Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-21

had suddenly changed its shape before his
very eyes.
If any one had told me that you could
talk such rubbish as that, Gladys, shouldn't
have believed them" he said. His words
We're none the less emphatic for the under
tone in which they We're spoken. That s
what comes of girls getting taken on as
clerks. They get talking of things they
don't know anything about and pretty non
sense they make of it. Robbing them in
deed. Why, can't you see it's a matter of
business? They tender and we tender and
that's all about it,
1t isn't matter of business if I've said
what they think | shant say" said Gladys
Her lips were quivering as she uttered the
low words, and she did not look up. Il
can't put it right, I'm no good at ex-
planning things-but | know somehow that
it wouldn't be fair
Upon my blessed word.' calculated
Loftie. The novelty of her opposition and
still more the wholly unexpected nature
of her views absolutely took his breath
away.
Then as resentment at being thwarted
grappled with amazement the color mount
ed to his face.
You don't seem to notice that you're
paying me a poor compliment" he said
II you can't put trust in my word when
l tell you things right, why it's a pity
that you ever said you'd have me. Can't
you understand that l know more about
these things than you do?'
es, of course she said, catching ca
gerly and piteously al chance of propi-
tlating him of course you know better
about everything, ALI, dear"
We'll, then, do as l tell You" he said
angrily.
Gladys lifted pair of beseeching. in
tinitely perplexed, but resolute eyes to his
face.
30, Alf dear, don't-don't ask me-, she
said. IF person thinks a things wrong
why then it's wrong for them to do it,
But Loftles was not a temper that bore
opposition. The band was playing a selec-
ton from a comic opera-a selection which
Gladys recalled with detestation long after
its brief career the hand organs was
over, and during the instant in which a
roll OF drums made speech impossible she
saw his face harden and whiten with an
ger. AS soon as he could make himself
heard. he spoke.
Now look here, Gladys" he said "it,s
no use talking like that. 1 have asked
you you and | do ask you, and if you won't
tell me it's all off between us-so nowr'
A flood of crimson color rushed over
Gladys poor little face and ebbed away
leaving it very pale. But she only said
piteously:
30, ALT, don't say that."
It's your own doing" he returned
grimly.
They had neither Of them noticed that
the curtain had gone I'D on the last ACT
and their whispered words were suddenlv
nushed into silence by the complaints of
their neighbors. They sat looking at the
ofiiiantly lBhted stage until the curtain
lei! again and then Lofte rose mechan-
lcally He led the way through the crowd
followed by Gladys, and as they got into
the street he said:
Are you going to tell me?"
But Gladys only shook her head.
gladys never knew very we'll how she
got nome that night. She was only o,1jte
sure that Loftie did not go with her She
tod her mother that she had the head
ache awfully bad" and burying her IA re
in the pillow soon as she might be. she
pretended to so to Sleep
1t was not till the next morning that the
high tide of her unhappiness broke upon
Gladys.
Il couldn't help it," she said to herself
as Iuli realization came upon her. Il
couldn't help it. But, oh. 1 do wish l was
dead!"
Mrs. Shorter's keen perceptions early told
her that Gladys headache was only to be
accounted for by something wrong with
her and All" Being woman of much dis
erection. she did not press her daughter for
her confidence, but left her in bed, a lux
ury which Sunday morning alone permitted
her, and brought her the only balm She
could offer in the shape Of a cup of tea.
And In bed Gladys lay and cried till she
coHld cry no more.
She got up eventually and wandered
down to the little sitting room in the base
ment-a disconsolate and disheveied little
ing church'-Mrs. Shorter's one weekly dis
sipation-that worthy woman was in
twenty minds at once as to whether or no
her daughter would take it kind" If she
stayed at home with her. Finally she de-
c1ded that Gladys didn't want any notice