The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-10-07

IUc DIeSSuCc OI tHc occupant.
AS sne Iuuue'u. 'u.svcp~or-v--.s.s
scratching ceased, and the connection
became apparent between the tuft of
hair and head, the owner whereof
Strengthened back in his chair an6
wheeled about so that she could see
him.
She thought him about thirty yeass
old, though the full brown beard he
wore so becomiugly made it difficult to
tell his age with accuracy. Having as.
sured herself he was Mr.. Alllson, she
timidly made known her errand.
CAB, yes" he returned; "sit down,
Miss Thorndyke."
He WAS not e man Of words. He
asked few questions, contenting himself
with learning she was stranger in town,
had lost both father and mother-the
former within six months-aud knew
nothing, from experience, of the dutiei
attending the place for which she had
applied.
"You may come on trial. aud see how
we like each other,' he SAID, and, to be-
great relief, the important matter was
settled, for time at least.
81 think We shall get on," he said al
the end of the first week, and she had
taken that as permission to stay.
Gradually the newness of her surround.
ings wore off, and she settled dowr
among them as naturally as the great
safe or the desks, one of which was now
devoted to her especial use.
She could not fatter herself, however,
on often holding a much more import.
ant place in the thoughts of their COM
mon master than these bulky pieces of
Office furniture. She thought him the
most unsociable man she had ever met {;
but he was also the busiest, and conse.
quently could not have much time for
unnecessary talk.
It did not take long to see she was in
no way confidential clerk, or that Mr..
Allison had great deal OF business at
whose nature she could only guess; al.
most every morning he was ont for sew
eral hours, and he had frequent callers
with whom he held long and close con-
versations on affairs which, in her mind,
at least, were invested with great i'm
portance.
One gentleman in particular she be-
gan to notice, from his almost daily ap.
rearanco and the intimacy she saw
growing up between him and Mr.. Alli-
son. He went by the name of Morton,
but she could not allay a doubt of his
right to be so called.
His bold though brief look of admira.
tion the first time he had seen her had
prejudiced her against him, and since
then her disgust at him had been stead
lily increasing, although from causes the
most indefnable.
From various bits of their talks,
picked up at different times, she sur
missed that Mr.. Morton was trying to
engage Mr.. Allison in heavy specula.
ton, to which he inclined favorably.
Further than this she knew little, but
she wished earnestly for something TO
happen and dissua& him from such a
step.
She had speculated a great deal about
his home life, and wondered how much
he relaxed his impenetrable reserve when
at his own fireside. She knew scarcely
anything about him except that he lived
at Lindendale, about ten miles out of
town, whence he came every day on the
train, and her early suspicion that he was
unmarried had been confirmed by q
phrase from the lips of lady caller, who
raj playfulIy twitted him on the ways
>uf crusty old bachelorhood.