The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1899-04-06

she was forced to admit that she de-
served to lose her situation, that she
no longer merited his confidence, and
thus, with unhappy doubts and self
questionings, the two intervening days
dragged slowly by.
Earlier than was her custom on
Monday morning Mildred reached the
office. As she was removing her out
of-door garments her glance fell in
voluntarily on the pile of mail matter
tha! George had brought from the
postofice and laid ready for Nj. Vaughn
upon his desk. Itwas large pile
large that the upper part OF it had slid
backward so as to reveal the edges OF
some Of the lower envelopes.
She caught sight OF printed
name in the left-band corner Of one OF
them: :9Iarshall & Hobbs" She
would have given weeks salary to
open that letter, but taking such lib-
erty was ont of the question.
NJ. Vaughn arrived late, and in so
leisurely a manner did he open and
read the letters that Mildred began to
wish she had taken occasion TO place
that from Marshall &, Hobbs on top of
tie heap and thus saved herself many
long minutes Of torturing suspense.
Finally, when he reached it IN lne
course, he showed the most eIaspcE,;
ating calmnessin making acquaintance!
with its contents-qIite as if the los.
ing of several thousand dollars were
matte: of no Importance whatever.
While pretending to be busy herself,
Mildred watched him with tremulous
anxiety. His face, however, was Ut
terlv inscrutable, and after having
held the open sheet in his fingers for
full five minutes-or so it seemed to
her-he turned and extended it toward
her, remarking briefly, ''This may in
terest you"
She seized the letter in what came
near to being frantic clutch and re-
seating herself, for she felt too weak
to stand, began to read:
"Your valued favor Of the 10th inst.
has been received and contents noted.
The letter has been somewhat defaced
in the copying-probably from too
free use of water by your Office boy
but we think we have been able to
make out all OF it except the estimate
given for the No. l009 castings. We
are in doubt whether the figures IN
tended are II or Is. Please telegraph
the correct amount on receipt Of this,
as we cannot delay much longer in
submitting our bid"
''The moral Of that seems to be-"
said MI. Vaughn, quizzically. IF you
must make mistake make such a very
bad one that nobody can, decide what
on earth your driving at. Nov, Miss
Chadbourne,. I wish -Esssras.esalld ,aasrF1tE z,
Sss! ~ Shall. i hoQbs thai
the proper figure is fifteen. Prepay
the charges, and heve the message re-
peated, so as to make sure it is right.
Do you understand, and can I trust
you to do that?"
eyes, sir" the girl answered, blush
ing at lie fancied to be a covert
sarcasm. 80: Il, Mr.. Vaughn she
though IL best to add, II want to tell
you how sorry I am for my carelessness
in copying that letter. You may be
sure such thing will not occur
again"
II trust not, indeed, was all the
response he made, and she left the Of
fee in some uncertainty as to how her
apology had been taken, but as he did
not refer to the matter afterward she
was finally encouraged to hope he had
not lost faith in her entirely.
She never really knew whether that
important figure in the hurriedly writ
tea letter Was a three OF i've, but
she never allowed herself to be trou-
bled with any painful doubts as to her
figures again; one escape from disaster
was enough.
Thereafter she made sure to have
every letter she sent out exactly right
in all particulars before it left her
hands, and she was never again known
to neglect her employers interests
for her WI pleasure or convenience,
as she clearly recognized she had been
guilty Of doing in the case of her "un-
profitable hurry. ."--Youth's Compan-