The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-12-04

devotedly | have longed for the hour
that should enable me to approach you and
offer myself as a suitor for your hand.
He paused to note the affect of this declar-
alton, which, in reality, he had carefully
prepared before he reached the house that
evening. But he learned nothing from the
contemplation Of the face before him. 1t
nowise did its fair owner seem ~discompos-
cd. Mr.. Golding began TO feel a little
uneasy, and a new idea for the first time
flashed upon his mind. Could there be
another? It seemed TOO absurd, but it
would not be dismissed. lie rose from his
chair and bent over her for a last appeal.
Can If be ~ he murmured, half re-
proachfully, "Ilaye a rival?"
KS the words left his lips the room door
opened. and a voice announced "Mr. Rem
shaw" At the sound Mr.. Golding, with a
sudden start. faced round and, to his utter
establishment. beheld before him, smiling
courteously and with outstretched hand,
the man whom he had dismissed from his
service, whom be had even spoken of con-
%temptuously to EIinor herself as .'one of
my clerks"
"a friend Of yours?" lie said, interroga-
lively, but in a tone that sounded strange
in his own ears, and caused the other three
to look curiously at him.
The girl blushed, smiled, but did not
answer, and Mrs. Seaforth. who had risen
and approached them, came to her rescue.
'sMr. Renshaw was a friend of Mr.. Crags-
by's and is still a friend of ours"
s'Mr. Renshaw," said the other. ''pro-
badly has good reasons fer his friendship.
Fortune-hunters usually have"
Gilbert Renshaw took a step forward.
That is true as a general statement, Mr..
Golding, he said, with all his former easy
indifference, but it is not true, if you will
allow me to say so, in this particular in
stance. /, personally, am moi a fortune
hunter. Perhaps you know of som one
who may better deserve the name"
..You were my clerk, said Golding, with
a bitter sheer; Nv hat are you now?"
Il will tell you" replied the other. in
the same unrnffied tone. "As you rightly
said, | was your clerk, and it came about
in this way. At my fathers death the
property to which | succeeded was some
what ineumbered. Your late partner was
an old friend of ours, and he suggested that
| should obtain a situation for some few
years, leaving the property thus to clear
itself by applying the income to the extinc-
ton of the debt. To simplify matters, he
kindly offered me a position in his own
office at 2 good salary, STIMULATING that
nothing should be said or known Of
his long friendship with our family, lest it
accepted the post. In a few years, as we
planned, my property was ~unincumbered,
and your sudden dismissal of me simply
anticipated my own resignation by two or
three weeks. You see, Mr.. Golding, while
l give you full credit for having intended
to iniure me, ] can very readily treat with
Indifference a course of%actionthat has ended
in failure
As Gilbert ceased speaking he glanced
meaningly at Elinor, who, with Mrs. Sea-
forth, had stood quietly by. 1t was evil
IDENTIFY no news to them, and Mr.. Golding.
as the gaze travelled from one face to the
other, saw that his efforts had been in vain
and that success was hopeless.
But the whole matter was so utterly un-
expected that for a moment he felt that it
could not be really true. He turned to
Elinor.
you knew of ali this, it seems ~
Yes" she said, but speaking in so low
a tone that he could scarcely catch the
words: 4 knew of all, but it was my
fathers wish that the matter should not be
mentioned. That, ofcourse, was sufficient.
You would, however, have known it be-
fore long, for-for-"
She hesitated, and cast an appealing
glance at Gilbert.
I'VE are to be married shortly" said
that gentleman, promptly, completing the
sentence.
The blushing face. the downcast eyes be-
side him, confirmed the statement. il, in
deed, confirmation was needed. Mr.Goid-
ing waited to hear no more, but, turning
short on his heel with a muttered execra-
ton. left the room and tie house.