The broad ax., 1926-08-14
The Truth Will
Out
ny III. IRVING KING
(copyright.)

y
- everybody who counted-was filed
with that pleasurable excitement
which comes to society In a small
town when q new and unexpected
piece OF gossip pops up. Rockdale
was not such very small town, either.
1t had ten thousand inhabitants and
bank. The bank was a branch OF
a great financial institution In the
neighboring city and was managed By
Lorenzo Downing. The news was
that "Ren Downing-for to Rem had
his Lorenzo shrunk on the lips Of his
fellow townsmen-was going to marry
Mary Carfax. Lorenzo was thirty
one and Mary was twenty-eight.
It all started from Matilda Lagree
happening to see the bank manager
and Miss Carfax talking earnestly to-
gether In the postoffice lobby. NATL
da tried to edge near enough to over
hear what they were talking about.
She heard-or thought she heard
Lorenzo say: Il have looked forward
to this for long time. We may con-
slider 1t settled thenr' And Mary
had dropped her eyes and replied,
YES" What did 1t meant What
could II meanf Only one thing. and
of sped Matilda to spread the news.
What the bank manager and Miss
Carfax had really been talking about
was the taking over Of the local bank
at Plympton, a languishing institu-
ton six miles away, by the big bank
In the city OF which Lorenzo's bank
was a branch, and consolidating the
said Plympton bank with the branch
bank at Rockdale. And Mary Oarfax
had a large block Of stock IN the
Plympton bank which Lorenzo, a.
agent for his employers, was anxious
to purchase from her.
TITS the most surprising piece Of
news I ever heard" said Mrs. Ath-
erton Gage over the teacups two hours
later to Mrs. Roger Fleming and 9TH
srs. "why, I don't believe they have
met each other a dozen times since
Rem came back here to take the bank.
They used to know each other ~
children, Of course. Let me sect Zen
went away about ten years ago after
his uncle, Judge Peleg Downing. Died
and did not leave the fortune Rem
and everybody else was expecting the
boy would get From that time. until
Rem came back, I don't believe no
and Mary ever met"
AnHNA Whtfa xwou nnn ~ fhA Awm&
to hear the news after II had been
promulgated by Matilda Lagree.
Annie was a character, an institu-
ton. She was to Rockdale what the
wandering minstrels were to the Mid
die ages. When the mistress Of the
house heard that annie White was
In the Kitchen" she always found
an excuse to visit that region. When
In pursuit of her calling Annie was
afraid Of no man. Half an hour after
she heard Matilda Lagree's news she
met Lorenzo ON the street and put II
to him plumply: "Mr. Downing, are
you and Mary Carfax going to get
marriedr
Lorenzo gasped, stared at his ques-
toner for q full minute In silence,
appeared to be thinking quickly, re-
piled yes"
That afternoon Mrs. Sam Rogers
called Mary up by telephone to "con-
graduate" her.
"Why, what are you talking aboutr'
said Mary Indignantly.
"Oh, it's all over town." said Mrs.
Rogers. annie White was just here
and said she met Rem Downing on
the street and asked him IL 1t was
true, and he said Yes"
Mary was "mad clear through"
She called up the bank and told the
clerk who answered the telephone
that she wanted to see Mr.. Downing
ut her house lust as soon az he
could make 1t convenient"
"Why did you tell Annie White
that we were to be marriedT she
asked friRidly when Lorenzo put In
an appearance.
doagedly. "Now just sit down and
listen to me. have been looking
for an opportunity to reopen an old
matter between us which was never
satisfactorily settled. Do you re-
member that evening, ten years ago,
when you and I watched the sun not
from High Rock hill? There was the
scent OF new-mown hay from neigh
boring field; from the woods came
now and then the sound OF q bird
singing Its goodnight song The sky
was flaming with colors that mingled
and melted and faded into a great pur-
Die dome In which the stars came out
and we were young"
eyes," replied Mary In softened
voice, II remember It."
"And l asked you to be my wffe,"
went on Lorenzo; land you laughed
at me and said not to talk foolish |;
I was only a boy; to wait until I
was grown up. In the meantime I
would probably find some one T liked
better-as you were very sure you
would find some one you preferred 10
me. I haven't found anybody liked
better, Mary-have your
swell, no, / don't think I have,
Rem" replied Mary blushing. But
ron have been back three years now
and never-and I was hoping you
wuuid-to tell the truth"
Il was afraid to speak, Mary he
answered gently. ''The risk was 20
great You treated me Tn such IN