Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-09-20
CHAPTER I.
THE NEW TYPIST.t tf,g

"Well, motherf"
Don't you think" said Mrs. Essing-
ton. hesitatingly, that it's scarcely
q what shall say?-perhaps it's scarcely
fair to the poor girl"
al don't understand you," said the
xoung man, rather bewildered
"Dear me! You clever men! How
4 ,eally stupid you can be sometimes! Well,
q then, you must not be vexed if | speak
q plainly. That typist you have just en-
B and pretty, and you are young-it's not
4 quite. Do you follow me2''
"0h, yes! you think it isn't proper"
s. He looked as amused as respect for
bis mother would allow him. "But
IT'S q matter Of business-and for
q her, poor child, a matter of bread
q Besides, those arrangements are what
you make them. don't say it would
a be comfortable in every case, but even
Z then no one would talk-not in these
JPN not fond of some of the ways of
81 these days." said Mrs. Essington. ''She
4 is working all day in the same room"
"Your pardon, mother; across the
8 passage. Catch me having a typewriter
p IN my room when I'm writing!'
'It's much the same"
Possibly; but really, mother, you must
a allow me to say you are quite mistaken.
B The things is perfectly proper And,
s. mater, even if it wasn't, wouldn't give
up my typist-"
81 "Ernest!"
"Of course not! She's invaluable. You
81 don't know what il is after sending out
my copying as | have, and getting it
Y back chock full Of mistakes, to have it
& done with brains. Then, you know, any
q thing is proper with you here"
q luz Nx-ifh ~
y Essington stifiy. She looked dispIeased,
a and rose from the breakfast table as if to
n dismiss the matter. Her son was sur
q prised at her new primness. She was
B not the least old-fashioned In her views,
and was, besides, not much over 80. She
& had not said anything when Miss Clifford
was engaged month ago, though she
had not been very cordial over the plan.
n If a young, pretty girl behaved herself,
q and young man treated her with re-
spect, and the young mans mother lived
q in his house, where was the harm? No
body talked about such q position--a
woman of business was on another foot
" ing than a young lady at home. And
81 Monica Clifford did not seem conscious
Y her employer was young, or man at all.
u She did his work, and he paid her 20
N shillings week; both parties were salts
q fed-and there it ended.
a Its all right, mother, l assure you,"
Nj said Ernest enc0uraglngly.
He went back to his study, but instead
of taking up the short story he was writ
ing for magazine, he sat with his hands
pushed up through his curly dark hair.
& The typist had not yet arrived-she was
N not due till ten-and he had plenty of
time to mediate.
What ON earth made his mother so
precise all of sudden? But she'd for
3 got all about it. Absurd! Get rid of
Monica-Miss Clifford! Who was he to
get then? Besides. novelists had secrets,
III and women We're conscientious. and not
ri such blabs as men.
He gave q restless movement-half a
spring up; his blue eyes flashed
What punctual little girl it isr' he
said.
The next minute he was across the pas
sage and shaking hands with tall, soft
MA eyed girl, who had just taken off her hat.
M Then the day went on wings, Monica
e in and out of the writer's room with copy,
or to receive instructions. and perhaps
N for few minutes chat.
n Mrs. Essington made no further al
fusion to her Scruples; she had, as her
son prophesied, evidently forgotten them.
Onerday she came into his study. Mon
"A lea had just arrived and was there to
receive work. while Ernest made some,
H explanations.
u Seeing Mrs Essington, the girl shook
N hands with her, then made to retire; but
h the lady checked her.
Don't 60, my dear. I won't keep my
N son but a minute. Ernest do you think
it's safe, that money I drew yesterday
B being in my room? You will be out to-
3 day. and so shall l."
Where to, mother? / forget"
ITO spend the day at Hampstead"
"Oh, yes. Bring the money here, and
4 I'll lock it up"
You'll be away, my dear"
How much is it? Thirty I think
it's all right. Nobody knows it's in the
4 house Lock it i'll your desk"
Monica appeared not TO pay any at
\ tention, but as Mrs. Essington went to
\ the door, the girl turned from the win
dow.
very we'll" Mrs. Essington said; am
take your advice, Ernest"
Monica worked alone most Of the day.
Business called Ernest away till after
she would be gone. 1t was a little dull,
i perhaps, though the story had got to
such all interesting part. She heard
Mrs. Essington return just as she her.
4 self was about to leave. AS she opened
the door q servant, much furried, met
her.
Please, miss, my mistress would like
you to wait a minute" she said.
Certainly. Is anything the matterT
n asked Monica.
The servant professed ignorance.
q Monica returned to her room and waited.
d Five minutes-ten passed. The girl, i'm
Y patient and wondering, yet fingered. She
4 had never taken to Mrs. Essirgton, and
n she did not feel it easy now to ask for
her or send a message. She heard
q a ring at the bell. and a mans voice
IN the hall-not Mr.. Essington's; this
was not even a gentleman's voice. 81
lence followed. Then the door opened,
and Mrs. Essington, flushed and anxious,
q looked in.
Miss Gifford-such a misfortune! I've
H sent for the pclice-do you mind being
questionedY' she said hurriedly; that
money-is missing
Everybody seemed in the room at once
the policeman, the two servants.
Monica had no time to collect herself,
after an announcement that had startled
her, before she was being piled with
s questions.
u The money she knew Of had gone from
Mrs. EssingtOn's desk. Mrs. Essington
mad discovered the loss Immediately Oh
her return home.
Monica got herself together with an
effort, She had not been upstairs al
a!i, she had not left this floor she never