Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1900-05-05
@22223$S

having told a story against myself out
Of modesty, will now spin one with
a successful ending ont OF self-respect.
"It was in the heart Of the summer
and business was slack at the private
agency where 1 was employed, some
of the men being laid off while we
who were lucky enough to be kept
along on living wages used up our
time just rs you and me are doing
now, by swapping yarns. We sat
around the big rear room, which had
been given over to us in common,
smoking and Ginning, and when,
once in u while, the managers door
would open aud he would stick his
head out and yell Shut up! we didn't
mind it bit, but went right on, be.
ing certain that it was the lack OF any
other orders to issue that made him
80 cranky. Our house was the oldest
agency in this country, personally
conducted by two partners until they
became old and gray in the service,
when they brought over this Mr.. Red
clifle to take charge, their London cor.
respondents having given him big
send-otf as a crack jack, and no mis-
take.
$50, when the managers door
opened, one hot afternoon in mid-July,
Colonel, just as was in the midst of
an adventure, expected to hear moth
ing more or less than some polite in
timation to stop my yawn. On the
contrary, however, Mr.. Radcliffe said,
'Cronkite, will you please step in here.
"The managers rooms were quite
extensive, covering the front of the
building; his private Office at one end
and then succession of little hutches
connected with the main entrance by
a private hallway in which he could
stow away clients while he was busy
so that they could neither see nor be
seen. Everything in this private office
was characteristic of Mr.. Redcliffe, as
I now had the opportunity to observe
since he waved me to chair in cor.
ner, businesslike, certainly, with roll
ing.top desks, double-locked files,
pigeonholes full of papers, even type
writer OH which he ratified off his notes
and correspondence, being too secre-
tive to keep an amanuensis; but one
and all having busting, slap dash
air, rs if only used and cared for to
accomplish definite ends. say OBJ
served. Colonel, for that was my men-
tal habit when waiting, which I could
not shake off if would; and so, with
out seeming to lock, I noticed that
Mr.. Redcliffe was short and brusque
with the young lady, to whom he was
talking, ard that she, though naturally
a sweet-faced, gentle girl, with big
trusting eyes and dependent way,
looked not only terribly worried, but
unalterably determined. l noticed
something else, too, simply for want
of anything to do, and with no idea
that it might be important; and yet,
as you will see, that same little thing
led me out of the woods in which l
was about to wander.
"Finally Mr.. Radcliffe motioned to
me, and stepped over to his desk.
'Cronkite' he began, in his quick, de-.
cided way, Il want to introduce you to
Miss Alice Leighton. have been do.
ing little business for Miss Leigh
ton, and I find her, if she will pardon
me for saying so, very obstinate
young lady, one whom it is quite i'm
possible to convince that the suspi-
cions which brought her to me are
groundless, absolutely groundless
Hence, as you seem to have a super
abundance OF time, which L haven't,
and it was the wish of my superiors
that you should be retained here, you
might just as we'll follow out her
wishes in this matter until she is salts
fed. I can't stop to make any ex-
PLANTATION; and it's better that you
should hear the story from her own
lips, since might prejudice your iudg.
ment, while her enthusiasm and en-.
ergy may stimulate your own. il that
were possible. SO, do you take her in
to room D, there, and after she has
fully unburdened her soul, why. act
as your discretion suggests.
"'Now, miss, said L, when we two
wero alone, you just start in and tell
me tho situation as full as you can.
81 won't attempt to repeat her lam
guage, Colonel; like the tone OF her
voice, it was her own charming prop.
erty. But this is the substance of
! what it wore. She was an orphan, q
clergyman's daughter, highly educated
and as poor as church mouse, filing
the place OF governess in the family OF
a millionaire by the name OF March
mont, at which 1 pricked up my ears,
for, OF course, we kept tabs on all
criminal matters of any importance
Old Marchmont, it seemed, had april
vato secretary, n young fellow named
Proctor, who also lived in the house,
and as was natural, these two, being
thrown much together during their
leisure, aud pride working both ways
to shut them OIL from the others, above
and below, fell in love and became en-
gaged. Then came the trouble. The
millionaire, like all old men twice mar
ried, was silly fond OF his young wife;
and on her lbs, birthday, about three
months before, to show his burning
affection, presented her with zone OF
diamonds, easily worth whom broken
up and shipped over to Amsterdam,
$50, and tho Lord, He alone only
knows what the old chap gave up for
it at rotail. Quite all amount of avail
able stuff, you'll be thinking, to have
lying around tho house, but neither
Marchmont nor his wife thought il
necessary TO keep the diamonds in q
safely deposit; for, at The samo time,
he bought aud SGT up in his library q
chlled-stcel safe, new idea that the
newspapers had recently been crack.
ing up as regular burglar-teazer; and
nobody besides them two knew the
combination except Proctor. the pri'
vatc secretary.
"NOw, about week after the birth.
day. Mrs. Marchmont went to the safe
to get tue zone to sport at some social
function, when 10 and behold you, Oh
| opcp;uy tha commandment which had