The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-06-16

A LUCKY BLUNDER.

I pardon me, but if I were certain 7
would receive my discharge the next
minute I couldn't help laughing" And
she laughed again.
AS [ have said remarked Russell,
81 am very glad you can take it this
I way. 1t struck me as having an anus
ing side. Yet at the same time can't
help feeling little anxious about the
\ other fellow"
At this the young woman suddenly
Z stopped laughing and opened her ewes
\ very wide indeed. Then she hastily
! hurried to the most distant window and
7 stared out for several moments. And
/ Russell felt quite sure she was laugh
/ ing again. When she looked around her
/ eyes We're still wet
Il beg your pardon for being so hys-
| ttrical, she said. But you see real
I ly couldn't help it. That last remark
OF yours quite capped the climax"
Then / am to understand that Miss
/ Hammond's answer to my offer was
also in the nature Of a refusal?' said
Russell.
1t was. the young woman replied.
I With quick catch in her voice
would ii be asking too much If 1 re-
quested TO know the exact wording Of
Miss HammOnd's letter To me2' Rus
sell asked.
The young woman hesitated
Circumstances have somewhat al
tered the situation, she said. and yet
1 think it is your right to receive what
was originally intended for YOU
Il agree with YOU" said Russell.
But. Of course. the original cannot be
recalled 1t may be possible. however.
10 NIL
as l have done to find out what it all
means.
The girl shook her head
No she said, he viii do nothing of
the sort. 1 think you viii understand
Why when YOU see a copy of the letter
that was intended for you. Here il is
She opened book lying on the table
and turned back a few pages. Russell
came forward
1T is Just the pencil draft." she
said. but it was copied word for
word"
Russell read it aloud.
Your communication with offer is att
hand. At present L have no intention
OF letting any of my property pass cut
OF my hands. Very truly Yours
Russell looked around at the young
woman.
Can YOU blame me for laughing"
she said. Isn't that about the curtest
thing YOU ever saw in the way Of a
refusal of a marriage offer?"
Russell nodded
"And-and, does it fit the case2" he
asked.
Exactly, replied the young woman.
And 1t fits it all the closer, because it /
was done unconsCiOusiy"
And the man viii not suspect that !
a mistake has been made?"
Not for a moment.
Russell shook his head ruefullv.
I'd awfully hate to deserve a reply /
like that he said Il don't believe L 4
could He looked at the young woman I
sharply. i, beg your pardon" he add !
ed, but Il appears to me that you are 4
on extremely confidential terms with /
Miss Hammond.
That is very true" said the young |
woman.
i wasn't aware that answers to Of /
fers of marriage were usually left in F.
the hands Of secretaries, - RUSSELL went /
on
The young woman laughed.
There IS no sentiment about offers
OF this sort she said. They are simp-
ly unimpOrtsnt business details"
Russell laughed as much at the way
IN which the Young woman said this
as ne did at the idea.
Then, if I made a proposal OF mar
rage tO Miss Hammond. he went on.
Il could expect that you would answer T
Most .assuredly." replied the young
woman. That is, unless il went By
mistake to some puzzled dealer in real I
Well. there is no immediate danger"
said Russell But this brings me back
t. business. or course 1 am to under
stand that my offer for the lot is re-
Ilcted %
of course said the young woman.
She looked al him steadily. You know
he lot is worth much more. she said.
Yes, he replied, 1t is worth more.
You understand that 1 was simply the
lgent of other parties"
No doubt YOU thought that here was
B chance TO obtain a bargain from
simple and quite unsoDhisticated wo-
nan who might be glad 20 jump at the
nance OF securing such lump of
ash"
No" said Russell. Il didn't think
.nythinS OF the kind. I simply tried TO /
XecUte the commission that was given I
ne. ! would do the same if YOU in
fusted me with a similar piece of bust
less
Very WELL" said the young woman.
As prof of your good faith YOU can
axe that same lot of land and let Us
ee how good a price you can get for
Does Miss Hammond authorize
EisE" Russell inquired
II the price is right. said the young
oman. she can be persuaded
Russell took his hat.
VIII report in a few DAYS" he said !
he hesltated- AS j am, apparently. 10 1
ransact this business with YOU. wou1d {
De presumption 90 ask your nance :
Not al ali, replied the young !
oman Il am Miss Vane.
Good morning. Miss Eane- said !
.usseli. and was gone. .
he smiled over this singular ad- h
enture all the way back 10 the Office
nat a bright and charming girl that o
Hiss Nane was He wasn't qufra sura I,
nat ne had ever heard a Woman-s nm %
eStrained laughter that wes az an =
leasanJ before she must he y de- =
ghtful companion. no matter how
fotcnety her old maid employer migbt n
- re would show her what he could =
= Win tnaI corner lot He would con- / \
nee her Of his honesty and energy. +,
-FOUR days later he again greeted
llSs Nane- He fancied she Seemed a
leased 10 see him :
have been quite fortunate he +,
tio- found an out-of-town pur-
naser FOR the lot. Had 10 90 ont Of n
lN ..l 70 ind him. but nailed him at b