The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-08-28

had been duly installed in her little
corner, Lufkin seemed to forget her
presence altogether except when he
entered and left the Office. Then it
was "Good morning, Miss Glider
Sleeve" or "Good evening, Miss Gild-
ersleeve," but no more. She had been
in the office two months before be ven
tured to dictate letter. But he didn't
keep it up. He seemed to prefer writ
ing his own letters with pen. Judge
Roach, on the contrary, never had
written 50 many letters. In fact,
Eben, who naturally overheard every
thing, had never known that his part
ner belonged to so many clubs, went
to so many places, knew so many
fashionable ladies, was in correspond
ence with so many prominent men.
But when the Judge bought brand
new oak, drop-top typewriting desk
for Miss Gildersleeve and had it placed
in his own private office, where neither
the prying clerks nor the receptive
Lufkin could overhear him debating
letters, old Eben got out the little oil
stone from his bottom drawer, and, as
he sharpened his penknife, whistIed
"The Campbells Are Coming" in a
weird and dreary discord. A few days
afterwards lie noticed that Judge
Roach wore very brilliant rose in his
buttonhole as he strobe into the office
in the morning. And in the evening,
after she had gone and the old bach
elor went into the private Office to get
the morning paper out of the waste
basket, he saw the same rose in bot
tie of water on Miss Gildersleeve's
desk.
After that he began to notice lot
of unusual things in Judge Roach's
dress and demeanor, and he whistled
"The Campbells Are Coming" all the
time, to all kinds of measure and never
in tune. Roach was unmistakably
irritated when Eben suddenly resumed
tue dictation of letters. To do this 1t
was necessary for the old fellow either
to call Miss Gildersleeve into the main
office or to intrude upon the privacy
of Roach's sanctum. The Judge be-
gan to conceive deep-rooted, but un-
reasonable hatred for his old partner.
Lufkin's correspondence began to sur
pass all reason. The amiable Miss
Gilbersleeve was forever taking notes.
But now it was Eben who monopolized
her time.
The Judge tried coming down early.
He arrived one morning at o'clock.
Bnt Lufkin was already at work.
Then be tried lettering in the evening,
but Eben insisted on blocking up"
II believe the old fool thinks Miss
Gildersleeve has ensnared me-" re-
fected Roach, gnawing his mustache.
"The meddlesome fossil!''
A matter of fact the Judge had
found his stenographer so quick witted,
so modest, so amiable and so comely
that he was beginning to consider the
propriety of showing her little more
personal attention. You see, she was
the daughter of an old and respected
client and she had come to town an
utter stranger. Her manners were
those of the nurtured southern lady.
She was young, diffident, industrious,
discreet. Why not show her some of
the consideration which is usually
omitted between employer and en-
ploye? So thought Judge Roach. 1t
could do no barn, for instance, to take
her driving in the park after dark.
Nobody would see them. He could
keep away from the crowded drives
and fashionable resorts. So he asked
her.
"Oh, thank you, Mr.. Roach," she
had answered, "but promised friend
to attend the concert this evening.
It's very kind Of you, I'm sure"
He saw that she was pleased, fiat
tered, he guessed, and by the mcrest
chance he drove that evening past the
music stand in the park. He saw her,
her face radiant, smiling, chatting gay
y to man.
The next day, having asked Miss
Gildersleeve to withdraw, Judge
Roach, looking quite solemn, his hand
trembling bit, his face flushed, called
Eben into his office and closed the door.
"Eben," he said awkwardly, con-
fused, ave been thinking-of course,
it's just notion of mine, but I-have
you thought anything of drawing from
the partnership-going in for yourself,
Eben?'
eyes, I've thought of it, George"
said Lufkin, quietly, a sad kind of
smile lowering about the corner of his
gentle mouth. "T think I'd have done