Part 44 (2/2)
Harry King--Harry King,--the Kings moved away from here--twelve years ago--wasn't it? Their son would not be as old as this man.”
”Boys grow up fast. You never can tell.”
”The Kings were a short, thickset lot.”
”He may not be one of them. He said nothing about ever having been here before. I never talk with any one here at the window. It's quite against my rules for the clerks, and has to be so for myself, of course. I leave that sort of thing to you and the Elder.”
”I say--I've seen him before--the way he walks--the way he carries his head--there's a resemblance somewhere.”
The two men also departed, after looking to the safe, and the last duties devolving on them, seeing that all was locked and double-locked. It was a solemn duty, always attended to solemnly.
CHAPTER XXIX
THE ARREST
Sam Carter loitered down the street after leaving the bank, and when Harry King approached, he turned with his ready smile and accosted him.
”Pleasant day. I see you're a stranger here, and I thought I might get an item from you. Carter's my name, and I'm doing the reporting for the _Mercury_. Be glad to make your acquaintance. Show you round a little.”
Harry was nonplussed for a moment. Such things did not use to occur in this old-fas.h.i.+oned place as running about the streets picking up items from people and asking personal questions for the paper to exploit the replies. He looked twice at Sam Carter before responding.
”Thank you, I--I've been here before. I know the place pretty well.”
”Very pretty place, don't you think so? Mean to stop for some time?”
”I hardly know as yet.” Harry King mused a little, then resolved to break his loneliness by accepting the casual acquaintance, and to avoid personalities about himself by asking questions about the town and those he used to know, but whom he preferred not to see. It was an opportunity. ”Yes, it is a pretty place. Have you been here long?”
”I've been here--let's see. About three years--maybe a little less.
You must have been away from Leauvite longer than that, I judge. I've never left the place since I came and I never saw you before. No wonder I thought you a stranger.”
”I may call myself one--yes. A good many changes since you came?”
”Oh, yes. See the new courthouse? It's a beauty,--all solid stone,--cost fifty thousand dollars. The _Mercury_ had a great deal to do with bringing it about,--working up enthusiasm and the like,--but there is a great deal of depression just now, and taxes running up.
People think government is taking a good deal out of them for such public buildings, but, Lord help us! the government is needing money just now as much as the people. It's hard to be public spirited when taxes are being raised. You have people here?”
”Not now--no. Who's mayor here now?”
”Harding--Harding of the iron works. He makes a good one, too.
There's the new courthouse. The jail is underneath at the back. See the barred windows? No breaking out of there. Three prisoners did break out of the old one during the year this building was under construction,--each in a different way, too,--shows how badly they needed a new one. Quite an ornament to the square, don't you think so?”
”The jail?”
”No, no,--The building as a whole. Better go over it while you're here.”
”I may--do so--yes.”
”Staying some time, I believe you said.”
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