Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-21

pity. II not on my Loneliness, at least on my
hopeless ignorance, don't you know, in a mat
ter that l, of all others, ought to be inter-
ested-vitally interested--in. You see there
may be no insurance, and perhaps I'm a beg
gar-may have to sell my tandenl don't you
know; sacrifice my pictures, and all that sort
Of thing. / must hear about the fire, and all
about it. It's of more Importance even than
the condition of the workingman, to me at
least, dear as that subject Is and-all-inter-
woven-as may say, with my Very-an-pe-
ing-the workingman, don't you know
But protested his anxious listener, Il
know nothing about the nsurance-nothing
| whatever. You should go at once to London
by the very first train. There has been an in
| quest, and / expect to find, a report OF 1t IN
this paper. You can buy a paper at the sta
ton. and then you will learn everything that
is to be known until you reach London"
81 say, Miss Sartwell,,, said Barney, in an
injured tone, you surelScan't expect me to
understand what's in the paper. l never
print such rubbish. Now YOU can explain 1T
all to me in a very shoSt tIne-you always
make everything so clear. NJ you VIII Just
step into this cart of mine, I'll drive out OF
town and around behind the school; then no
one will see us, and you can reach there
much more quickly thanff you walked don't
you know" 40
The girl frowned, and Barney saw with
surprise that she perhaps hhad, after all,
some of her fathers impatience. He felt that
he was not progressing quite as favorably
as he could wish; but a. few words wouid
put that right, if he could get her to go
with him for a drive,
"Mr. Hope she said, severely, you will
pardon me if | say that, under the circu1n-
stances, you should be busy in London rather
than idling at Eastbourne. An unexpected
calamity has happened; the business is de-
ranged and men are out of work Just now
when they need it most; yet here you stanu
idly talking of taIdems and driving
Barney opened his eyes wide with aston
ishment. Here actually was censure, plain
and undisguised. He had never encountered
it before from any lady, except perhaps
from his mother-and she did not count;
for. as he knew, she would be the first to
resent blame placed upon him by any one
else.
"But-but what can 1 do?" stammered
the unfortunate young man, with strong
emphasis on the personal pronoun.
81, of course, don't know; but that Is what
I should find out If l We're in your place.
"Nobody pays the least attention to what
| say; they never did, and it's not likely
they're going to begin now. Your 1ather
didn't even take the trouble to telegraph,
although he knows I'm here
"He knows you are here?"
"Of course. He was coming with me, anu
both of us were going to call upon you; put
unluckily for me, he couldn't come, ana mere
| am stranded; and must say wheh you
talk like that, l think fate is a little hard
on me-
AS the girl looked at him her expression
softened: she felt she had been unfair to
him. and she had a keen sense of justice
81 had no intention Of saying anything
harsh" she replied. 81 merely told you
what thought any one in your position
would do. Don't you agree with me-
81 always agree with you, Miss Sartwell'
I'm rather q blockhead, at best, don you
know. but | usually recognize the right
thing when some one points 1t out to me
That's one great fault | find with myself
I don't see things till after every one else
has seen them; then they all seem SO pam
that / wonder | didn't notice them before
People are so impatient with a fellow ike
me. that sometimes / feel sorry for myself
I give YOU my word / do. If they would take
a little pains-but then, of course no one
ever cares whether a fellow goes right OF
wrong"
I'm sure | care very much
you think you do" cried Barney de-
jectedly; but you won't even FISK a slight
scolding at the school to give me the ADVICE
need at the time / need it most. But that's
The way of the world continued the i'll
used young man with a deep sigh. All !
want you to do is to take a short drive win
me, and tell me what you, know or the dls-
aster. and what you think j ought to DO
under the circumstances. Il brought thls
turnout from London on purpose to take
you out. 1t isn't as II I were suggesting
anything clandestine, for came with your
fathers approval, l Wote 10 the mIst'eSS
of the school telling her so, but she an
swered with a sharp reprimand.
"Then | wrote directly TO you, but my let
ter was returned with an iintimation that |
was trying to do something undetermined.
So YOU see, | made every effort to be square
and honest, but the honest people wouldn't
have it. That's the sort of conduct that
drives men to crime. Then / took to more
questionable methods, and got that young
fellow-I forget his nameA'to carry a letter
to you. That offended iyou-'
"Oh, no." h'1h
'It's nice OF you TO saysso," Barney went
on. mournfully, but / am so used TO disap-
pointment that a little extra. more or less,
doesn't matter. / see now | was wrong
to send that letter In the way / did, al
ways see those things after; but | was forced
into 1t. / expect to end up In prison some
day, and never realize my crime until the
Judge sentences me. | suppose | ought to
be above the need OF an encouraging word
now and then, but I don't seem to be-"
what do you wish me TO do?" asked the
girl, a shade OF perplexity coming over her
face.
A | wish is a little straightforward,
clear-headed advice. Art beckons me in one
direction, and advises me TO leave business
alone. You said just now that my place
was at the works, and that l shouldn't be
idllng here when there was so much 10 be
done. Mr.. Sartwell quite evidently hopes
| shall keep out OF the way, or he would
have told me OF the fire. | seem TO be a
superauous person, not wanted anywhere