New Ulm weekly review., 1886-03-10
with the unheeded check still between

Elinor Cragsby sat with her friend
and companion dreamily gazing into
the fire. After a while the elder lady
looked up from the book she was read
ing.
"a penny for your thoughts, Nell!''
The girl started at the voice, and
the words had to be repeated before
she seemed to understand them.
'1'm not sure" she said meditatiye-
ly. 'that they are worth the sum. =
"Then," said her friend with a smile,
without wishing to be uncompli-
mentary to the subject of them,
think can guess their direction
81 wish 1 could make him see how
useless it is" the girl broke out, APP
parently irrelevantly.
"He doesn't wish to see that" said
her companion. AS have often told
you, it appears to me that he has de-
liberately resolved to succeed in the
attempt to win your regard, and he is
not man OF fine feelings. Nothing
short of absolute discourtesy or rude
ness would repel him, unless indeed, it
were the presence Of asuccessful rival, .
she added in a lower and a meaning
tone.
There was something in the last sen
tence that brought q flush to Elinor
Cragsby's face. Sherose from her seat
and moving toward the window, stood
looking out. Suddenly she uttered an
exclamation of annoyance. Her friend
looked up.
"Here he isl" said Elinor, as if in
answer to the look
A smile played for "a moment around
Mrs. Seaforth's lips, then vanished.
"Shall l leave your she said, half
rising.
"No-on no account" and Elinor,
smiling herself,i in spite OF her vexation
recrossed the room. and with gentle
force pushed the elder lady into her
seat again and then resumed her own.
Scarcely had she done SO when the
servant announced "AIr. Golding," :"
and that gentleman entered, all bows
and smiles.
"Ellen," he said, attempting to take
her hand, "you must know how long
and how devotedly / have been at
tached to you, how have longed for
the hour that should enable me to
approach you and offer myself as a
suitor for you hand
He paused to note the effect Of this
| declaration which, in reality, he had
carefully prepared before he reached
the house that evening. But he learnt
nothing from the contemplation of
the face before him. It was slightly
averted. as was natural, but in no
wise did it's fair owner seem discom-
posed. Mr.. Golding began to feel a
little uneasy, and a new idea for the
first time flashed upon his mind.
Could there be another? 1t seemed
too absurd, but it would not be dis
missed. He rose from his chair and
bent over her for a. last appeal.
Can it be?'' he murmured half re-
proachfully. "Have 1 a rival?''
AS the words left his lips, the room
door opened, and a voice announced
"Mr. Renshaw" At the sound Mr..
Golding, with a sudden start, faced
round, and to his utter astonishment
beheld before him, smiling courteous
ly, and with outstreUched hand, the
man whom he had dismissed from his
service, whom he had even spoken of
contemptuously to Elinor herself as
"one of my clerks .
ga friend of yours?" he said inter
negatively, but in tone thatsounded
| strange in his own ears, and caused
| the other three to look curiously at
him.
The girl blushed, smiled, but didnot
answer; and Mrs. Seaforth, who had
risen and approached them, came to
her rescue.
ssMr. Renshaw was a friend of Mr..
Cragsby's and is still friend of ours. !"
"N1r Renshaw," said the other,
probably has good reasons for his
friendship. Fortune-hunters usually
have"
Gilbert Renshaw took tepforward.
'That is true as a general statement,
Mr.. Gold1ng" he said, with all his
former easy Indifference, "but it isnot
true, if you will allow me to say so, in
this particular instance. /, personally,
am not a fortuhe-hunter. Perhaps
you know of some one who may better
deserve the name?"
sYou were my clerk said Golding
with q bitter sneer;; "what are you
now"
81 will tell you, replied the otherin
the same unruff1ed tone. GAS you
rightly said, was your clerk, and it
came about in this way At my faith
er's death, the property to which l
succeeded was somewhat encumbered
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 it
self by applying the income to the ex-
tinction Of the debt. To simplify mat
ters, he kindly offered me aposition in
his own office at good salary, stipu-
lating that nothing should be said or
known Of his long friendship with
our family, lest it should be thought
he might favor me. I accepted the
post. In a few years, as we planned,
my property was unencumbered, and
your sudden dismissal of me simply
anticipated my own resignation by
two or three weeks. You see, Mr..
Golding, while I give you full credit for
having intended to injure me, l can
1,o,,x, i,,oo 1;1x, %roo =