The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-03
@ SHARPE AND A FLAT
By Douglas Z. Doty.

| Eyes, SIR
Miss
| Miss Josephine Locke, SIR
| Yes. Well, she wished me to thank you
lot being so kind as to grant her two weeks
| extension of time"
Gregory shook with laughter, and Fielder
| grlnned appreciatiyeIv
TWO weeks later Fielder appeared before
| his chief
ABOUT that case you interested yourself in
| a"niie ago. SIT Locke was the name. Time
was was up Yesterday, and the bill isn't paid
-; VI airala IT'S the same old story. That soft
hlno, with big eyes and whining voice are
most generally fakes.'
Gregory pondered
was FOOLED once before. PERHAPS I am
again. Oh, these women., Then .1ond.
| Leave the papers with me Fe1dar ~,
just curious enough to order a sneciaI IN
| curry. II we've been fooled, never again
will show any leniency"
1t was nall past before he was ready
10 leave the office. He looked rather suiltily
| at Fielder plunging into his topcoat. CIreeor.r
meant to conduct that investigation in Der.
| son.
| by the time he had reached the dingy look
ing fathouse and had climbed four flights Of
| dark stairs, Sharpe repented Of his bargain.
grouping along narrow hallway, he came
to card stuck over push button and in
scribed Mrs. l.. T. Locke
1t was Miss Violet Eyes Herself who opened
the door. She recognized the caller in an
instant.
'Oh, it's you!'' she faltered, nervously
twisting the knob of the half open door.
| you've come to cut off the gas I sup
pose And she slowly made way for him
to step in.
A little, white-hared lady appeared
| won't you step into the parlor?" she
said.
Fyervfhino
hre SO CHEEKY that at first Gregory did not
realize how barren and proverty stricken the
place was The little old lady ploted hin,
skllfully 10 the only easy chair in the room,
| which faced the little coal fire.
Inc best chair and the best outlook the
| room afforded.
| A sweet old gentlewoman thought Gregory,
who has learned to keep UP appearances
| under conditions that would have swampe6
most housewives with less pride and fewer
resources.
Il suppose murmured the old lady,
smoothing out her black silk apron-"I sup
pose one should net indulge il the luxury
OF CRATE fire with the gas bill unpaid, but
with deprecatory gesture, lit has veen
very cold, and one loses ones courage so
| easily when one can't keep warm
| 1t was said quietly, with gentle dignity,
but the pathos of it!
Madam" said Gregory in voice that
| shook little, you are quite right. Pray
do not think l am criticsing you
You see,' went on the lady. my son has
gone out west He had such a splendid
| chance! He needed a little money to get
started. l let him have it. He was to pay
it back very soon. We've been expecting him
| to write for us every day for, oh, long,
| long time I almost forget how long. One
loses track Of the days somehow when one is
| waiting and one doesn't hear. But we heard
to-day. He is coming home as soon as l can
send him the fare"
| door banged There was the rustic OF
skirts, and the fragrant odor of steaming
| tea reached Gregory's nostrils.
Then Josephine appeared with tray of
dishes, which she placed by her mother. Her
face flushed from standing over fire.
| There, mother she said with a strange
mixture of tears and defiance. Il guess I've
used another cubic foot Of gas, but your sup
per is as hot as the gas range could make it.
If you'll step this way sir I'll show you
where the meter isl
| You needn't mind,' said Gregory slowly.
81 only called to when it would be con-
| venient''-
He could not finish the sentence. There
was something else to do. The girl, turning
CHASTITY white, fell in a huddled heap at his
feet.
| She came back to life while her mother
was searching for the brandy flask. Sha
looked into his face anxiously.
Its nothing-nothing- except that I am
hungry. But she mustn't know"
She sank back, and the violet eyes vera
again hidden from Gregory's view.
s'Gregory," she murmured as he bent over
to fasten her gloves, for they were on their
wedding journey, ''how could you marry
girl who deliberately fbbed? I knew
couldn't pay that bill when the fortnight
up
my dear girl.' he murmured irrelevantly,
"will you stand by me through thick and
thin, as you did your mother?'
But for reasons best known to Gregory
/ Sharpe president of the American CONSOLE
dated Gas company. his wife was unable TO
make reply.