The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1903-05-07
He threw back the door. She stu


slice Of the mystery-a table in the
corner by the window covered with
writing paper. That's what he did
then, wrote all day long. He had
no carpes down; in five minutes her
small broom had lightly fiicked round
the walls; in five more her long one
had gathered up the worst of the
dust and flue. He waited on the land
ing outside. Az she brushed the heap
past him he held out two coins that.
had grown hot in his hand. He
knew that she often thoroughly
cleaned room for fourpence.
What's that for?" she whispered,
sharply-a girl who seldom saw oc
casion to whisper. PUT 1t back, or l
won't ask TO do it again. You know
better!"
Il know you're kind" he said again,
past throat lump. "These-these
rooms soon get dirty"
They do, in six or seven weeks. He
went in: the dust had subsidized. She
knelt these, wringing her flannel, and
picturing him at the table in the cor
ncr. No, she should never dare to
offer to cook him meal. 1t seemed
the most ridiculous thing in the
world that day, but somehow, her
heart was beating faster under the
blouse, that suddenly seemed too
shabby for the daylight, at the
thought that she had "done him that
morsel o. good" He was one of the
men who painfully need some one to
look after them. and, in the nature of
things, that some one could only be
woman. 1t was all well to have
'broken hearts" Busy fingers are
the things a helpless man needs.
And after that-after that Gyp, SUI
premely unconscious of her own tact,
found regular opportunities of doing
him that little service. No one knew;
and if he could never seem to find
his voice in thanks he seemed to
know that any mention of payment
would bring the blood surging to her
checks. Just as you may find fault
less kernel in fool of husk, so you
may have the heart of true woman
beneath an impossible bodice. Gyp
did il for the love of the thing. If
any one had suggested that she did
it for love of the man Gyp might
have found herself unable to an
swer.
The lower door of the tenement
generally stood open. One day, at
an hour when most of the occupants
were out, Gyp saw tall, aristocratic
old gentleman. with white hair firing
ing his silk hat. staring incredulously
in.
"Does-docs my son lodge here?
mean, Il Ar. Meredith?' he asked,
keeping La. some emotion.
"Tnore's , right at the top" she
said, eyeij. him doubtfully. Yes,
think he = in. i1l-Ill show you"
They w -. She pointed and
then ret to the next landing.
Not for ife could she help lis
tcning. 5 heard IA husky Frank"
ad hen q dull bound; as if the man
T. ere rad -'isapeG eo%vulsiyely from
writing table. And then \
what! asked you not to try and
find me. l told you-"
MY boy! I've searched all New
York for you. You--here, in this
den! frank. you know l never meant
half of what / said!"
But you said it. / was n good-for-
nothing-I could go l simply took
you at your word. Perhaps, when
can show you that I'm not so worth.
less, III think of coming back. Not
before! You mustn't come here. You
need not worry. / can exc out liv-
ing by writing, and Pm in hopes"
But, my boy, it's impossible-it's
starvation! Look at you now! Peo-
pie are saying let you go to your
ruin!"
"To just the reverse, it may be.
Dad, ii / have your obstinate, hasty
spirit, that is hardly my fault. I've
had to swallow the lump; I'm quite
comfortable here, whatever the place
is. No, you had better not come in
side. You'll go back and say I'm mad
I'm not. I'll tell you this much: I"
his voice trembled here-''I've been
writing a book-a novel. I'm in hopes
it may be the beginning of an end. If
it comes back-if it fails-then III
realize that I've made the mistake of
my life; and i may make another.
Eut it won't. / can't talk about it
you'd never understand. You'll know
soon"
MY boy, you know it will come
back-you know what things are!
You're an unknown. Publishers play
upon names nowadays; they're bound
to. You know well I--why, I'd have
paid for it to be printed and let you
have your fair chance. You'd be GER
tain then of getting a hearing.
don't wish to thwart your ideas, but
let ns pay that"
A pause, as if he were struggling
| against the sharpest temptation that
ever came to man clutching the
lowest rung of that slippery ladder.
Then an amazing answer.
NO! No, sir! A month ago might
| have thought twice of that; but now