New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-05


to have, and their result proved them foily
He certainly missed her, the morning after nor
final departure, when, in pursuance OF 0ld Gus.
TOM he threw open the pigeon-hole ana l"und
nothing but orderly blankness, still il was Only
as Il man might miss the darns In his socks by
finding holes there instead. In gazing al the
idle typewriter it struck him that Miss Lowe
had foOlishly gone without those generously
worded testimonials which nc was 50 willing %
give; and, knowing quite by chance that she
was still in Dulyerton, he determined TO can ana
put this little matter right, because she hdd
certainly done her duty in that state OF life to
which poverty had called her
Hester Lowe had two rooms IN stald lltte
house staining Just where town merged itselt
definitely into country. and as he was ushelrd
in by the landady, and his former cerk rose 10
receive him. he thought at FIRST II was some
stranger. She had been out paying the last
Of her small dcbts-amOng others the SAP
batical fowl which had been tough and ma
vorless for at least three Sundays ana, com
ing in damp and dispiritcd, had changed the
official serge for some soft womaniy garment,
which here and there rpplcd into rms ana
hufincss. The face. too, was Inherent 10,
ing both pale and wistful, for she was S'alu
ing. not undismayed, al this crossroad o.
her life. quite uncertain which way TO go. NOT
for moment could he reconcile tins woman
with the one he had come TO see she was so
different and her surroundings AIDED ana d"t-
ted the Illusion, having absolutely nothing D."
common with the little glass den.
81 called to remind you about the testimonial:
You ought to have il before leaving Dulvrrton
"Oh a reference? Thanks. But | doubt II II
is needed" "
He sat down. and drew pen and ink. which
were close at hand, toward him.
"You Will find it is much needed MAY ask
If you have anything in view?' He was writ
ing as he spoke.
"No-nothing in view"
He frowned a little and went scratching on.
Miss II Lowe-what does H. stand for? II
is better with the full name
Hester"
So he didn't even know as much as that about
her. and the scraping pen set her teeth on edge
There" he said. handing 1t tc her; viii that
do? If not. viii add anything You pleas"
She read the few formal words hedrine witness
to her worth and diligence. white he glanced
round the room maIVelline what woman
could do with 100 year.
1T will, do eXceently," she SAID lhank
you"
Il doubt if it is quite enough, now come to
think cf it. Give it back. VIII add a niue
more.
Bur her grasp frightened on the sheet Of paper;
You have said quite enough htr ihat ""'d
faithful Il really expresses everything.
He glanced up into the soft. seiioIs face aboN"
him and fully realized that this was the first
time he had really seen her. and the thought
struck him that man hurt and in pain would
find comfort in such face bencIng over ana
soothing him.
At parting they shook hands.
"Do you know he said. 81 feel now that
haven't been half nice enough to Won 1t must
haya been terribly dull work for YOU
not at all. You never bullied me- should
have hated that-and YOU paid me punrlualI!.
What more was necesSarH?
She didn't mean to be bitter. yet he went away
distinctly rcrnorseful. After he was gone she
laughed quietly and then wiped hcr eyes.
IT'S really very comical when one looks al
it," she said. And if eyer person turned her /
self out Of a situation by her own "el and deed
/ am thar person. It's really very comicalE
And she wiped her eyes again.
H.
II was two years before Hester Lowe came back
to Dulverton. just 10 please herself with sight .
Of the place she liked 80 well Why 1t drew her
So she hardly knew, still, il would certainly RE /
pleasant 10 find out how much o.! thriving pros /
perty her money had brought e. the man VINO /
had needed it NOR than she. Thr"uEh me TWO /
years she had followed his career ~ lmaSInauOn /
him first with that rumored wife. and .
then. in process Of time, with an heir to the .
property. 1t was castle-buildns ON most un- F
selfish scale without the least fear of structural
weakness, for IN all her thoughts Of him he was .
happy and successful.
Now. DulVerton being on branch line, she .
had to change at the junction which was just .
then crowded with people returning from some .
local races. The majority were somewhat noisy .
and rough so Hester stood quietly on one side,
an Interested and amused loOker-on. When the .
branch train drew UP there was something of .
a scufIle for places. and in the confusion she .
found herself hustled into a frst-class carriage,
without any legal right to be there. for she was
travelling third. The compartment was soon
full of noisy men, who were obviously Of the
bookmaking fraternity. and whose comments on
the day doing were sufficiently loud and hilarl-
Gus to make her wish she had chosen quieter
day for her journey The train was just on the
move when some one got in, but Hester never
even turned away from her window until the
salutation addressed to this late conner stung
her into attention.
"Halloo DawOOd, You cut il rather too fine,
my dear fellow
Before turning her head she had time to re-
sent the unpleasant familiarity Of address.
Surely Mr.. palW pol-WhO had carried himself
proudly in past days would reprOVe such i'm
pertinent freedom. and she almost waited to
hear his curt reputation before looking at him.
But il never came. and as her startled eyes sur
yeyed him she began to understand why; for the
man looked not much above these his asso-
GATES save that he had once been gentle