Anna Alice Chapin

“ Among the now quickly deepening shadows, the crowd melted silently away; so did the policemen with Célestine and Ambrose Crapeau. Giles Courlay remained, and madame.
Slowly, almost shyly, he went up to her; then, with a quicker step, reached her side in time to prevent her from falling.
“Madame, let me help you,” he said, supporting her to a chair. “You are worn out with too much strain. I am very, very sorry.” ”

“ Meanwhile, Courlay was counting the money in the leather bag, more out of habit than because of the faintest suspicion. When he found that a hundred-dollar bill was missing, he was stupefied, outraged, and genuinely disappointed.
“I must be losing my intuitions about people!” he muttered to himself. “Of course she took it; yet I would have banked on the honesty of that old woman to my last dollar. She and her Crapeau honor! ”

“ To be turned out of her little shop and home! Where now would be the Crapeau honor?
Upon her dazed and horror-stricken reflections swooped her two reptilian young relatives.
“Now, Gran—now, Gran—how about that old family honor of yours? Going to see us put out in broad daylight, when you've the money right at your hand?”
The old woman closed her eyes and prayed that the automobile might come quickly. In her utter simplicity she prayed half aloud:
“Oh, good Lord, bring the automobile quickly, very quickly indeed!”
“What's that?” asked Ambrose excitedly. “A car coming for him? ”

“ He stood there, upright, well dressed, Russia leather bag in hand, confronting the occupant of the car which had run him down, and straightway the breeze of Gallic interest began, with highly characteristic mobility, to veer toward the hopeful expectation of a scrap! ”

“ And now! That you should suggest robbing a stranger who trusts me—under my own roof——” Her withered lips trembled.
“Well,” said her grandson, though just a bit sheepishly, “by your own showing we come by it honestly!”
“Don't you mean dishonestly?” put in sharp-faced little Célestine, with a giggle.
“The honor of the house of Crapeau——”
The creak of the shop door made them all pause and turn. A stout, hard-eyed man came in with a book and sheaf of blanks in his fat red hands. Madame gasped at sight of him. ”

“ Giles Courlay could not help smiling at her awed attitude, though he knew it to be racially characteristic, and knew, too, that it came from wholesome thrift, not avarice.
“You live here alone, madame?” he said, interested in the old woman in spite of his weakness.
“I have two grandchildren, monsieur, who are out at present. They are very beautiful, and go to mass every Sunday.” ”

“ The affrighted hesitation in her grandmother's face made her wicked young instincts jump to the truth. “Gran, you're keeping it for him somewhere!”
Like two little vultures they pressed closer upon her, and involuntarily she guarded the open space that led behind the counter where she had placed the bag. ”

“ Your rent's three months overdue, and we've let it run on like this because the boss says you're a decent old creature and should be given a chance. but it stops right now. Do I get the three months rent, or do you camp on the sidewalk to-morrow? Think quick, and, if possible, answer quicker!”
“But, monsieur, I have not the money,” Madame Crapeau made tremulous answer. “Just to live—it costs so much——”
The boy Ambrose sprang forward. “Don't you believe her, sir!” he said. “She can get the money any time she likes!” ”

“ The man with the leather bag and apparently broken head remained. It was increasingly obvious that he must rest somewhere for a few minutes, if only to bathe his wounded forehead. A hesitating murmur again arose, hesitating only while the gentleman was showing the policeman his card.
“Metropole Bank!” said the officer of the law, with instant and evident respect. “You're not wise, sir, to be going through this precinct, if you have money on you. Not,” he hastened to add, “that the people living right hereabouts aren't honest and respectable enough ”

“ He explained.
“My name is Giles Courlay, madame, and it is my privilege to be trusted with large sums of the Metropole Bank's money from time to time. I have in this bag many thousands of dollars.”
Round were the eyes of Madame Crapeau. Like all her race, she had a real reverence for money, for what it represents, what it will bring, its immense importance in this world. In her heart of hearts, madame suspected that it would count somewhat in the next also; else why was there so much stress upon the streets paved with gold? “Thousands! ”

“ Crapeau Honor
by Anna Alice Chapin
Author of “Stinging Butterflies,” “Reuben Carstair's Journey,” etc.
THE little French quarter in the big American town looked flooded with pale-gold April sunshine, as quiet and reposeful as any remote Provençal village, until progress and civilization, in the shape of a noisy motor car, made their appearance. A second and rather noisier machine, representing further progress and civilization, then rushed into the bright, peaceful little street. ”

“ All the quaint, decent little shops opened their doors with a jack-in-the-box celerity, and all the quaint, decent little proprietors thereof shot out to make inquiries, with the most vivid interest and sympathy conceivable. ”