The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-07-17

BESSIE made diligent inquiry In me
aatfers room and unearthed a bale OF
d1sfeputable socks. "Some Of these I'll
mend now" she said, '.and some I'll
take nome. D'you know, sit all day
long at home doing nothing, just like a
iady, ana DO more noticing them other
! girls In the house than if they was so
I many flies? | don't have any unneces-
sary words. but put 'em down quick,
can tell you. when they talk to me.
NO; it's quite nice these days. / lock
the door, and they can only call me
names through the keyhole, and l sit in
side, just like a lady, mending socks.
Mr. Torpenhow wears his socks out
/ both ends at once"
Ihree quid week from me and the
, delights OF my society. No socks mend
, ed. Nothing from Torp except a noo
. on TIE landing now and again, and all
his socks men1.ee1a,. Bessie is very much
woman" thought Dick, and he looked
at her between half shut eyes. Food
and rest had transformed the girl as
Dick knew they would.
'What are you looking at me like
that for?" she said quickly. Don't.
You look regular bad when you look
that way. You don't think much of me,
do you?"
'That depends on how you behave"
Bessie behaved beautifully, only 1t
was difficult at the end of sitting to
bid her go forth into the gray streets.
She very much preferred the studio and
big chair by the stove, with some
socks in her lap as an excuse for de-
lay. Then Torpenhow would come in,
and Bessie would be moved to tell
strange and wonderful stories of her
past and still stranger ones OF her
present improved circumstances. She
would make them tea as though she
had right to make it, and once or
twice on these occasions Dick caught
Torpenhow's eyes fixed on the trim lit
tie figure, and because Bessie's fittings
about the room made Dick ardently
long for Maisie he realized whittier
Torpenhow's thoughts were tending.
And Bessie was exceedingly careful of
the condition of Torpenhow's linen.
She spoke very little to him, but some
times they talked on the landing.
81 was a great fool,' Dick said to
himself. II know what red freight
looks like when a mans tramping
through a strange town, and ours is
lonely, selfish sort of life at the best.
wonder Maisie doesn't feel that some
times. But l can't order Bessie away.
That's the worst of beginning things.
One never knows where they STOP"
One evening after a sitting prolonged
to the last limit of the light Dick was
reused from nap by broken voice
in Torpenhow's room. He jumped to
his feet. ''Now what ought 1 to do?
1t looks foolish to go in. oh, bless you,
Binkiew The little terrier thrust Tor
penhow's door open with his nose and
came out to take possession Of Dicks
chair. The door swung wide unheeded,
and Dick across the landing could see
Bessie in the half light making her lit
tie supplication to Torpenhow. She was
kneeling by his side, and her hands
were clasped across his knee.
"Torp," said Dick across the landing.
He could hardly steady his voice.
"Come here minute, old man. I'm in
trouble. Heaven send he'll listen to
mev' There was something very like
an oath from Bessie's lips. She was
afraid Of Dick, and disappeared down
the staircase in panic, but it seemed
an age before Torpenhow entered the
studio. He went to the mantelpiece,
buried his head on his arms and
groaned like wounded bull.
what the devil right have you to
interfere?" he said at last.
"Who's interfering with which? Your
own sense told you long ago you
couldn't be such fool. 1t was tough
rack, st. Anthony, but you're all right
now
81 oughtn't to have seen her moving
about these rooms as if they belonged
to her. That's what upset me. 1t gives
lonely man sort of laundering,
doesn't it?'a said Torpenhow piteously.
Nov you talk sense. 1t does. But
since you aren't in a condition to dis
cuss the disadvantages of double house
keeping do you know what you're go
ing to do?'
II don't. 1 wish did,
TO be Continued)