The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-03-16

ed the Office door. Il never bodh,er the
ould woman wild me business mat
Tiers" Then he left the office as
quietly as he had entered it.
1t may haye been an hour after this
1 was about to leave the office to de-
posit O'Connor's money, together with
what other funds had come in during
the day-when there came timid
knock on the glass of the office door,
and young girl entered. She hand
ed Mr.. Cutter letter and then sat
| down near the window. She could not
| have been more than seventeen, and
was slender and graceful, but looked
very delicate. There was about her
an air of shy, almost childlike appeal
~
While / was observing these partic
ulars. Nix. Cutter called me to him.
and said to me in an undertone, as
stood by his desk: That ward in
cbandlery of mine''-a favorite name
with him for O'Connor-swants to
open bank account in his own name.
[ suppose that girl is his new type
writer. Read that" handing me the
! letter the girl had brought. 1t was
type written throughout. signature
and all, and was characteristic.
SIR: | do be thinking l would like
to have money in the bank. And if
yOu please, which | mean no offense
TO yon, will you deposit sane in the
! b National Bank, South Boston.
in the name of yours with respect,
nj. OCoNNoR.
AS | finished reading the letter. Mr..
Cutter told the girl to tell MIR. O'Con-
nor that the matter would be attended
to- She then went out, blushing slight
ly as she crossed the room. Before
long l left the office to make my de
posts, not very well pleased that
was obliged to take the additional
| journey to the bank in South Boston
As [ rode In the open horse car a
fresh breeze was coming from the wa
ter and my thin flannel coat was
blown back. showing the end of O'Con-
| nor's bank notes protruding from my
breast pocket. To avoid any possibil
ity of loss, L took them from nv coat
and put them carefully in the inner
pocket of my waistcoat I then be
came interested in a newspaper / had
bought on the way. and before long.
was, without knowing it. carried a
block or two beyond my destination.
/ was walking back when I noticed
a man and a girl standing near door
way ahead of me, not far from the
bank. The girls figure seemed fam
liar, and as | drew nearer / recogniz
ed her, She was O'Connor's type
writer.
She and her companion were talk
ing earnestly while they anxiCusly
watched the approach of the horse car
following the one | had jrst aft
Every look, every garment of the man
bespoke the sharper.
As the car drew nearer he stepped
back into the doorway, and the girl.
after hurried word of parting. walk
ed quickly to the entrance of the bank
She stood there, waiting. until the car
| had passed. Meantime | had approach
| ed; when she turned to go back to her
companion she came face to face with
me.
She started violently and turned
very pale. Her attempt to conceal her
confusion produced only very forced
| smile, which showed her a novice at
| discrimination.
You are from Mr.. Cutters Cffice.
| aren't you? Do you remember me?"
Yes" [ replied; Il remember you
perfectly. You are Mr.. O'Connor's
type writer With pitifully strain
ed little laugh she said:
"1es-that's it-and Mr.. O'Connor
sent ma over here to meet you. He
, mas changed his mind about the mon
ey. He wants 1t to pay for some junk
| he has bOught-and-aDd will you
please give it to me2" She held ont
her haud and saw that it was trem
bling.
She had spoken breathlessly, like a
child who has learned passage by
heart. As she finished | instinctively
put my hand in my breast pocket
While she was talking my mind had
been unconsciously recalling the ap-
| pearance Of the man, their behavior.
her evident uneasiness at seeing me
| approach from an unexpected direc-
! ton. Now it occurred to me that she
'conld not have had time to 60 back to
O'Connor's since sleaving our office
| asked no questions. [ fumbled in
one pocket after ano' her assuming an
expression of great surprise, and fin
ally SAID, with an ejaculation of ex-
treme annoyance.
| y have come wav over here for
nothing. after all. You will have to
go back with me. and l will give you
the money at the office"
There was not a trace of disbelief in
| her face as she stared at me- She was
! undecided but mot distrustful. She
! Looked anXiously toward the doorway
where she bad left the man, glanced
up and down the street, and after a
moments hesitation, started with me
toward passing car. As l followed
her | looked back over my shoulder.
but the man was not in sight.
| said little to her on our ride back
to the city, and she seemed quite con-
tent to be left to herself. Now and
then | felt that she was furtively
glancing at my face while pretended
to read my paper.
When we reached the office open
ed the door and let her walk in ahead
of ne. She crossed the room and
took the same scat she had had. the
one by the window, while l went to
MIR. Cutter q1ietly. in few words.
explained the situation. l had barely
tiaished speaking, when the door soft
! ly opened and OConuor entered.
He stood still and stared at the girl.
/ She paIed in an instant and sat trem--
/ bling, returning his stare.
1 Is your mother worse?' asked
/ O'Connor, after moment, in hush
ed. kindly voice. The girl shook her
head aud murmured that she had not
been to see her mother yet. She had
rolled her handkerchief into ball,