Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1900-11-09
|, A BACHELOR
J GODDESS.
D The Story of u Woman Halter and
How lie Was Converted. 4



or simpering dolts. AS for me-" quoth
Halbert cynically, give me the first
every time. You can trust To AN adj.
ventures to have little gray matter
at least in her Uranium" He was talk
ing TO his secretary. young Allen, IA cal.
low youth, almost etfcminate, but new.
erthelcss brainy, too brainy, as Hal,
bert expressed it, for his size and
weight. Allen had got used to these
sinister observations concerning WON.
ankind and rarely ever offered any
comment either TO agree or to refute
the others statements. These two in.
dividualS were study for one anOth'
er. The hour in which Allen accepted
the position of private secretary, a
short time before, they found pleas
peculiar ineXplicable sympathy of
feeling that seemed to have puzzled
both.
Halbert was confirmed bachelor
He boosted of never having proposed
to any woman. He was afraid of
them. In his estimation they were all
scheming politicians and ready to mar
ry him or any man at Il moments no.
tice. Keep the women away from
me- Snarled IIalbert at times when
driven by force to a crush. I'D rather
smoke or sleep" And the little secrc-
tary. with his strong, boyish ardor,
kept them far away and cOmfOrtcd
Halbert with his companionahle 81
! lence.
The one measure in Aliens make up
which Ualhcrt could not understand
was his reluctance to smoke. He could
never get him to indulge even in Il
! cigarette. And in the matter of drink
ing though Allen could mix punch or
cocktail with commendable art. he
brought them untaSted to Ilalbert as
kind of offering to that exalted
wretch.
"You should have been a woman, by
CAD" IIalbert said once to him. "A
thousand pardOns. Allen. but you
would have made fine looking girl.
You've got grace and tact enough for
it. You know. Why, believe me, Allen,
if there were women like you today.
with the brain and ALL | believe I'd
marry one of them" Allen actually
blushed and retreated in confusion.
I1albert liked this display Of apparent
shyness. and his affection for the boy
81 hn
back and he said he felt lonesome
when the chap was away. ~ tell YOU
what. Allen, | don't know whether TO
adopt you as my son, considering the
fact that shall never have one of my
! own or whether to let things slide on
as formerly and just double your sal
ary."
Things slid on as formerly until Hal
bert announced a hunting trip to Ahys-
sinia, He had actually completed plans
for both and was sketching out in his
Imagination the delicious camaradcrie
of two in tent in the wilds of Africa
when ALLEN announced his intention TO
resign.
You ungrateful bcggar you can't re-
sign" Halbert shouted. why. my
boy. can't go without you. What's
the natter"
THE fact of the matter is, sir" Allen
replied respectfully, Il don't want to
go with YOU"
1t was Il blow, and it landed between
Halbert's eyes. He loved Allen if he
ever loved any being on earth. and this
was the first time that he ever had
or pleading. he nursed his agony 81
lently, for Aliens abruptness stung
him with all the agony of untilial in
gratitude. of unrequited love. of treach
cry in friend-everything. 1t panied
Halbert as he had never been panied
before. That afternoon he ordered his
horse for long ride and went out de
jectedly with load ON his shoulders
He wanted to puzzle out the situation
He had never to plead with any one
before in his life for what he wanted
and he hated to plead now. 1t might
seem unmanly, he feared. He went
out without calling to Allen, and 1t
0ld not return FOR dinner.
The secretary in the meantime felt
an unhappy sinking Of his heart as the
hours dragged by and Halbert did not
return. 1t was his custom at least t.
return to dress for the evening, espe
cially if he meant to dine out, and his
continued absence made Allen uneasy
He did not know whether Halbert
cared about his refusal to accompany
him. but he knew that he himself
cared. and he felt he could not ac
quaint his friend with the real reason
until he had actually gone.
At Q o'clock Halbert came back-no1
exactly on a stretcher, but leaning or
the arm Of his valet. He had had Q
bad fall somewhere on the Riverside
drive, and he had turned his elbow
s badly-sprained it, in fact. They hat
actually subjected him to the annoy
ance Of carrying him to hospital be
cause he had been too daZed to remon
strate. and when his mind was eventu
ally clear he demanded removal to hi'
own rooms.
His valet settled him comfortably OF
divan and had left Ike room wher
Halbert sank into light slumber. Ir
few moments Allen came in, white
haggard, limp with anxiety. and stooC
there looking at Halbert with startled
pain in his gaze; then, with Il sudden
n uncomfortable impulse, he knelt dowr
n beside the divan for a moment and
n glasping one Of the sufferers hands il
!. his own. pressed it to his lips with
sob of distress and pain.
Halbert opened his eyes and turned
to look at him. He was almost to,