PAID IN FULL

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21201, 26 August 1940, Page 4

PAID IN FULL

5 NEW SERIAL STORY |

by H. S. Sarbert

CHAPTER lll.—(Continued) The invitation was given in all seriousness, and there was admiration—real admiration—in Sylvia’s eyes. Some folk may have called this girl rather scatter-brained, living for amusement, and so forth; but there was a certain shrewdness about her. “Fancy inviting him!” her fiance murmured, as they walked away. “You didn’t really mean it, Sylvia, did you?” “I certainly did,” she answered, “Why shouldn’t I mean it? Do I usually say and do things I don’t mean, Jack?” “But this chap—Harry’s father—is just a country grocer, I’ve heard, and took all his savings to give Harry Preston his education.” “All honour to him,” Sylvia said. “And there’s something specially nice about him, Jack. He’s a man! A fine, strong type of man—altogether different from most of those we meet here. A man who has worked hard, who will go on working hard, and who faces life fairly and squarely. Strength, yes—and especially strength of character. I admire that!”

“You’re getting a bit poetic, aren’t you?” the young man saidSylvia shrugged her shoulders. “No! But I know a man when I see one,” she replied. “I Love Carrie!” David Preston did get his son to himself for a time that evening. They did not go anywhere else after dinner. Harry saw Carrie home, and then he and his father went round to Harry’s rooms together. They talked. David did not reproach. That would have been folly. He would not even allow Harry to reproach himself. Harry had struck out for himself. He had taken the path that he thought best. That was that. Now there was the future to be thought about. The future was all rosy-tinted so far as Harry was concerned. He could not see that there was a single •doubt about it. He was just going from success to success. Mr Lucas had been so fine, so had Mr Freeman. There had been special meetings held, and he had been present. Why, it was he who was signing the share certificates. That was an honour, if you liked! That was putting him right into the limelight right enough. “Yes, lad, I suppose you’re right there—it is putting you into the limelight,” David said. And you only just turned your twenty-first birthday!” “But I’m a man, dad. A man in every way—in the eyes of the law, and ” David nodded. “That’s right,” he said. “I was thinking of all as well. It makes you personally responsible for everything you do. I Harry, it will be all right if I come round and see Mr Wilmer Lucas?” “Why, of course!” Harry stated at once. “I’ll fix an interview for you, Dad. Mr Lucas is a very busy man, as you can guess, for he has so many irons in the fire; but I’m sure he’ll be only too pleased to have a talk to you, and explain how things are going.” “That’s fine!” said his father. After a slight pause, Harry asked, “How’s Viola, Dad?” “She’s very well,” replied his father. Has she asked after me?” “Of course!” “And you explained?” “Explained, what, Harry?” David noticed the colour creeping over his son’s face. “Well —everything,” Harry said tamely. “I mean—my letter, what I said in it ” “I showed her your letter, Harry.” “Oh!” “She happened to come in just after I had received it,” David went on. “You remember you had an appointment with her? So I showed her the letter. I thought it better to do so. It was the best way of explaining matters, wasn’t it?”

This room was rather like the one they had at home behind the shop. Simply furnished, with just a desk for Harry’s writing and drawing materials. Harry and his father had often talked together in the old days. The younger man remembered even now how wonderful it had been. There was silence for a bit. Then: “Does Viola think I’ve let her down, dad?”

“I wouldn’t say that, Harry ” “But she does think so?” persisted Harry. “And you think so as well, don’t you?” His father did not reply immediately. Harry got up and began to walk up and down the room, his head bent, his hands thrust into the pocket of his coat. That was a habit well known to his father. Harry had always acted like that when he had been perturbed or puzzled in any way. “I like Viola,” Harry said. “I shall always like her. She is a dear, sweet girl, I’m not going to pretend to you, Dad—that wouldn’t be right. I did intend to marry her. I had connected Viola with all my future, and I knew that you hoped we should marry. That’s right, isn’t it? You and old John Winn often used to talk about it.” “It has been discussed,” his father admitted, “but not so much recently. There had been ideas of joining up the two shops, perhaps opening up others. After all, Shalford is growing—and it will continue to grow. You know that as well as I do. But never mind about that. It isn’t to be. But Viola—well, yes, she cared for you. She still cares ” “But, Dad—she’ll get over it!” Harry cried. “She must get over it.” “You cannot be sure of that,” was his father’s response. Again the colour ebbed and flowed in the boy’s cheeks. He was still a boy, after all. He looked a boy just now. “I can’t marry Viola,” Harry said slowly. “I can’t marry anyone but Carrie, Dad. I can’t do it—because 1 love Carrie! Viola will understand. She’ll be the first to understand. She wouldn’t want me to marry her without love. She’d be the first to turn down any idea like that. The same with you. Love counts for everything, doesn’t it?” “It counts for everything!” To be continued.