Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1899-07-20
lowed him into the Office and found

~ AauSulu8 OuO SnAAA0S 6dJAyS WAsAt
flushed cheeks and starry eyes, ~ n
After that Miss Dolly was no longer
dignified with the shippingElsSk. She
smiled ut him bewitehinsty Shd gave
him shy, coquettish glances and let
him button hergloves. He thought her
Charming and gmatters were going
along swimmingly, but somehow the
|bookkeeper did not feel SO elated over
his success as might have been ex-
pected. -.
=. There was q curious ache at his heart,
and he began to feelSa most qnreason7
able dislike toward the shipping clerk.
What AN impudent young fellow he
was; he positively forced his attentions
upon Miss Dolly! Was he the man for
her? The bookkeeper had meant it
for her good, but had he done the
wisest thing? !. He never could man
age to walk home with her at all now
and he missed the little condolences
she had been wont to give him. She
hardly ever spoke to him nowadays,
she even appeared to avoid him and
he turned to his work with sigh.
One evening he watched them going
away together and he noticed what q
handsome, clean-limbed young fellow
the shipping clerk was and how dainti-
~ Miss Dolly lifted her skirts, and what
a handsome couple they made, and he
turned away to the little mirror and
scrutinized with earnest eyes the face
that greeted him there. He noted bit
terly the gray sprinkled in the dark
hair and the wrinkles about the eyes
and the grave mouth. @
"What fool have. been!" he cried,
passionately. All, poor, clumsy, great
hearted spider, caught in the web he
had SO carefully woven for the un-
suspecting fly.
But now that he had begun this work
he would not 60 back, no, not if it
brought the keenest torture into his
life. He had deliberately brought it
upon himself and must bear the conse-
quences. And if Miss Dolly loved the
shipping clerk, why, she. must have
him-her happiness came first of all.
So he crushed his heart sternly and
bore the anguish as silently as he
could.
But. it was hard, hard work, as the
days went by. Miss Dolly had grown
gay again, sometimes it seemed almost
a feverish gayety, she was so bright
and restless. The bookkeeper caught
himself watching her and was aston
ished to remember how long he had
unconsciously been doing SO.
Once he came. upon them standing
close together and the shipping clerk
was bending over. her slim, gloved hand
fastening most refractory button and
looking up at her with ardent eyes.
Miss Dolly started, and then dropped
her eyes, flushing rosily. And the
.bookkeeper clinched his hands.
mighty impulse came over him to fling
the shipping clerk through the 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 at
Miss Dolly and seldom trusted himself
to speak. His only safety lay in work,
so he toiled away from morning till
evening with the tireless energy of a
machine. & .'.4Ya
Then one day came the news Of the
shipping clerks promotion, good po-:
sition, snug salary. The bookkeeper
knew what that meant. He wondered
duly how long it would be before the
shipping clerk took her away. Oh,
what would the Office be like without
her! However, she would be happy; he
was SO glad she would be happy.
He stood beside her at the window
as she was getting ready to leave, aud
thought what lucky fellow the ship
ping clerk was. All things had come
to him.
.'That promotion is fine thing for
Wells, Z he said. 81 am so glad it came"
''Yes, I am, too" Miss Dolly an
swered, pausing to watch the sunset.
She looked subdued and thoughtful in
it's red glow. ~ Isl q
'sHe deserves. it, the ebookkeeper
said, gently. "And am SO glad for
your sake" .a "
Miss Dolly turned on him. ~ Es
"And why are you glad for my sake?"
"Well, because, of course, it must
mean so much to YOU"
Miss Dolly flung outssher, hand inn
patiently.
"And why should it mean SO much for
me?" she demanded.
The bookkeeper floundered stupidity.
He did not understand these bewilder-
ing woman's moods. 5f ~
"a II thought, you know, you acted as
if, it seemed { like you cared. III
thought you were in love with him.
''You seemed determined that i
should bel" flashed Miss Dolly. Theh
she said. softly: II was in love but NOT:
with him" se... ~, II
Her eyes were fixed dreamily on thu
purple clouds in the west, but there
was something in her face that made
the bookkeeper take sudden strids
toward her and cry out, fiercely: d
dolly! I have o right to knowl
Who was it that you were in love
with?" '. R
Then Dolly dropped her coquetries
and lifted her clear eyes to his facS
and hold ont her. hands + II,