The Desire of the Moth; and the Come On

l look, a pleasing eye, and a most noble carriage; and, as I th

one bill-not bad, that, for a little rural New York town. Moreover, the stranger had evinced a taste in his selection of furniture and carpets scarcely to be expected from his slight

xty-eight. I'll pay you a hundred to bind the-No, I'll just pay you now and have done with it. Don't want the stuff delivered till some time next week, though. Wife'll run up to-morrow or next day to take her cho

all murmured, rubbing his hands

ck was made out with a

'm ready and tell you

u bank? Want to send in

ner, first turn to your left. Thank you very much, Mr."-he glanced at the check-Br

ck. Time for an old fellow like me to settle down. I've worked hard all my life. But I've got enough. What's the goo

l with reason. "Your amazing vitality-your energ

h!'" He shook his head with a sober air, which at once gave way to the satisfied smile habitual on his round, contented face. Briskly, he consulted a heavy gold repeater, replacing it with the quick m

ced. Tone and manner were breezily self-assertive; the president, from his desk, turned and looked. He indorsed, blotting with a swift dab, and a final fillip through the window. "Chicago, thirty-three hundred-credit to Britt & Stratt

"An original character

to let grass gro

tt bustled into Mendenhal

, as Mendenhall rose.

our custom to send the day's checks for depo

was enough to keep track of all my transactions. Always forgetting to fill out my stubs," he explained. "So I don't remember what bank I checked on. But I'm pretty sure 'twas the Commercial, and my balance there is low-not enough to cover your bill, I'm thinking." He leaned back, his portly sides shaking with merriment. "By Jo

for dignified and strictly private conference. With stately precision he took up the neat bundle of checks which he had just indorsed, ran them over, slipped one from und

Commercial." He hel

x you out this time!" He whipped out fountain pen and checkbook. "National Trust Com

ips with the same impetuous vehemence, and threw it in the waste-basket. After this brief outburst of anger his good

ghness with which the other had snatched the check from him, though making allowanc

dom do myself, but sometimes-Have a

particular that it lacked the Mendenhall indorsement. The original had slipped between the leaves of Britt's check book, under cover of his large hands. Those hands were most expert in vari

s of the First National, puffing down the corri

he demanded breathlessly, but with unabated cheerfulness. He flopped the check over. "Mendenhall's indorsement. Hi! Mr. President! Just a

signature with the cabalistic peculiarities which attested its authenticity, glanced

" he said courteously. "Not necessary at

good nature. "Draw it all out next week. Eleven, twelve-

tt?" said the president casually at t

. "I sold him a pretty stiff bill of goods this mor

d of y

never saw h

the president, interested, but not alarmed. Doubtless the man h

lly reassured, and was about to pass on. Here the matter might have dropped, and would in most cases. But Mendenhall, a methodical and careful man, wi

is too

turned in due course, legibly inscribed with the saddest words of tongue or pen, "No funds." Or that Mr. B

Mendenhall's interview with the president he was speeding southward across country in a livery rig, catching the Lackawa

the Arlington. "Back again, like a bad sixpence

aid the clerk respectfully. "So we were expe

s pocket unopened. "It'll keep till mo

xertions to be sure, but with

e on

d a night

the unobtrusive manner of his fading away are there vaguely associated with Cheshire