, 1874-06-21

now hlr. Appledore's shabby boohkeeper. It
seemed IS 1t there WAS some kin between our
natures the same love Of pleasure and mlrth,
the same vivid life and the same coquetry-
which means that We arc both women. She
made me smile. this naughty, laughing lady,
and was her lover from that instant. II had
truly been her lover, it would not have mattered
to me how free or faulty site might be. For
her brightness I should have loved her all the
same.
As turned my head for last look at her. in
her lgnobte balcony OF shop-window, some one
passed me. looking into my face. At liberty
but am not the Bella Donna, and beside men
are free to look in my face for all they find there
to make them turn eecond time. Cold pallor
and young wrinkles are q good mask. But some
thing familiar Ia the glance made me look up
and
SEE IT WAS MR. REYNOLDS,
OF the Bronx firm. who were my employers long
ago He WAS looking at me with cold scrutiny
that ouly changed enough rs my eyes met his to
assure me tllat it was not unfriendly. But did
not expect to hear him say that was very little
changed in five years. II be were q man who
ever made compliments T should resent such
speech, but I don't think that Mr. Reynolds
would etoop to convince woman she looked
we'll If ahe did not. hsd on nv best dresa that
day-my old cne vas torn, and 1 hadn't time to
mend it that morning, and my face WAS flushed
With counting, which was the secret Of my
looks.
When, after being bit OF privileged person
ings, aud romantic walks, found something had
to be done for the family, I took the place OF
bookkeeper's assistant at the Bronx Mills, where
Mr.. Reynolds WAS an influential partner. The
first day he into the Office to look over the
books, I locked him over, and eaid inwardly,
''TAank heaven, the new partner il gentleman" !"
He was one By family, education, and feeling.
His books, his pictures, wera the pride OF the
Mills yi.lnge. Better than th1s, It waa his sense
OF honor gave tho house its reputation for high
dealing aud lberality towards its hands. He
insisted that prices. should be reasonable,
hours decent, and wages lair, when the
rest Of the firm were for crowdlnR all hands,
and cutting down wages to the lowest penny.
heard him at meeting OF stockholders in the
next room say with his cold, distinct tones, that
if such measures we're to be their policy he
would withdraw his fortune, and throw his in-
fuence against tho Company. That decided the
matter, hut not soul OF tho operatives dared to
thank him as they wanted to,
FOE H1s DISTANT MANNER.
I never did, and yet he saved my position for
me- once when Was ill ! wonder il he has for
gotten it? Wasn't it odd for him to be walking
IN street with Beekman street bookkeeper2
He did not seem to find it 80. for he talked
about old places and people at the mills in way
that showed he had heard and noticed every
thing aa it went on. II seemed pleasant for him
10 find some one to speak to about the old
things, for the next Monday he came up again
by the print sellers window, and tins time his
last words were:
.'suppose you allow me to come and see you,
and talk about old tunes little. Things hare
changed with me as well as with you."
l had to remember thai my mother's family
was as good as mis- own before l asked him to
come. Then I recalled how he had never al
lowed me to feel anything less than a lady while
in his employ, how he took his hat OF in the
counting room, and spoke to me with the same
their carriages after visit to his mills. When
be did come, and sat By my sofa, knew he made
me forget that Was not owner Of the BRONX
Mills. and he my employe for all the d1f-
ference there was between us. He came
at long intervals, and his visits were so brief
and ceremon ious that not even boarding-house
gossip was aroused; but instead there came
that beautiful jacques Minot rosebush full Of
crimson buds, and those luxuriant heliotropes
that fill my 70 ON with fragrance go that have
to open my window at night. And Hdrper's,
and tho atlantic, and the GALAXY, took to COM
ing regula rly, 80 that Mira. Grim, the landlady,
said one dny. - Seems to me If yon didn't take
so many books and magazines you could afford
to have thi ngs like other girls, and who E-oEs!
you might be having attentions yet"
only get along with such things By notseem-
ing to mind.
It was too. much to believe that Fate flung
such pleasure as his visits in my way, without
= sinister pose, yet it Was Impossible to look
in the mans faee and not feel that here Was
AFR1ESD OF TRuEsT soET,
drawn bY no cne knows what attraction. Per-
haps it Was to talk in mental Degllge "a men like
to do. 1 never dreamed that nr. Reynolds could
unbeud go far to be agreeable without losing the
fine reserve that defined the position he chose to
take. 60 thoroughly. He sared all the quaint
little things he came across to tell me-. and
CLEAN Of sober satisfaction crossed his face when
be could make me- laugh and forget myself
for half an hour. What could do but look Tor
his coming. aud show some Of the happiness I
felt in his presence? he Was neither brotherly
nor gallant |he was simply and unafectedly
Kind, as if his reserved nature foltnd relief IN
being good to someoody; a9a l, Wdsns = glha phe
dress with him As much as I minded it when
the sun ehone in my little east room, and no
moro. I'm frank to say I. loved him, and de-
lighted in his presencs. He liked me, too, for he
over goes the whole fabric Of kindness and
simple friendship. I have never been at rest
since be asked mo to be his wife.
And Mrs. Reynolds yet presidcs over his house
in Portland, the woman he married at the Mills
long ago.
One evening he asked me to walk with him
while the squares were yet bright. and having a
friends key to Grammercy Park. he took me
there and we sat under the still green and olive
branches that mild twilight through. He had
something to tel1me, he said, something offs hfe
BLASTED BIZ 4 voMAH's cAPR1cK
and fa}sehood, OF skeleton Of misery that sat
at his table anil presided over his young children.
How he had shut himself away from women and
the world as fac as he could, under tho Disguise
OF pride. How, dteadng tue elighted scandal
for the sake Of his honor and that Of his chill
dren. he had suffered her to keep hor
place. knowing that he only wns con--
sclous OF her wrong. How sue repaid
this forbenrance BY hsaping his life With in
toorablo Email miseries. Not that be told me
the story IN this ray. At first he only, said that
he unhappy that home for h lad tb.t been
oonId NOT listen to such words from him, he let
ne judge the case He had tsd to forget Ms hs
drarn Ia me because my Sad and solitary lot in
another sense accorded with his own. he had
been Interested in me long ago, ho knew l had
the tastes Of q lady-he was pleased to eay the
finest lsdy he ever knew-and he tancied he read
in my eyes that could never DO anything but
true to him in word or thought. All legal bar
riers between Us should be quietly removed II
would marry him. He would assert his right to
happiness in that case-for any other woman he
did not care to pay the price.
Fate was surely jealous Of me when abe Offer
How can take this" cried. "at the price
Of ,..-, =,