Evening star., 1896-11-28
married her mother when she was but q

1T is no reproach to come from the gut
| ter-the reproach Is In staying there.
| have left 1t, and don't intend to return"
"Oh, intend!" cried the manager i'm
patiently. 1--WE all know what is paved
even spoken to the girl!'
| mo, but I mean to-"
do you? Well, I shall take very good
| care that you do not"
well?"
What is there for you? Perhaps Won will
! kindly specify your recommendations"
| you are very hard on me- Mr. Sartwell
| You know that If I came from the gutter.
! S Wnat eauGation have 1 gave to myself.
| nave studied hard and worked hard Does
| tnat count Tor nothing? I have a good
| character. and have good situation"
| You have not. l discharge you You
NIL, VIII can al the ofhce tomorrow, get your
| "Oh!"
Yes. oh You did not think that of me.
| did you?' ''-"' u me-
II did not"
| well. for once you are right. merely
wisn TO show you how your good situation
| uepenos on the caprice of one man. / have
so o ,,,el n,eition OF d1scharging you. am not
SO much afraid of you. I'll look after INV
| daughter "i'ei AAS
| Marsten said bitterly:
| Glboons, ass as he Is, is right when he
as one who has risen from the ranks Yon
were not better off than 1 am when Won
| were my age" .A ~"
at1are Sa.tweii ,., sprang to his feet. his eyes
| Ray attention. young man." he cried
"A an she things You have done I have done
a raadY tne dnm 5n,nss you intend to do have al
through ali thss s WY, Why h1Es Fer mvss19s gone
| Not likely. I have done it so that she NAV
not nave to be that tired drudge-a work.
IHam > "ite-so that she may begin where
l leave off. That's why. For myseif T
wear ov,'e t.
| q managers coat. And now, having conc
| .Hrousn al this for her sake-you talk
eat ee iowe! o"t NOW you have had your answer,
| office until you are sent for"
Sartweli in his excitement smote the desL
septenoes W,h nls cienGhsd fist to emphasize his
| nave been more diplomatic to have Ieft
secner: Nevertheless. seeing that things
| couid De no worse. he stood his ground.
unousht' he said. that it would be
honorable In me to let you know"
Don't talk to me of honor. Get ont"
AZ tnat moment the door from the pri-
sa.e stairway opened and young girl
zane zane IN. T., Her father had completely for
so.ten MS appointment with her, and both
men en- were taken aback by her entrance.
- knocked. father" she said. hut you
did net hear me-" 'oo
IN a moment. Edna. Just step into the
redy. -"
II beg of you not to leave, Miss sart-
Wen. said Marsten. going to the other
door and opening IL. Good night. Mr..
Sartwell." 1-
Good night" said the manager, shortly.
Good night. Hiss Sartwell."
Good night" said the girl sweetIv with
the suggestion of bow
Ihe eyes or the two men met for a mo-
ment, the obstinacy of the race in each.
| family:
Il have spoken to her. you see"
Chapter II.
Edna" said her father, when they were
a!ene. you must not come to this Office
again.
Ihere was more sharpness in his tone
| than he was accustomed to use toward his
daughter. and she looked up at him quick
ly.
Have I interrupted an important con-
ference?" she asked. What did the Young
man want. father?'
He wanted something I was unable to
grant"
appointed. Was it situation?''
something of the Sort
An And why couldn't you give it to him?
Wasn't he worthy"
mo, no. No, no."
He seemed to me to have such a good
faoe-honest and straightforward"
Good gracious, child, what do you know
about faces? Do not interfere in business
matters. You don't understand them.
Don't chatter chatter. chatter. One
woman who does that is enough in a fam
1ly-all a man can Stand.'
The daughter became silent. The father
pigeonholed some papers, took them out
again, rearranged them. and placed them
back. He was regaining control over him.
self. He glanced at his daughter and saw
tears in her eyes.
There. there, Edna" he said '.It is
all right. l am little worried tonight,
hof o1
trouble with the men. 1t is difficult Sit
uation. and 1 have to deal with it alone.
A strike seems inevitable, and one never
can tell where it will end"
And Is he one of the strikers? 1t seems
in possible
A look Of annoyance swept over her
fathers face.
:uDeei Mhy with ali the Edna yeu return o9
woman. Yes. He will doubtless go on
strike ton orrow with all the rest of the
FOOLS He IS workman, If you want to
know, and Furthermore, he is going on
strike when he doesn't believe in it-going
merely because the others go. So you
see how much you are able to read mans
face"
II shouldn't have thought it, said the
girl with sigh. Perhaps if you had
given him what he wanted he would not
go on strike.'
''oh. now you are making him out worse
than even 1 think him. / don't imagine
he Is bribable, you know"
Would that be bribery?'
"Suspiciously like it: but he can strike or
not he wishes-one more or less doesn' t.
matter to me. 1 hope. if they go, they
will go in a body. A few remaining would
only complicate things. Now that you un-
derstand all about the situation are you
satisfied? 1t isn't every woman 1 would
discuss it with. you know. SO you ought
to be f1attered.'
Sartwell was his own man once more,
and ne was mentally resolving not to be
throws off the center again.
"Yes, father. and thank you.'' said the
girl. 1.-THE cab Is waiting" she added,
more to let him know that SO far as she
was concerned the discussion was ended,
than to impart the information conveyed
In her words.
Let it wait. That's what cabs are for.
The cabby usually likes it better than hur-
rying. Sit down a moment. Edna; I'll he
ready presently"
The girl sat down beside her fathers ta-
BILE. Usually Mr.. Sartwell preferred his
desk to his table, for the desk was tall
where man stands when he writes. The
desk had three compartments, with q lid
to each. These were always locked. and
Sartwelrs clerks had keys to two of them
The third was supposed to contain the man.
ayers most private papers. as no one but
himself ever saw the inside of 1t. The lid
locked automatically when 1t was shut, and
| the small key that opened it dangled at
SartwelPs watch chain
Edna watched her father as he unlocked
u