The Opelousas courier., 1901-05-18

neck, happened to notice Miss Bene.
dict rather more particularly than
usual, and he was instantly struck
with the similarity in tint ald texture
of her hair and the anosymous fila.
ment that had been discovered on his
colleagues coat. He at once called
the attention Of the Fest of the dele
gates to this circumstance.
Miss Benedict could not hear what
they said. but she knewe that it was
horrid. Her back was turned to the
corner where the coats were kept,
but she could feel the chances that
were directed at her and her cheeks
burned distressingly. One Of the dele
gates called OUT.
What time was Harmer here this
morning? Does any n know"
HE was here when I got here"
said another. II guess l was here be-
fore any of the rest of you"
Miss Benedict struck the keys of
her typewriter with vicious energy,
and the resulting clatter drowned the
rest.
1t Ia unnecessary to say that Mas
Benedict bitterly reDroached Miss
Purdue o. that she spent subsequent
hours Of repentance and humiliation.
She went to the Office. however, and
had been at work for half an hour be-
fore Mr.. Mordant, the president of the
association, arrived. She fancied MI.
Aordant looked at her c%uriously and
rather severely. but that may have
been imagination. But there was no
question about the way the dele
gates ccmported themselves. They
may not have meant it at all. but they
were insufferable. Some of them
looked at her laughingly; others with
a dreadful austerity that Miss Bene-
dict knew was deserved. Three or
four Of them did not look at her at
all, and she felt hat was worst of
all. One by one they came. each as
as possible in his peculiar
way, until at last Mr.. Harmer arrived.
And then somebody coughed, and they
all coughed.
Miss Benedict said she simply would
not stand 1t another day. nor another
hour, for that matter. Therefore she
called William to her and bribed him
to tell Mr.. Mordant how. why and
under what circumstances the hair
had been distributed. Then she went
home and telephoned down to the
office that she had a sick headache
which was perfectly true-and could
lot come to work.
The headache lasted for three days,
1t the end Of which time Miss Bene-
iict went back to the Office. She had
'een Miss Purdue twice before. but
LII Miss Purdue knew was that Mr..
Nordant maintained a grave silence.
had said that Mr.. Nor
liant just nodded and said "Hm-m-m!"
when he told. and that soon
Ifter there was more laughter in
he committee room. AS soon as the
Meeting was owe there had been a
overhauling OF overcoats. and
Or. Harmer had gathered up the hair.
Miss Benedict had made up her
mind Just what D%enitential pose she
Tould adopt when Mr.. Mordant called
.er into his office. She had determined
t what point in her she
1culd allow her voice to break and
Dearly tear to roll down her cheek.
he had got her defensive campaign
out. Then MI. Mordant. in
tead of calling her in. came out and. /
in front of her desk. said: I
Don't let that occur again. If you {
lease, Miss Benedict" And. hardly {
at her. went into the tele- t
hone room. {
And nov the young women are r
ordering why MI. Harmer gathered S
p the hair. and what he intends to c
0 with it. and whether he will be 1
/ the next meeting. and all sorts of r
Record.