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From that point it was easy to go on and agree with the short man and the tall man that the prison was mismanaged generally and that a man was lucky in being able to get away from such a place no matter whether he was a guard or a prisoner. The incongruous friendliness increased Vaniman's amusement.
And in a veritable fog bank of doubt and despair the unhappy Egyptians wandered around and around. Frank Vaniman's mother was allowed to visit him once a month at the prison. She was not present at his trial. She had respected his earnest wishes in that matter. When she came to him she smiled she did not weep. When she smiled he wanted to weep.
No telling how the legislature may develop him. Glad he's going." The Squire rapped out his pipe ashes against an andiron. His posture gave him an opportunity to say what he said next without meeting Vaniman's gaze. "Vona Harnden was a mighty smart girl when she was teaching school. I was superintendent and had a chance to know. Does she take hold well in the bank?"
"Cry, sonny! Cry a little," the Squire adjured him. "Put your head on Xoa's knee and have it out. It will tide you over till your own mother can comfort you." But wild desire for knowledge burned the sudden tears out of Vaniman's eyes. "Where is Vona? What is happening?" "We'll see to it mighty quick that Vona knows, sonny. The right word must get to her in the right way. Mother will know how.
"'Can a man take fire into his bosom, and his clothing not be burned? Britt, the bank, the girl! Three hot torches, young sir! Very hot torches!" He walked on. Then he turned and came back and patted Vaniman's arm. "You didn't keep your eye peeled! The young are thoughtless. But four good old eyes will be serving you while you're away! Mine and Brother Usial's."
So far as Vaniman's recollection went, they were strangers. One was short and dumpy, the other was tall and thin. They wore slouchy, wrinkled, cheap suits. There was no hint of threat in their faces. On the contrary, both of the men displayed expressions of mingled triumph and mischief. Then, as if they had a mutual understanding in the matter of procedure, they went through a sort of drill.
"There's always danger when a hill is full of wired-up, canned thunder," stated Mr. Wagg. "I maintain, as I always have maintained, that it's notional stuff. You'll kindly remember that I told you so." The warden departed with an air that revealed how much he had been impressed. With the crisis so near, irritability pricked Vaniman's state of nervous tension.
Vaniman refrained from making a reply; the Prophet was displaying an embarrassing amount of sapience as to conditions. In front of Usial Britt's cot they halted and the eccentric leaned close to Vaniman's ear. "Joseph, my son, keep thine eye peeled." He released the cashier's arm and strode to the door of Usial's house.
Whether Starr perceived any proof of innocence in Vaniman's expression mouth opening, eyes wide, face white with the pallor of threatened collapse the bank examiner did not reveal by any expression of his own. "This is wicked wicked!" gasped Vona. "Young woman, step away!" Starr yanked her arm from Vaniman's shoulder and pushed her to one side. "Did you know that, Mr.
"Is this cloth anything that has been about the premises?" asked the official. "It's Vona's dustcloth," stated Britt. He had watched the girl too closely o' mornings not to know that cloth! That information seemed to prick Starr's memory on another point. From his trousers pocket he dug the tape which he had cut from Vaniman's wrists. He glanced about the littered floor.
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