The Kevin review., 1926-08-19

'Don't do that" the young man begged
"Just lock it up for me till go, viii you
I'm such careless chap, III only lose II
l shall have the pleasure of seeing yo'
later, Miss Tidd.
The resources of the Melhampton Arm
had never been more lavishly drawn upon
but a chill sat in the bank managers near
which no champagne had power to remove
He drank probably more wine than ne na'
ever drunk before in his life, but W1thou
at any time becoming suject to its cheering
influence. AS a matter of fact, however
although his host never failed in his re
spectful attention, Mr. Tidd was very muei
the third party at the feast. The Iree
masonry of youth asserted itself with eI
fortress triumph. Strangers to one anotn
lers country, habits, and without commei
acquaintances, the two young people, pe
fore the evening was over had estaDnsheo
an intimacy which might have Deen ~
years standing. Mr.. Tidd was Faguel
puzzled, but then he was a person re-
moved from the actual throb of lire;
was the evening of the twenty first OF June
and life for him extended no further tnaI
/ the second OF July. He was Just conscious
that there was even more respect than US
ual in Mrs. Dowdswell's friendly gooo,
night" as they left the inn, and ne was
conscious too of Sylvias warm happiness
as she took leave Of him for the night Al
/ terwards, he had to lie for hours on ms
plain wooden bedstead, shrinking from the
| ghosts that crowded to his side. Tney
were all ugly. Ugliest of all was MI NeV-
| inSOn, opening and shutting ledger De-
| fore his victims face.
! The young man had without doubt good
manners. After the TENNIS practice the
| next morning, he presented himSelr most
apologetically before the bank counter ana
begged for permission to take Miss sylvia
| for a short motor ride. Mr.. Tidd consented
on consideration that she was to be PACK
by one O'Clock. The young man PROMISED
| and departed in search of his car.
! At the moment of actual catastrophe, MI
Tidd was engaged with small client VINO
was endeavoring to arrange an oyerdraIt
| of ten pounds. SyIvia's shrieks, however,
and the sound of a cOmmOtion in the street
brought him hastily out to the front steps
of the bank. What had happened was soon
made clear MelhamptOn was laid out, as
many other Devonshire towns, on the up
and down principle; that is to say tnat
the two or three main roads, instead OF
converging in decent horizontal fashlOn
into the heart of the town, descended
from the range of hills which surrounded
it with an abruptness familiar to Devon
isns but exceedingly disconcerting to trav-
elers from more normal countries. An ar
my wagon with an Indifferent brake came
down the steep incline into the main street,
lust as Mr. jeremiah II. Preedy was bring
ing his eighty horse power car with
graceful sweep, from the hotel archway to
his destination. Mr.. Jeremiah Preedy was
carried into the spare room at Bank mouse,
suffering from mild concussion of the
brain. In lucid intervals, however, the
young man was most reassuring.
'You don't need to worry about me, he
declared, the SccOuu udg dlleT hlo OdN ANP
pening, turning over on his side and ad-
dressing Mr.. Tidd, who had come to pay
him visit. "Our college doctor once told
after football match, that If New YORK
and Pennsylvania locomotive went over my
head, it would only get derailed. / Just
hope I'm not inconveniencing you, but II
can lie here quietly for day or two,
and Miss Sylvia can read to me now and
then when she's got a minute or two to
spare, I'll be all right in no time. Gee,
but it was smash though! Is there any
thing left of the old bus?"
"Your automobile is in the hands OF
the local repairer," Mr. Tidd replied. He
assures me that the damage is trifling. We
shall consider it a privilege to have you re-
main with us until you are 1uiiy recoV-
cred"
Mr.. Tidd took his departure, and the
invalid turned to Sylvia.
Say, Miss Sylvia" he confided your
lads some talker! Why the manager 'e Of
he style and manner he has Kind o., OF
wasted down in this little town, isn't he?'' 9
Sylvia flushed with pleasure. 49,,
dad hasn't any luck she signed. an !
he same, 1 think in way he's quite
lappy."
"You wouldn't care about settling down :
lere all the rest of your life yourself, )
would you,'' the young man asked anxious :
v. "What I mean to say is, you're not '
lind of welded to the placer" L
'The doctor says you are not to tax, f
vas the demure reply. v
The accident to Mr.. Jeremiah H. Preedy n
happened on June. the twenty-se second. ON
Tune the twenty-ninth he sat up IN ms a
oom On July the first he took stroll b
Gaming on Sylvia's arm, and on July the f
econd at quarter past nine, at MI fl
,idd's earnest solicitation, he descended b
nto the bank parlor for an interview M. e
lidd sat where his eyes could command the Fl
Dad, down which before long he expected s.
o see the approach of the car. o
"Mr Tidd." the young man began, as
0 have few words with me, but I guess b
we got something to say to you which II
ad better come first
The flat of Mr. Tidds hand struck the b
able in front of him gently but firmly
hen for the first time the young man not a,
ed that his strange host had changed n
uring the last ten days, more even than r.
e, the presumed invalid. Mr.. Tidd was r.
'oking. worn and shrun ken me genlal D,
omposity of his manner had vanished he Fl
as like man who had spoken with death. a,
''What I have to say to you, Mr. Peredy or
lust be said without delay With your Fl
a little more difficult to understand, yet re
lease listen carefully and do not inter W
Mr. Tidd told his drab story, and he IL IL
Id it as only man who had passed ~
rough the anguish of hell could have a ~
Id it. Before him, the young man sat
iralyzed with the horror of the slowly al
1foIded drama. He himself lived through q.
lie agony of those cold days and sleep ve
IS nights He had been told not to in " "
rrupt Interruption would have been IN
lpossibIe. His tongue seemed dry ana hi
ere was lump in his throat IF IF
"Now l come" Mr. Tidd wound up and H.;
s tone seemed to have a hard rasp in 1t, as ss
O the day when you arrived, drew ne
inbred pounds without filling in the ac- he
unit, and, believing me, as everyone else hi
les, to be an honest man, left your let oil
r of credit on my counter / tried to
We it back to you that night. You beg
d me to take care of it. / have taken =
re of it. 1 have filled in the amount
u drew from me for a thousand pounds