The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1900-01-04

Will be called upon for such a sad cere-
mony in many years to come.
| ROUSING OF FORD HAMPTON
The sleek, brown head bent lower over
| the typewriter and the nimble white fin
gers made the keys click gaily. Miss An
mabel Charters was in good spirits There
was q smile lurking about the corners OF
her mouth and her, eyes snapped beneath
| the long yelling lashes. Miss Annabel Char
tiers was good to look at, as Mr.. Ford Hamp-
ton could cheerfulfy testify. In fact, Mr..
Ford Hampton was now looking at Miss
Annabel Charters from within his little
private den that opened OF from the large
apartment in which she was nimbly
manipulating the keys. Mr.. Ford Hampton
| had been looking extremely blue and dis
contented, but his eye suddenly frightened
when II fell upon Miss Charters. He
| glanced at her a little while and then came
forward. .-s
Miss Charters" he said, 81 want to
talk with you for moment or two. May
I interrupt you?''
1T Is your own work. said Miss Char
tiers as she glanced at her last line and
then leaned back.
Miss Charters said Ford, you have
been here long enough to know good deal
about my business. Probably almost as
much as do You know that things haven't
been coming my way lately to any con-
siderable extent OF course it is we'll
enough to say that luck will turn, but that's
small comfort and no relief for present
stringencies. You can see that 1 am strug-
Cling along in an. almost hopeless way be-
cause I have no capital to come and go on.
There's that plat in the south end the
one, you know, where the eccentric owner
demands an Immediate down payment of
$4,000 cash before he VIM sign the pa
pers. II 1 had the money could make a
very handsome thing out of the land But,
as you know, have written the owner, tell
ing him that I cannot accept his condi-
TONS a.
Yes said Annabel with a glance at
f her stsEographic notes.
f ~ don't want to- bother you, Miss Char
ters, with my hard luck stories, but it
does me good to have somebody with whom
l can occasionally be confidential. And now
I want a little advice Don't you think it
would be better for me to shut up shop
and go back to a, salary again."
mo" said Annabel Charters, after brief
pause, II wouldn't do that just yet. It
seems like running away from the field Of
battle
1T seems to me-" said Ford with a short
laugh, that the field of battle is rapidly
slipping away from me. 1t wouldn't make
much difference to you, Miss Charters, If
l broke up here. would il?
mo, 1 think not" replied Ahnabel. II
suppose l could find another place. But
don't like the idea of your throwing your
hands up in this way. Stick to it a little
| longer"
Ford looked at her with faint smile.
Perhaps you and 1 could change places
with mutual BENEFIT" he said. Then he
suddenly added: But. here, / might as
we'll explain to you why feel particularly
blue this afternoon. Read that and he
tossed her dainty note, mildly perfumed,
and quite up to all the social requirements.
And this was its contents as Annabel
quickly discovered:
my Dead Ford-Your letter was so very
frank that at first l thought you were fool
ing. But papa assures me that you are
right He said that you seemed to have
lost your grip. OF course you can readily
understand that q girl brought up as 1
have been could scarcely be fitted for poor
mans wife. I'm not heroine, 1 know,
and 1 feel quite sure that hardships and
discomforts would soon break me down.
OF course. If there is anything to look for
ward to would be quite willing to wait
But papa doesn't think there is. So we
must look at these facts in a common sense
way, and, really. feel quite sure that the
best thing we can do is to drop our engage
ment at once. I will return your ring by
a special messenger. 1 hope you will see
this matter in the same light that papa and
do. Your friend. MIRIAM BARNES"
"Well?" said the young man, interrosa-
lively.
"well?" echoed the young woman. Can
you really blame herr
The young man started.
You are not very sympathetic" he said.
II don't see that this is a case that calls
for sympathy" said the young woman.
I'm fact, think you are to be congratu-
lated. l am perfectly frank with you. You
have given mo to understand that my seFv
Ices will be no longer required. can
speak all the more freely on this account.
From my point Of view this young woman"
and she tapped the letter with a fore
finger has been q drawback for you right
along. She was on too high financial
plane for you. You kept yourself poor try
ing to please her luxurious tastes. You
are suffering from late hours and shaky
nerves. l think you will do great deal
better in every way now that you are free"
II must admit" said the young man,
slowly, that there is q good deal Of truth
in what you say, although you are not over
gentle in the way you break it to me. My
pride has had a. deuced hard wrench"
Pocket your PRIDE" said Annabei Chart
ers. She looked at him sharply. What
are you going to do, now"
"Bfest II I know said Ford.
Annabel looked at him q little scornfully.
Then she suddenly smiled
I'm going to make a rather curious
proposition to you. Mr. Hampton" she said
I'm going to suggest that you and 1 form
a partnership in this real estate business
and give it fair trial. Wait a moment
We will share and share alike. You have
some experience; 1 can scrape together q
little capital. And We will both agree to
put our best efforts into it. What do you
say?', :
Ford Hampton stared at her IN amaze
ment.
Il don't know you" he said. ''You
startle me. You never were like this be-
fore. How could you be 500 aocile and
quiet ell these months1~ sss,,.sss,.s.