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Show MOST TIMELY HELP How a Nyctalops Repaid a Favor Shown Him by a Young Bank Clerk. By FLORENCE LILLIAN HENDERSON. HENDER-SON. With' the magic of a smile Walter Davis ruled all the little world of Mlllvllle. He had started in at the bank as messenger, and at twenty-two, bright, intelligent, energetic, had worked his way into the favor of every ev-ery person connected with that institution insti-tution from the president down to the Janitor save one. The exception was Bruce Lowell. He seemed always to have envied Walter Wal-ter his rapid advancement and popularity. popu-larity. He was a dark-featured, sinister-appearing man, secretive and surly. If the light-hearted Walter had more closely scanned the surface of affairs, he would have noticed that Lowell cowled at him most particularly when be was in the company of Viola Merton, Mer-ton, the daughter of the president of thebank and the belle of the town. Walter was always doing kind things and making other people happy. It was no marvel to anybody, there fore, when one day, going home to supper sup-per from the bank, he stopped to speak to a blind man slowly making hts way along the street, "Can I help you, friend?" inquired Walter, in his warm-hearted, Impulsive way. "Why, yes," replied the beggar. "I want to be set right on the road to Clyde." "Why, that Is fully ten miles away, and darkness will overtake you before you reach your destination," observed Walter. "Oh, I'm all right in the dark," rather enigmatically 'explained the blind man. "Why don't you take the train?" aBked Walter. "Because I have no money," was the blunt response. "But I have, and there you are!" cried Walter, handing the mendicant "Why Don't You Take the Train?" a two-dollar bill. "Keep right on as you are headed, and you'll reach the depot." "Hold on," spoke the blind man, with a queer grateful catch in his voice. "A little silver will do." "No, no you are welcome to what I have given you," declared Walter. "I can spare It." "I want to know your name, anyhow," any-how," persisted the mendicant. "Walter Davis." "I'll remember It. This is the most timely help I have ever received." "Glad of It," said Walter heartily, and went on his way, Immediately forgetting for-getting his kind deed, but followed by the ardently-expressed wishes of his pensioner that "he would have all kinds of good luck " The parting benison of the blind man, however, did not follow out. Instead, In-stead, bad luck, indeed, came to the young bank clerk. The following day the manager of the bank called him Into his private office, serious-faced and somewhat distant In his manner. "Davis," he said, "I am sorry to tell you that you will have to take a leave of absence until the return of the president of the bank, Mr. Morton." "Why, what does this mean?" exclaimed ex-claimed Walter, staring vaguely. "Just this: Only yourself and Mr. Merton have keys to the bank. Coming Com-ing from another town late In the morning, I have found no use for one. Last night some one entered the bank and removed the money and notes we keep in the cashier's box. It Is not usually locked up in the vault, as the sum It holds is generally small. However, How-ever, the notes and some two hundred dollars are missing." "Do you dare " began Walter, flaring up instantly, but the manager silenced him with the words: "No one suspects you, but the bank directors hold you responsible a9 iht possessor of a key to the institution. They demand an investigation, and your temporary resignation until Mr. Merton returns." The matter was plainly put and Walter could not rebel. The story got about town. No one accused him openly, but there were hinted suspicions, suspi-cions, and to say the least he fe't uncomfortable. un-comfortable. Old Mr. Merton was a crabbed, suspicious sus-picious man, and Walter wondered how Viola would take It. He went to-a to-a lawyer, but the latter advised him-not him-not to stir things up. Walter kept up a brave front. Innocence In-nocence armed him against real fretting, fret-ting, and hope made him cheery and. bright as usual. "I have good news for you," announced an-nounced his lawyer, appearing at the Davis home just after dusk one evening. eve-ning. He was quite excited, and he had a companion at whom Walter-glanced Walter-glanced curiously and then recognized. recog-nized. ,!Why, I've seen you before," said Walter. "Yes, you gave mo some help about a week ago," replii-d the blind man. "I happened in tow today. 1 learned learn-ed of your trouble and I found your lawyer. You called me 'friend' dp you remember?" asked the mendicant.; with a noticeable husklness in. his; rnr"0ftt. "Well, aren't we friends?" smiled Walter. "I'm going to prove it. Go ahead,. Mr. Lawyer. You've described that fellow, Lowell. He tallies. Give me- j a sight of him." "What's that? A sight of him?" cried Walter. "You will understand later, Walter," promised the lawyer. "Just run us against Lowell, some way." Walter felt that there was something some-thing mysterious in the proceedings. He noted also that the blind man accompanied ac-companied them at quite a brisk gait and without guidance. It was a moonless night. Suddenly, as they turned a corner, they came face to face with Bruce Lowell, strolling along by himself. The blind man took a step forward, bent his glance on the approaching figure, and cried out sharply. "That is the man!" "You are positive?" questioned the lawyer. "I'd swear to him anywhere,"' avowed the mendicant. "That man was one of two men whom I saw enter en-ter the bank at midnight on the night of the robbery. His companion unhinged un-hinged one of the iron gratings and forced up a window. The fellow with him had a wooden leg." "Hello! hello! hello!" exclaimed the lawyer in three different tones of voice, evincing in turn wonder, suspicion sus-picion and then triumph. "You didn't tell me that before. You have given me a final clew." "What is this nonsense?" demanded Lowell indignantly, but pale and trembling. trem-bling. "This man identifies you as one of the bank robbers, he says," replied the lawyer. , "Why! but he is blind," exclaimed Walter. "Yes, day times," said the mendicant. mendi-cant. "I am what is called a nyctalops nycta-lops I can see at night" The next morning the lawyer, Walter Wal-ter and the mendicant had an interview inter-view with the bank manager. Then the lawyer made a hurried visit to a neighboring town. He had remembered that Lowell had a relative there, an ex-convict, who had but one leg. The man confessed con-fessed to the crime when he learned that otherwise both he and Lowell would be arrested. Lowell was given his walking papers pa-pers and disappeared. Somehow tho story got out. When the banker md his daughter returned to Millville, it was to learn the whole story. Against his wishes Walter had been put up as a candidate for a public office, and was more popular than ever. "You seem always making people happy," said Viola a few evenings later, referring to the blind man, whom Walter had sent again on his way rejoicing. "I wish I was as fortunate for-tunate as you." "Do you really?" asked' Walter earnestly. "Then begin the good work, by telling me that you will make me the happiest of men by returning re-turning my love." "Oh, Walter," confessed Viola ln pulsively, "I did that long ago!" (Copyright, 1912, by W. O. Chapman.) |