Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-01-31
A STRING OFPEARLS.
BY NJ. FRASER.


"a young lady to see you, Mr.. Den
vers."
Ralph Denvers, the head of the great
banking firm of Brandon & Denvers,
looked up from the pear he was peeling
but no hint of the surprise he felt at his
buffers announcement was allowed to
creep into his face.
Il am not expecting anyone, Harris, -
he said, quietly. 1T is a mistake, prob
ably. Did she send in any manner"
"She would not give her name, sir;
she was very persistent or | would not
have troubled you, sir; she seems in dis
| tress"
I'm distress? What is she like, Har-
ris 2"
1t was listless question; he was alb
solutely without curiosity concerning the
appearance of this stray young person
who sought an audience of him. but it
was lonely i'll this oak paneled dining
room of the great house in which he
lived, and it was more for the sake of
talking to somebody that he detained
Harris now
Ralph Denvers had more dinner invi-
tations than he coul1 accept, but at 80
he was given to telling himself that the
dinners eaten at other mems tables were
too heavily paid for in the toll of cpl
grammatic conversation that was exact
ed of the guest who would justify the
reason of his appearance in the brilliant
set in which Ralph Denvers moved.
Ralph was just little tired of brillancy.
"She is very young, air; a child, al
most" Harris broke III upon his reaec
tons "A lady, l should say" and he
added beneath his breath, pretty as
picture"
1t may be that Ralph heard him.
"Show her in, he said briefly; Il may
as well see what she wants"
Harris disappeared, and presently his
place was taken by slim Slip of a girl,
who stared at the man who rose at her
entrance with a pair of frightened eyes
Ralph Denvers saw the eyes, and his
glance wandered to the quivering, smiling
mouth.
you wish to see me ?" he said. won't
you sit DOWN."
The girl sank into the chair he offered
her, and sat there, casping and uncasp-
ing her fingers in an agony of nervous
ness.
"Well,' he said to her, and there was
note of encouragement in his voice
rs it very difficult to tell2'
1t was more difficult than he knew.
| Aline Tempest rose TO her feet and stood
with ner hand resting on the tablecloth.
1T is hard" she said, but | must say
it. | came to say K, It's about Dick,
my brother, you know"
She stopped and looked at him. and he
| looked at her. How was he to know
about Dick?
| He never meant to do it," she went
on, and drew a step nearer to him; there
were men outside who tempted him. and
he was young, and we had so little and
| he hoped to make n fortune for me. You
see was to blame. it was all for me-"
Were you anxious for fortune ~
said Ralph, looking at the quaint little
figure in the quaint, questionable =.
and then at the lovely. childish face.
II wanted nothing she said, "and |
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,
Il should like to hear all about it," he
said. please sit down again and tell me
what is your name-and Dicks"
Il am Aine Tempest" she said, sim.
ply, conqueriing her emotion with an eff.
fort that commanded his admiration
and 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. II
was all very altered for him. and l am
afraid" with a little watery smile. that
he did not like the bank. But it gave
us money to live ON, and | meant to
teach when | got pupils. | haven't cot
any yeti seems everyone can teach
something. And Dick grew tired. and
these men came To him, and there was
some horse that was going to make a
fortune for all OF them"
I'VE have heard of that horse before. "
said Ralph and then was ashamed of
his lest
Have you." said Aliue. 1--WE never
had. They persuaded him, and Dick
oh, how could he do it?-took money
from the bank; little at first. and aft
erward great deal. Ii isn't known vet
but tomorrow it will be known. They've
given him money to get off with, and
he's goirS TO England tomorrow, from
Boston, He must 60, suppose, or else
something worse viii happen. But |
hated him 20 70 like that. and | thought
if l brought You these-th they're mothers
pearls, the only thing of hers they let me
keep-and | thought they would help To
pay something, and perhaps you won't
let it be known tomorrow"
She handed him the pearls as she
spoke, and Sir Ralph took them in his
hand. 4 short string. worth. perhaps.
$500 if the full value were given. and this
ehilds mother had worn them. He
looked at them and wondered what he
should do, and timid hand was laid on
his arm.