Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-07-16

their home. Instead he kissed her long
and tenderly and said he felt quite
sure that Mr.. Paxton would permit her
| panion
1t was a great evening for the unso-
| phisticated Elsa, who did not realize
that the money Mr. Ainslee layished
was his firms and was used to enter
| tain the customer rather than herself.
In reality she was merely side issue,
a reward that Ainslee felt he deserved
for the efforts he was putting forth to
/ secure a new line of trade. 1t would
all appear In his expense account.
Then Ainslee was so different from
her own quiet lover. She wondered if
all New York men would be like this
SO excessively watchful of her comfort
In small things, SO entertaining in their
persifiage and delicate in their f1attery.
She wished that Anstruther had ac-
companied them. Lately he had seemed
SO preoccupied and was less mindful of
her little needs when In public. Yet
when she reached home she was not
entirely sure that she had enjoyed the
evening. Perhaps the serpent of dis
content had raised his head too boldly
this time.
The next evening as she was leaving
her post Mr.. Paxton came to her, wear
ing an anxious expression. The night
clerk had been taken i'll, and the chief
day clerk had been called to the bed
side of dying sister, Could she, would
she stay on duty until he could secure
some one to relieve her? He would
gladly do so himself, but he had po-
litical dinner on hand. Elsa promptly
sent word to her mother, also mes
sage to Anstruther to call for her short
ly after midnight, when some one would
surely be able to take her place.
1t was her first experience with
night work, and she was entertained
by this new phase of hotel life-the late
arrivals, the theater parties for some
of the playhouses were still open), the
tired tourists returning from trips up
the lake. Midnight came, but no An
struther. The head porter offered to
relieve her on watch and send her
home in cab, but she insisted upon
remaining, feeling sure that something
had detained Anstruther.
One o'clock-and 2! A slight commo-
ton echoed from the main corridor,
and group of men entered noisily,
Ainslee in the center They stopped
and blinked uncertainty at the circle
of light surrounding the office; then
Ainslee, with a remnant of the grace
she had admired the night before,
strolled to the desk and stretched
forth his hand. His companions
watched him with wavering, watery
glances.
"Y'oughter been long tonight. We
turned Lake Placid red-bright red.
It's shame for pretty girl like YOU
Something in Elsa's Mortified gaze
checked his flow of words, and hand
crunched down upon his shoulder. 1t
was Anstruther, white to the lips, with
the delayed message in his pocket and
wrath in his soul.
Fairly throwing the intoxicated man
into the arms Of the head porter. who
had been reused from his nap behind
the telegraph desk, he strobe round to
the door leading into the Office There
his manner changed. Elsa's trembling
figure and frightened face caused
revulsion of feeling. Very gently he
reached for her hat and gloves. With
gentle Difference he offered them to
her and held open the door for her to
pass out. To the porter as he passed
he spoke few curt words. To the girl
he said nothing until they reached the
street-then:
"We must have cab, dearest. You
are still trembling"
Oh, the wealth of love and tender
ness and protection in his tones! She
clasped his arm lovingly.
mo, no; let us walk. want to have
time to think before see mamma. She
must never know the truth; 1t would
grieve her so, and must find some rea-
sonable excuse to offer her for leaving
the hoteh at once"
And so, arm In arm and In the bless
ed silence of those who once more un-
derstand each other perfectly, they
walked away from the glare of the en-
trance into the shadowy street that led
toward-home.