The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-12-13


that they must perforce remain in his or be
twisted away. Sreing she is meditatiug
something like this, he hastily drops her
band and turns and goes TO his own desk.
1t is quite time to be looking after the
coreign correspondence and neglected in
voices.
For the rest of the day there is little
cessation of the hum of dictatiOn from
his desk, Set to the accompaniment,
seemingly, of diligent, noisy pens farther
d wn the office. Vix, though she does not
know it, commepds herself to her critical en-
ployer every day for the noselessness with
which she follows his rapid utterances.
1t is hard work, for once, to keep up with
him to-day, as he dictates rapidly, now an
important business letter; now a curt re-
minder in French (if anything can be made
curt in that polished language concerning
an agreed extension of time on the payment
of large importation of goods; and again a
sasve acceptance of a six months note from
Leonard Bros, whose check had been conf
IDENTIFY expected instead. And so on dd inf
nitun goes the work. When the last is taken
down and Vix finds herself free to straight
en- her cramped fingers and look about
her, she discovers something little out of
the usual order of their daily routine: Mr..
Stratton is folding methodically his own pa
pers without the customary "Doue for to-
day. Miss Vix." Failing this CHEEKY per-
mission, she is constrained to sit and watch
him until such time as he shall see fit to dis
miss her. Presently, when he has donned
his light overcoat and found hat and gloves,
he comes forward to her side with elaborate
expression of surprise on bis debonair face
"What! Papers not yet put away with your
usual legal precision Miss Dean? am sure
ask your pardon for having kept you waiting.
Perhaps you will allow me to do penance for
it by attending you to the first news stand
down street and learning the cause of all
this outcry," as loud cheering reaches
them from the street. Doubtless the trus-
ty Associated Press dispatches will only con-
firm the horrid suspicion growing upon me
that you have won the bandsomest sealskin
in the store" All of which is SO palpably
contrary to what he evidently does think
that, for the first time, doubt springs TO
life in Vix's loyal bosom, and she has much
ado to maintain courageous front before
the laughing triumph of her companion's
eyes.
He waits, hat in hand, for her per-
mission to accompany her, and is finally re-
wsrded by an Indifferent and rather ungra-
cious. "Come, if you like, Mr.. Stratton,
though the news will not be cheering for
you, feel sure" To give vlx due credit,
she does not for moment imagine that this
unusual honor is to be hers simply because
Mr.. Rex Stratton DOES not choose for her to
run the gauntlet of the jostling, excited
crowd of men collected before the bulletin
board next door below. She thinks he is too
confident of the tenor of the news Just ar
rived, bnt she will be wise enough 10 wait
for certainty before iudulging in the 81 told
you so,'' already on her lips. Aud for once
in her life her wisdom seems rewarded For
not only can she not fling at him THIS essen
tally feminine weapon, but the news is such
when they reach the street that she is reduced
almost 10 tears at the amount of humble pie
her employer generously bestows upon her.
He buys the latest issue of the s'Tndepen-
dent" an organ which bellies it's name If
report speaks true. as Vix scornfully tells
him-and then pilots her rapidly and safely
to side street. Here he puts in her hand
the despised paper, with its startling head
lines, aud watches her face sieadfastly as she
reads hurried snatches from the unfavora-
BILE reports. She is so far from being con-
cerned about her appearances with him, that
be- might as well be in Kamtchalka for all
notice she bestows on him for the next five
minutes. At length, after having twisted
the innocent paper into an unsightly mass of
wrinkles, she looks up and finds his eyes,
fall of amused quizzieal laughter, watching
her. A little flush of conscious guilt steals
over his face as she returns the mutilated
sheet to his hand.
''Please excuse me, Mr.. Stratton, il have
been making spectacle of myself while
running your own psner. I had forgotten
where was, and I will buy You another Tin
DEPENDENT of the first noy.'
'No need, Miss Dean, for have been
reading your face while you read aud de-
molished my property, and am very well
satisfied with the result" 10 slightly muf-
fed tone that savors of depressed glee, if
nothing more, to the ears of his companion.
my father says that those who laugh last
laugh best in Presidential campaign, as
elsewhere, a truism that seems to have es-
capped you all these years, Mr.. Stratton.
Here is a fresh paper in place of yoursr'
suddenly stopping an astonished newsboy
for his last ''extra'' and paying him for it
with natter-of-tact exactness out Of the con-
tents of natty little purse, proceeding
that her attendant knight suffers without re-
monstrance, although he sees his sister APP
preaching in company with a smiling socie-
~ belle, whose name Dame Rumor has late
ly begun to link with his. He returns their
astounded look with complacent smile and
courteous touch to his hat brim, but walks
composediy forward when Miss Virginia
TO account, then and there, for being in such
socieiy-which does look rather questiona-
bic at this moment, am constrained to say,
particularly as Vix is laughing quite audi
bly, at the bewidered newsboy. They walk
forward a few blocks in silence, both think
ing of the very significant look on Miss
Stratton's face as her friend drags her away
with little silvery laugh over the encoun-
ter. Vix Knows The two naughty beauties
from their occasional visits to the Office
knows them much as a busy little sparrow
may take note of gorgeous tropical birds
and she does not half like the way they
have just treated her.
THIS is my street here, Mr.. Stratton.
No, will not take you further out of your
way, thank you just the same," as he Looks a
decided protest Into the resoiute face. at
| must confess it, your miserable paper land
something else, she might have added has
made We feel uncommonIy quarresome, and
you would not walk another block with me
before we fell OUT TO quote my brother
Jimmie. OIL yes we should, to moral
ceitainiy!' in reply to the increduious lift
ing of his eyebrows. 81 shall have good
news in my turn tomorrow, and nntil them