The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-12-25
A String
Of Pc arls.
YOUNG lady to see you,
Mr.. DenVerS."

NJ Ralph Denvers, the head
of the great banking hrm
OF Brandon & Denvers, looked up from
the pear he was peeiing, but no hint OF
{. the surprise he felt at his buffers an
nouncement was allowed to creep into
his face. ..
81 am not expecting anyone, Harris.
z he said, quietly. ut is mistake, prop
ably, Did she send in any name:
sShe would not give her name, sir;
she was very persistent or 1 would not
have troubled you, sir; she seems IN
distress"
.In distress? What is she like, Har-
z risg'
It was a listless question; he was ao-
solutely without curiosity concerning
the appearance of this stray young per-
son who sought an audience Of him,
bnt iii was lonely in this oak paneled
dining room of the great house III
which he lived, and it was more Tor
z tie sake of talking to somebody that
he detained Harris now.
Ralph Denvers had more dinner lnvl-
fations than he could accept, but at
fhirty-three he was given TO telilnS
: himself that the dinners eaten at other
mems tables were too heavily paid for
5 In the toll Of epigrammatic cohversa-
zion that was exacteG of the guest who
would Justify the reason of his appear
ance in the brilliant set in which Ralph
Denyers moved. Ralph was just 4 III
: BE tired of brilliancy.
stshe is very young, sir; child, al
most" Harris broke in upon his reflsc-
1tions. ga lady, I should say" and he
added beneath his breath, pretty as
; picture" ~
IS It may be that Ralph heard him.
aShow her in," he said, briefly; "l
! may as we'll see,what she wants"
Harris disappeared, and presently his
place was taken by a slim slip Of girl,
who stared at the man who rose at her
.s1ltrance with apair Of frightened eyes.
8 Ralph Denyers saw the eyes, and his
ylance wandered to the quiyecing, smil-
ing mouth.
You wish to see me:" he said.
Wont you sit DOWN."
The girl sank into the chair he Of
fered her, and sat there, clasping and
unclasping her fingers in an agony Of
nervousness.
ssWell," he said to her, and there was
a note of encouragement il his voice.
sIsit very difficult to tell:''
1t was more difficult than he knew.
Aline Tempest rose to her feet and
stood with her hard resting Oh the
tablecloth.
att is hard" she said. "but I must
say 1t. I came to say it. It's about
Dick, my brother, you know
She stopped and looked at him, and
be looked at her. How was he to know
about Dick?
"He never meant to do it." she went
on, and drew step nearer to him;
:sthere were men outside who tempted
him, and he was young, and we had
so little, and he hoped to make a for
6 rune for me. You see was to blame:
It was all for me"
tiWere you anxious for q fortune?"
said Ralph, looking at the quaint little
figure in the quaint, questionable
gown, and then at the lovely, childish
face.
81 wanted nothing" she said, "and I
did not guess until it was too late. You
see, it has been so different since father
went"
The under lip trembled, and tear
gathered and fell, and Ralph Denvers
stared steadily at the painted pheasant
ON his dessert plate.
81 should like to near all about it,"
he said "Please sit down again and
tell me what is your name-and Dick !"
81 am Aline Tempest" she said, SIM
ply, conquering her emotion with an
effort that commanded his admiration,
nand when father died Senator Mande-
vile got Dick into your bank. He was
going into the law, you know, but it
had to be given up with the other
things. 1t was all very altered for
him, and I am afraid" with little
watery smile, ''that he did not like the
bank. But it gave us money to live on,
and I meant to teach when got pu-
pills. I haven't got any yeti seems
every one can teach something. And
Dick grew tired, and these men came
to him, and there was some horse that
was going to make fortune for all OF
them"
"We have heard of that horse be-
FORE" said Ralph, and then was
ashamed of his jest.
"Have you:" said Aline. eve never
had. They persuaded him, and Dick
-oh, how could he do it?-took money
from the bank; little at first, and af'
terward a great deal. 1t isn't known
yet, but tomorrow it will be known
They've given him money to get of
: with, and he's going to England to.
morrow from Boston. He must go,
suppcse, or else something worse will
happen. But I hated him to go like
that, and I thought if I brought you
these-they're mothers pearls, the only
thing of hers they let me keep-and
thought they would help to pay some
thing. and perhaps you won't let it be
known tomorrow
She handed him the pearls as she
spoke and Ralph took them in hi:
!. hand. A short string, worth, perhaps
$500 if the full value were given, anC
this child's mother had Worn them
He looked at them and wondered what
he should do, and timid hand was
laid on his arm.
isn't it enough:" said Aline. ooh
I don't know how much it was, but
they will help little. And will yor
keep them ard let me go home ant
tell Dick that he need not go? Ant
afterward, when I get work, I can pay
it back-all OF it,
81 will keep them"
Ralph Denvers stood up and Slipped
the chain in his pocket.