PAID IN FULL

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21211, 6 September 1940, Page 3

PAID IN FULL

= NEW SERIAL STORY =

by H. S. Sarbert

CHAPTER V (Continued) - Viola sat there and watched—and prayed—prayed as she had never prayed before—that Harry’s life might be spared. He was so young, his life was so full of promise. He was so clever, there were so many things he might do—he might attain such success. Oh, it would be terrible if his life were cut off so early!

“Dear God—don’t let him die! Please let him come through this ordeal safely!” she whispered. Again and again she repeated the prayer—sometimes just in her heart, at other times her lips moved, and she actually spoke the words. After a bit Harry began to move restlessly; the bright spots on his cheeks deepened. “Carrie, you’re going too fast!” he cried. “Do you hear me? Carrie, there’ll surely be an accident! You must slow down. You mustn’t go so fasf! There’s plenty of time!” A pause, and then again: “You know I love you, Carrie. You must know it. You mean all the world to r.e. I never thought it j possible that I could love anyone as : I love you, but he—he is my father, j He has been such a good father, too. I We have been the best of pals—al- I ways. I can’t go against him in everything. I’ve hurt him enough ! as it is. Oh, yes, I have! I’ve seen ‘ the look in his eyes—and I know j how much he’s been suffering. My | dear, you—you mustn’t try to make j me hurt him any more. I can’t do that—even for you!” Viola, as she sat there, realised the ! struggle that had been going on. [ The old life—and the new. All ; Harry’s old friends, as well as his 1 father, against Carrie, and the new | world that she represented. And j it was Carrie who had drawn Harry • away; Carrie who had won all along ; the line, because he loved her so ; much; because, in his own words, 1 she meant all the world to him! | Bad News For David David Preston went to the evening service at the Mission. He heard the Rev. James Holden preach, and he stood beside Hilda, and shared j a hymn book with him, his deep, strong voice blending nicely with her own. After the service he went back to supper with them, and after the meal they begged him not to hurry away. There was no real reason why he should go. He knew he should not be seeing Harry that day now.

David found the company of these two very pleasant. Their ideas of Christianity fitted his own. He admired them both intensely for the good work they were doing. They were fighting a hard battle, but they were going steadily forward. For them there was no such thing as looking back. Supper over, they sat and chatted, and so time went pleasantly. David did not actually confide in these two the doubts that he had about his son and the boy’s future here in London. That was something he could not bring himself to do—for Harry was his own boy—and it might all turn out well. David was human enough to want to dwell only on the success that his lad had attained. He was not saying anything about the other part of the business—at least, until he was sure cf his facts.

After the evening service he had called in at his lodging to tell his landlady that he might be a little late home, giving the Holdens’ address, and that was how the message from the police reached him.

Viola Winn, of course, knew Mr Preston’s London address, for he had written to her. The police had gone there and had been told that he was with the Holdens.

It was just about half-past ten — just when David was getting ready to go—that there came a knock at the door. James glanced at the clock.

“Rather a late call,” he said. “Not that that is unusual. I’m called out at all times of the night.” Hilda rose quickly. “All right, Jim—l’ll go,” she said. In a minute she was back again, escorting a constable. “A message for you, Mr Preston!” “For me?” David turned quickly. “Yes, that’s my name, but ” “I’ve been sent to give you notice of an accident, Mr Preston,” the policeman stated. “Accident!” David repeated the word, and it seemed that his mouth became suddenly dry. His thoughts went to Harry at once. “My son—” The policeman nodded. “That’s it,” he said. “Let’s hope it isn’t too bad.” “Then he—he’s not—not ”

David found the power of speech had deserted him. Just for a moment it had seemed that his heart had given one terrific bound, and then had stopped beating. Just for a moment had come the cold, the terribly numbing thought. “No sir—not dead,” the policeman stated, “but rather badly injured, I fear. The young gentleman was out in the car with a young lady, and it overturned. The young lady escaped injury fortunately, but the ycung man was thrown out. He’s unconscious now, sir—or was at the time when the message came through —suffering with injuries to the head.” David snatched up his hat. “I musfc go to him at once!” he cried. “Where is he? You didn’t tell me where I could find him.”

“He’s at Shalford, sir. He’s being looked after in the house of a Mr John Winn. I was informed you would know the address.” David nodded.

“Yes,” he replied, finding the words hard to enunciate. “I know the address. I’ll go—at once!” “And I hope you won’t find things too bad, sir!” the policeman said. “I’ll be getting along now, and I’ll tell them at the station you’re going down to Shalford.” His boy was in danger! His boy would Ij'Vt in need of him! But how to get down to him writhout any loss of time? That was the thought that ivas in David Preston’s mind, and that was where James Holden was able to help a great deal. (To be continued daily)