He leaned upon the back of Janice’s seat, clinging with both hands to it, and watched the play of expression upon her fair face. Here was youth, beauty, the joy of living, all that he had opposed, had quenched in his own existence, had tried to quench in others.
She turned suddenly and gave him a most brilliant smile. “There’s the Soldiers’ Monument, Elder,” she said, “at the head of Main Street. There’s Mrs. Protherick’s School that I attend. We’ll be at the bank in two minutes—and it is only twenty-five minutes past three by the school clock.”
The old gentleman drew a long breath. He sank back in the rear seat, and his usual expression returned to his gray features like a mask.
He had been excited, the blood was still pumping rapidly in his veins, and he felt that strange stirring of life within him that he had not known for so long a time.
But he appreciated the fact that certain things were expected of Josiah Concannon. He was known in Middletown almost as well as in Polktown. He already saw pedestrians on the sidewalk staring in surprise at his upright figure in the car.
He had had “a run for his money,” in very truth. He must now enter the bank with his usual calm dignity and transact his business as though it were an ordinary occasion. It would never do to let the officials suspect that he knew the difficulties the bank was in. Business—all business again! It was not the same man who had shouted angrily at Si Littlefield, who now stepped out of the tonneau when Janice brought the car easily to the curb.
Even the carpet slippers flapping about his heels could not disturb Elder Concannon’s dignity when he stalked into the bank. Perhaps it was fortunate that the teller did not get a glimpse of the old man’s feet, for the slippers advertised his nervousness and excitement if nothing else did.
“I find I must use that cash in closing my timber deal at once,” he said to the bank official, after scribbling the amount he wished to draw on a blank check.
“This quite cleans up your account, Elder,” said the teller, doubtfully.
“Yes. I’ll need it all, just as I warned you when I put it in last week,” the Elder said, without in the least betraying the emotion he felt.