The Desired Woman(Fiscle Part-3 Of 2) by Will N. Harben (mind reading books .TXT) 📖

Unsullied Name Of A Man Like Delbridge Might Rescue The

Institution From The Actual Ruin Which Was Apt To Follow Such A

Scandal And The Accompanying Report Of Old Mitchell's Financial

Estrangement From His Son-In-Law.

 

Mostyn Approached Wright,  The Cashier,  With The Intention Of Inquiring

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Where Saunders Was When He Heard Wright Speaking To A Man Through The

Grating As He Turned A Check Over In His Hand. "I Am Sorry," He Was

Saying,  "But,  While It Is Small,  We Could Not Cash It Without

Identification."

 

"That's Why I Brought It To You," The Man Answered. "I Know Mr.

Saunders. I've Seen Him Several Times Up In The Mountains. He Cashed A

Check For Me Up There Once,  And Said If I Ever Happened To Be Down

Here To Drop In To See Him."

 

"He Is Out Just Now,  But Will Be In Very Soon," Wright Said. "Won't

You Come Into The Waiting-Room And Take A Seat?"

 

Stooping Down A Little,  Mostyn Was Enabled To See The Face Of The

Applicant. It Was That Of John Leach,  The Tramp Preacher. Their Eyes

Met. Mostyn Bowed And Smiled. Then He Touched Wright On The Arm Just

As He Was About To Shove The Check Back To Its Owner. "I Know Him," He

Said. "It Is All Right."

 

Mostyn Noticed A Look Of Astonishment Struggling On The Tanned

Features Of The Preacher,  But He Turned Away Just As Wright Was

Counting Out The Money. He Would Go Out And Find Saunders,  He Decided,

And Get The Detail Pertaining To The Sale Of Stock Off His Mind.

Outside He Looked Up The Street,  Seeing Saunders And Delbridge

Standing On The Corner In Conversation.

 

"Delbridge Is Crazy To Make The Deal," He Said,  Bitterly. "That Is

What He Is Talking About Now. Well,  He May Have It. I Am Down And Out.

I Am In No Shape To Attend To Business. Besides,  I'll Want To Hide

Myself From The Public Eye. Yes,  He Will Protect My Interest,  And I

Shall Need All The Funds I Can Rake Together. Great God! How Did This

Ever Come About? Only The Other Day I Had Some Hope,  But Now Not A

Shred Is Left. Delbridge Was My Financial Rival. Neck And Neck We Ran

Together,  The Talk Of The Town; But Now--Yes,  He Can Wipe His Feet On

Me. Look At Him--He's Grinning--He's Laughing--He Is Telling One Of

His Funny Yarns To Pretend To Saunders That He Is Indifferent About

The Stock. Huh! Well He May Laugh. Who Knows,  Perhaps _His_ Luck Will

Turn? The Man That Counts On Luck Is God's Fool."

 

Mostyn Took Out A Cigar As He Approached The Two Men. "Match?" He

Asked Delbridge. The Financier Gave Him One,  And Mostyn Struck It On

The Canvas Back Of A Small Check-Book And Applied It To The End Of His

Cigar. "Saunders Says You Have Made Him An Offer For His Block Of Bank

Stock," He Puffed,  Slowly.

 

"Yes,  I Made Him A Proposition." Delbridge's Face Fell Into Sudden

Shrewd Rigidity. "I Have About That Amount Of Money Idle Just Now.

Saunders Says He Feels That You Are Entitled To A Preference Of The

Stock,  And That Until You Decide What You Want To Do My Offer Must

Hang In The Air."

 

Mostyn Flicked At The Ashless Tip Of His Cigar. "I Have Thought It

Over," He Said,  "And,  On The Whole,  Delbridge,  I Am Sure Your Name

Will Help The Bank's Standing,  And I Hope You And Saunders Will Make

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The Deal."

 

"Oh,  That's All Right,  Then," Delbridge Beamed. "Well,  Saunders,  I'll

Consider It Settled,  Then. I'll Walk Into The Bank With You Now. I May

Be Too Busy Later In The Day."

 

Mostyn Moved On. He Crossed The Viaduct Over The Railway Tracks And

Walked Aimlessly For Several Squares,  Bowing To Acquaintances On The

Way. Presently He Turned And Began To Retrace His Steps,  Without Any

Plan Of Action Other Than Keeping His Legs In Motion.

 

At The Corner Of The Street He Came Face To Face With Leach. The Man

Smiled Cordially And Brushed His Long Hair Back Over His Ear With His

Delicate Hand. "I Was Just Wondering Where I've Seen You Before." He

Extended His Hand. "You Certainly Surprised Me In The Bank Just Now

When You Stood For Me Like You Did."

 

Mostyn Explained That He Had Heard Him Preach At Wartrace's Store Five

Years Before.

