The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-06-06

in a sort or UNIFORM guarded the uoOr anu
and sharply scrutinized all corners. Sam
dys, however, did not enter the huge room,
but opened a small door at the right and
went in to the telegraph office; Elinor,
with fast bea ting heart, following him.
The telegraph office was comparatively
small, and was practically an alcove of
the ample apartment used by the board
| of trade, divided from it by a counter,
| whose broad polished oaken top was lit
| tered with telegraph blanks, and splashed
here and there with ink. In the center
of the office was a wide table halved
longitudinally by partition Of glass,
| while crosswise were other glass bulk
heads, parcelling out the table top into
| sections, in each one Of which tele-
graph instrument occupied the CEN
| ter. AS usual thing one operator
| was enough to do the business of the
office, but in times of stress, caused by
a futter in the market, help had to be
called for from the central office, and
| sometimes the six compartments were
| in chatttering activity.
"Now, Miss Elinor," said the manager,
"this is your workroom. Johnnie Field
ers here will be in charge for week or
as much longer as is necessary, and you
| will be his assistant. AS soon as you are
| ready to take full control / shall remove
| him elsewhere, for he is a most useful
young man."
Sandys left the room and strolled into
the board OF trade, the doorkeeper nod
ding to him, for the head of the West
At the eUl of large hall, wide and
lofty double doors standing open gave
view Of the interior Of an immense room,
ern Uniop was a privileged individual.
| The spacious chamber of commerce was
rapidly filling up, and a rising murmur
of conversation quivered in the air.
Now and then some exuberant person
with a silk hat on the back of his head
yelled out a startling exclamation, which
made Miss McClintoch jump the first
time she heard it, little dreaming of the
pandemonium to which she would later
become accustomed. She thought there
had been a dreadful accident, but no.
body paid the slightest attention, and
she learned that this was merely the
preliminary sparring for the contest that
was to come after, just as athletes in
field timber up before the game COM
mences.
Halo, Sandys"' said a young man.
greeting the head of the Western Union.
Acting the unaccustomed part Of the
| squire of danes, Ell? Who is the beau
typ
1.-The beauty, Mr. Howard is friend
of mine," answered the manager coldly.
The young man laughed.
$50 l surmised, curmudgeon, other
wise | would not have sought enlighten-
ment from you. | never deal in second
hand information, as some of my dis
tinguished fellow citizens on this floor
are beginning to find out"
| Yes, / understand you are exceeding
~ successful in your struggle here, let
me advise you to be content with that"
Content? No man is ever content
with anything. But, l say, Sandys, you
are surely never going to place so pretty
a girl in the telegraph office?"
Il have already done so, and / have
told her, furthermore, that she would
find every man she met here a gentle
man."
20, you always were an optimist,
Sandys. l think, you know, you are
. stretching it bit to call old Grimwood,
who is now about to honor us with his
presence, a gentleman. Merely my own
opinion, Of course"
There was entering, as he spoke,
man who stopped slightly. His smooth
ly shaver face made it impossible, at a
distance, to guess his age, but closer
inspection left no doubt that he was
fully entitled to the adjective the young
man had bestowed upon him. The lid
dropped over the left eye, and gave a
sinister expression to an impressive face
that was at best saturnine. The left
arm hung Imply by his side, and, with
the sinking eyelid, gave token of a
"stroke" that many regretted had, like
themselves, encountered the old man in
vain. Some one had said that confidence
would never be restored in business cir
circles until second attack grappled old
Grimwood with more success than the
first, for it had been quickly proven that
what was left of the seasoned old spec
ulator was a match for the combined in
tellect and shrewdness of the others in
the grain pit. Grimwood's workable eye
quickly but furtively ranged the room,
and finally rested on the fair head of
the girl, just visible over the polished
surface of the counter, as she sat at the
telegraph instrument. His face showed
no establishment; it was always express
} sionless, but his eye remained there.
~ thoroughly believe, Sandys, that
ord Grimwood has bribed you to place
the girl here. Such a withered ancient
branch as he is will be the only man
unaffected by her presence. 1t isn't fair
l
to us youngsters, who have to contend
with his lifetime of villainy anyhow. 1
confess | don't want my mind distracted
from the wheat quotations just at pres
ent."
Il shall give you every assistance to
concentrate your mind on that subject
Howard"
Thanks, old mon; I'm infinitely
obliged" replied Howard with a laugh,
but who is she, anyhow? we are bound
to know, sooner or later"
"She is one entitled to the respect and
protection of every an here" said
Sandys slowly. "She is the daughter of
your old chief, Silas McChntoch."
Good Heavens! You don't mean to
sa so?" cried the young man SOLDERING
BY Jove, there is a sort of poetic JUS
tice in her being here, this inferno
which ruined the father now supporting
the daughter