The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-11

lar every direction given by the doctor.
| For two days and nights he never left
Mr.. Sylvester's side in the drawing
room, and he also wired my sister to
await her husbands arrival in Buffalo.
is further to his credit that he did
not know Mr.. Sylvester was related
to any stakeholder or official of the
road. If there is anything in line for
such a man as this in our service L
think he should have it, Trusting you
will give this matter your prompt at
tention, remain. yours truly.
"F. B. Gorham."
Hinchman laid down the letters with
the thought:
well, why in the name of Sam Hill
don't the r. P. do something for him.
them"
But the next breath brought reali-
| cation that the r. p. would demand
| the reinstatement of its old employe,
and due reparation for his inconveni-
| ence and humiliation. And Hinchman
| was the man who would have to make
1t. Then he wondered angrily why
Dingley had not explained the reason
| of his exhaustion. instead of leaving
II for his superiors to infer. And to
that question conscience gave quick re-
ply. Dingley had not been encouraged
| to explain.
Hinchman looked up with a scowl.
| The regular Saturday half-holiday was
in force and the Office was deserted. He
| touched a button and ten minutes later
| messenger boy was sauntering in the
| direction of an old-fashioned house,
clinging pertinaciously to the heart OF
commercial turmoil-just such place
as one might expect Dingley to select.
And half an hour later Hinchman
looked UP from his desk to see wo-
man at the counter. She held slip
of yellow paper and she spoke With
quiet distinctness.
"Mr. Hinchman?"
MIR. Hinchman bowed. The scowl
faded.
II have here a telegram which you
sent my husband, stating that you
wished to see him Immediately. AS
Mr.. Dingley is sleeping we'll for the
| first time in thirty-six hours, and his
| physician states that sleep is his saliva
| ton just now, 1 came down to see
whether 1 could save him the trip"
II am sorry to learn that Mr.. Dingley
has been i'll"
Mrs. Dingley's face plainly expressed
that she doubted Mr.. Hinchman's sin
certify, but she entered the railing gate
which Mr.. Hinchman held open in his
| most courteous manner. AS she took
| graceful possession of the chair he Of
| fered, the excursion manager caught
himself wondering how Dingley, the
| quiet, unpretentious, awkward Dingley.
had ever won such queenly looking
woman. Other people had openly ex-
| pressed this same wonder-not to Mrs.
Dingley, but to each other-when the
marriage had been announced. But
then neither they nor Hinchman really
knew Dingley-as Mrs. Dingley did.
She raised her eyes, a trifle impa-
tiently. to Hinchman's face and he
shifted in his chair. His mouth felt
parched and the words came hard:
"It seems, Mrs. Dingley, that there
was some mistake about Mr.. Dingleys
| resignation"
Hinchman hesitated.
"I think not, Mr.. Hinchman. We
wrote that Observation-Disclosures" Her
voice sounded strangely harsh, coming
from between such tender lips.
Hinchman tapped the lock in his desk
with a pencil.
IT mean-that there was some mis-
take about the acceptance of the resig-
| nation"
Why didn't she say something instead
| of staring at him with those great,
| questioning eyes?
"It seems-er-that the company has
decided not to accept it. In fact, I'd
like to know how soon you think your
husband uld-feel-feel-well enough
| to-resume his duties"
A strange light glowed in Mrs. Ding
ley's eyes, and the heavy lids dropped
| suddenly But the hand on her parasol
did not culver, though from under the
| long lashes she caught a glimpse of the
incorporating typewriter charac-
tiers on the letters from headquarters,
| lying on Hinchman's desk.
| II really don't see how it can be ar
ranged Mr.. Hinchman. If we had
known two days since, 1t might have
been adjusted. but now We leave
| next week for month at the shore
(Hinchman gasped fnwardly. A man
| out of a position and planning for a
month at the shoreD Then Mr. Ding
ley goes to the p. & o. as assistant
passenger agent. My cousin, Mr.. Bal
(Hinchman was grooming inwardly.
Who hadn't heard of Pres Bailey of
the P. & OD-My cousin has been
wanting Mr. Dingley to make the
change for some time, but Mr.. Ding
ley had some quixotic notion of round
ing out the quarter century with the r.
p, and of course the Golden Gate
system is really the R. P. in his esti-
nation. (Iinchman failed to see the
malicious light of triumph that gleam-
ed for a second in Mrs. Dingley's eyes.)
I'll tell Mr. Dingley, of course, directly
he awakes, and when he is we'll enough
1 know he'll drop down to see you"
| MTS. DlHSley was TISlIlB now, ana the
condescension in voice and attitude
brought a dull, purplish flush to
Hinchman's cheeks. He fairly ground
his teeth. He rose and courteously
bowed her to the door. Then he rush
ed back to his desk. slammed it shut,
grabbed UP his hat and went around to
his favorite cafe, banging the office
door furiously behind him.
When Mrs. Dingley reached home she
tiptoed gently to her husbands bed
side. He was awake, and she threw
discretion to the winds. She disobeyed
every one of the doctors orders, and
flung both arms around her husband s
neck.
Sam. Sam: If only you could have
seen his facet"
Dingley blinked his eyes wonderingly
and clasped her hand nervously.
What has come over you, little
woman? Whose face? Where have
you been?"
"Oh. Sam, dear. while your were
asleep a telegram came from Mr.
Hinchman, and just had to go down.
You know the doctor said you weren't
to be Weakened, and thought he Just
wanted to worry you about something
that was past and done for. And 1
STIIhRT'e GIN Ann pIIeHII