 

"Say,  I Remember Now," Leach Cried. "Wasn't You Sitting On The Porch

Of The Store?"

 

Mostyn Nodded. "Yes,  And I Enjoyed Your Talk Very Much. I Have Thought

Of It A Good Many Times Since."

 

"I Remember You Now Powerful Well--Powerful Well. I Seldom Forget A

Face,  And If A Man Shows That He Is Listening Close,  As You Did That

Day,  It Helps Me Along. Do You Know,  I Put You Down As About The Best

Listener I Ever Had. I Saw It In Your Face And Eyes. You Got Up And

Left Before I Was Through,  Or I'd Have Spoken To You. It Seemed To Me

That You Was Bothered Powerful Over Something. Being In Prison As Long

As I Was Gave Me What You Might Call Second-Sight. You May Not Believe

It,  But I Can Actually Feel A Stream Of Thought Coming From Folks Now

And Then. I Can Detect Trouble Of Any Spiritual Sort In The Face Or In

The Touch Of A Hand. It Isn't Any Of My Affair,  But Right Now I Have A

Feeling That You Are Bothered. I Reckon You Business Men Have A Lot To

Trouble You In One Way And Another."

 

"Yes,  It Is Constant Worry," Mostyn Answered,  Evasively.

 

"This Ain't No Time To Preach," Leach Went On,  With His Characteristic

Laugh; "But I Feel Like Scolding Every Town Man I Meet. This Place Is

No Better Suited To Real Happiness Than A Foundry Is For Roses To

Bloom In. If You Want To Breathe God's Breath,  Smell The Sweet Perfume

Of His Presence,  And Walk In The Wonderful Light Of His Glory,  Throw

This Dusty Grind Off And Go Out Into Nature. Get Down On Your All-

Fours And Hug It. Stop Making Money. When You've Got A Pile Of It As

High As That Sky-Scraper There You Haven't Got As Much Actual Wealth

As A Honey-Bee Carries In One Single Flight Through The Sunlight. I

Never Saw Heaven's Blaze In The Eye Of A Money-Maker,  But I _Have_

Seen It In The Black Face Of A Shouting Nigger At A Knock-Down-And-

Drag-Out Revival. I Intimated That I Was Happy When You Heard Me Five

Years Ago,  I Reckon. Well,  Since Then I Have Become So Much More So

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That That Time Seems Like Stumbling-Ground,  Full Of Ruts And Snags.

Oh,  I Could Tell You Wonders,  Wonders,  Wonders! There Never Was An

Emperor I'd Swap Places With. If You Ever Get In Trouble,  Come Talk

To Me. Hundreds Of Men And Women Have Opened Their Hearts To Me And

Cried Their Troubles Out Like Little Children. I Couldn't Tell You How

To Get The Best Of A Man In A Speculation Here In This Hell-Hole Of

Iniquity,  But I Can Show You How You Can Tie A Thousand Of God's

Spirit-Cords To You And Be Drawn So High Above All This That You Won't

Know It Is In Existence. Going To The Country This Summer? I Am. I'm

Headed For The Mountains Now. I Just Dropped In Here To Collect The

Little Money That Comes To Me Every Quarter. I See You Are In A Hurry;

Well,  So Long. God Be With You,  Friend. I'm Going To Pray For You. I

Don't Know Why,  But I Am. I'm Going To Pray For This Whole Rotten

Town,  But I'll Mention You Special. Good-By."

 

"He May Be Right," Mostyn Mused,  As He Strode On Toward The Bank. "He

_Is_ Right--He _Is_!"

 

 

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Irene Was On The Train Bound For Charleston. She Was Seated In One Of

The Big Easy-Chairs In The Parlor-Car,  Idly Scanning A Magazine And

Looking Out At The Dingy And Sordid Outskirts Of Atlanta Through Which

The Train Was Moving With Increasing Speed. The Conductor Passed,

Punched Her Ticket,  And Went On. He Had Glanced At Her With Masculine

Interest,  For She Showed By Her Sedate Dignity,  Smallest Detail Of

Attire,  And Every Visible Possession,  That She Was A Passenger Of

Distinction.

 

Presently Buckton Came In At The Front Door And Approached Her. An

Exultant Smile Swept His Flushed Face As He Bent Down Over Her.

 

"Thank God,  We Are Off!" He Chuckled. "I Was Simply Crazy At The

Station--First With Fear That You Would Not Come,  And Next That We'd

Be Noticed,  But I Don't Believe A Soul Recognized Us. I Was Seated

Behind A Newspaper In The Waiting-Room Watching For You Like A Hawk. I

Saw You Get Out Of The Cab And Come In. God,  Darling,  You Don't Know

How Proud I Felt To Know That You Were Actually Coming To Me! At Last

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