The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1886-04-21

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Fraser was absent, disparagingly, almost
sneerlngly, she felt sense of singular
annoyance and strove not TO listen, but
to attend the more closely to her work
But Miss Allison, the black-eyed copyist,
was an attentive hearer, and Miss Madi-
son could not escape the conversation Of
the two. 1t displeased her more and
more as the days went by, even beyond
concealing.
Nearly two months had passed, when
one morning Rose Madison experienced
/ singular circumstances. Richard Price
took holiday and Miss Allison went
home i'll at noon. Duval Fraser remained
in the Office the entire afternoon, and
scarcely any one came in.
At three o'clock-she always remem-
bered that day and that particular hour
the ''blonde god" arose and came over
| to her desk.
you work very hard, ;" he said, slowly.
You must get very tired, every day.
Rose had hardly lifted her eyes, but
the motion of her pen had stopped.
Yes, she said, quietly, ''t is very
hard. | am sometimes very tired
Il want, y be said abruptly, after a
moments pause, 'I want to ask you
question. When you first come into the
Office Price seemed to take a great liking
to you. Lately he seems changed, or
something seems to have happened.
What is the matterW
She lifted her eyes then and looked in
his face.
II cannot tell YOU" she said
You do not know or suspect"
She was silent. He watched her with
an interested look. Perhaps he was
thinking how delicate her face was, with
its beautiful deep-blue eyes, its silken-
soft frame of chestnut hair; how gentle
and how refined her speech.
He remained silent for space. then
spoke.again, even more considerably.
"Would you not like-would it not be
a rest for you to go to some place of
amusement this evening2 l should like
to take you, Miss Rosen
She did not answer for amOment; then,
in low voice:
II thank you, Mr.. Fraser, but l could
not-I could not have at once busi-
ness and social acquaintance with the
same gentleman.
''NoP' he said, as if surprised. Then,
perhaps you are right"
She found herself trembling now from
the effort of the little speech, Perhaps
he noticed this, for he withdrew, and
walked rather aimlessly about the place.
81 think, " he said, ''I think know the
trouble with Price" And then he turned
and looked at her with a sudden mean
ing-a something in his look that star
tied her and set her heart to throbbing,
and brought a gray mist before her ewes.
She would not have felt any different
had he said: Price is jealous of both of
US"
Her head seemed in whirI. She was
glad when he urged her to close up her
books and desk and cease work for the
day. He closed the office early and they
went out together. 1t seemed as if his
road lay toward her home; and thither
he walked with her They talked as
they went of indifferent matters; but
when the house was reached she spoke
with an abrupt bitterness.
This is the place live in the attic.
Once | lived in mansion
He fingered for a moment.
Yes" he said, 'I knew it." But his
tone of gentle compassion, tinged with
regret, seemed to irritate her.
However" she said almost sharply
II neither require nor desire pity. Good
night"
The managers holiday seemed not
to have agreed with him. He
came to the office next morning
in decidedly unpleasant tenn
per. The black eyed copyist was still
absent, and upon Miss Madison fell
double her usual amount of work.
Duyd Fraser appeared distrait, and
everything seemed at skies and sevens.
As the hours passed the condition of !
things grew worse. Richard Price be- |
gan to mutter and find fault and finally |
to grumble openly. Miss Madison evil
IDENTIFY was not pleasing him.
you have done this all wrong" he |
said, turning savagely upon her "The /
addition of that column is absurd.
Haven't you any sense"
Duval Fraser's blonde head was sud |
denly lifted from behind his desk He |
rose and came over TO the corner where /
Miss Madison sat and took the great !
sheet from the pale young worker. After |
a quick look he turned to the other man.
Miss Madison's work is not at fault" " |
he said, quietly. She makes fewer mis- /
takes than any one we have ever em-
ployed. She has done everything as she .
should"
Richard Price had his face bent down, |
but that which he sneered in reply came |
with horrible distinctness TO the ears of |
both proprietor and clerk:
"Of course anything she does is all .
right
Duval Fraser waited hardly an instant. |
He stepped close TO Price.
''You will apologize to Miss Madison, - |
he said, in low voice.
Price did not answer. He was appar-
entity busy with his figures His right .
hand played carelessly with the wrench
shaped hand-stamp with which all ac-