't ever pay 1t
back-well-it won't matter much"
Old Pres turned away.
"I can't take it." he muttered.
"1ll make you take it. It's the
price of my silence" Happy Sally
Brown declared. IT didn't nose into
your books expecting to discover a
shortage. 1t just-happened. But I
haven't told anybody yet-and !
won't, providing you take the money
mother left and make it up to Mr..
Hod."
"But Hod'll know" Pres pleaded.
"Put it back a few dollars a day at
a time-just as you took it," Sally
answered. Think of Rutland your
wife. What chance will Ruth have
] to marry the man she hopes to marry
If it all becomes public property?
II won't take your money!" he de-
clared with what vehemence was left
him.
after all, Mr.. Gibbs, 1t isn't my
money; it's mothers, the girl you told
me about" Sally went on. she loved
you when you were both young, loved
you more than you ever dreamed.
think If she knew you were In this
trouble now she'd want you to have
it. After all, she's to blame in a way.
If she hadn't married my dad as she
did you and she would have belonged
to each other and been happy, and
this-this wouldn't have happened.
Yes, Mr.. Gibbs, think mother would
want you should have it,
And so Sally at last made old Pres
agree to accept her money.
TT has been year almost to day
i since the afternoon of "the big
thunderstorm
About two months ago Sam Hod
leaned back in his swivel chair one
Saturday afternoon and frowned.
where in Sam Scratch is all this
money coming from?" he demanded.
"Tm getting more money'n 1 ever
made in the newspaper business in
imy life There's a reason for 1t.
There must be-!
Old Pres Gibbs looked up from his
books, and his shallow face went
white. But Happy Sally only
laughed.
"It's a good year in the newspaper
business everywhere" she declared
"All the publishers say So"
/ "well," answered Sam, "it's SO
darned coed that feel able to afford
a certified public accountant to audit
our books, Something's happened
somewhere and I'm going to find out
where noticed too, Sally, that Its
Il az -