The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1899-08-31
ali. even appeared 70 avoid him and he


One evening he watched them going
away together aud he noticed what q
handsome, clean-limbed young fellow
the shipping clerk was and how dam
ti!y Miss Dolly lifted her skirts, and
what n handsome couple they made,
and he turned away to the little mir
ror and scru.inized with earnest eyes
the face that greeted him there. He
noted bitterly the gray sprinkled In
the dark hair aud the wrinkles about
the eyes and the grave mouth.
"Wha. fool have BEEN he cried
passionately. All, poor, clumsy.
great hearted spider, csnght in the
web he had 80 carefully woven for the
unsnspecting Ay.
But now that he had begun this
work lie would not go back, no; not If
: it brought the keenest torture into his
lie. He had deliberately brought IL
upon himself and must bear the con-
re suences. And il Miss Dolly loved
the shipping clerk, why, she must have
him her happiness came first OF all.
SO he crushed his teart sternly and
Loro tho anguish as silently as he
coull.
But it Was hard, hard work as the
days went by. Miss Dolly has grown
gay again, sometimes it seemed al
most feycrish gayety, she was 50
bright enl restless. The bookkeepor
caught himself watching her aud was
nstoui5hed to remember how long he
ha unconsciously been doing SO.
Once he came upon them standing
close together aud the shipping clerk
was bending over her slim, gloved
hand fastening most refractory but
ton aud looking up at her with ardent
eyes. Miss Dolly started. aud then
dropped her eyes, flushing rosily.
And the bookkeeper clinched his
hands, mighty impulse came over
him to nins the shipping clerk through
tue open door, and he took one quick
step. Then he controlled himself by
an effort and went on to his desk.
After that he hardly dared look a
Miss Dolly and seldom trusted him
self to speak. His only safety lay il
work, so he toiied away from morning
till evening with the tireless energy
of T. machine.
Then one day came the news OF the
= shipping clerks promotion, goot
position, a snus salary. The book
2 keeper knew what that meant. H
= wondered DULY how long 1t would b
before the shipping clerk took he
. away. Oh, what would the Office b
like withcut herl However, she woul
be happy; he was SO glad she woul
$ be happy.
He stood beside her al the windo,
= "a she was getting ready to leave, an
thought what lucky fellow the ship
: ping clerk was. All things had com
IL to him.
g "That promotion is fine thing fo
o Wells" he said. 81 am so glad
q came"
e eyes, 1 am, too" Miss Dolly an
Il swered, pausins to watch the sunset
o She looked subduel and thoughtfu
" in its rel glow.
"Ho deserves it," the bookkeepe
:, said gently. "And l am SO glad fc
~ your sake"
IS Miss Dolly turned on him.
"And why are you glad for my sake:
Is "Well, because, of course, it mu:
mean so much to you"
% Miss Dolly flung ont her hand III
7; patiently.
J., "And why should it mean so muc
~ for me?" she demanded.
III The bookkeeper noundernd stupid.
He did not understand these bewi
- deriug woman's moods.
&c ~ thought, You know, you acted .
u if it seemed like you cared. L
70 thought you were in love with him.
'G "You seemed determined that
"A should bel" flashed Miss Dolly. The
N she said softly: 81 was in love-b'
- not with him."
T. Her eyes were fixed dreamily on IL
u. purple clouds in the west, but the
70 was something in her face that mao
'S the bookkeeper take sudden stri(
toward her and cry out tiercely:
W dolly! I have q right to kno,
rs Who was it that You were in To-
rs with?"
IN Then Dolly dropped her coquetri
~ and lifted her clear eyes to his ia
and held out her hands.
e' cit was you." che said simply.
ho And the bookkcepcr-well, no ma
, ter what he did.