Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-28

this block of stock could be Of importance.
and yet the tentative business association
with Miss Porter was SO pleasant that he
yielded TO a temptation to prolong it,
Yes. you might sign it, he said.
Evelyn went to her fathers table and
wrote her name as Wheaton indicated
"A witness is required, and l will supply
that And Wheaton sat down at the table
and signed his name beside hers while she
stood opposite him, the tips of her fingers
resting on the table.
Evelyn Porter" and James Wheaton. ~
He blotted the names with Porter's blotter,
Evelyn still standing by him, slightly mys-
titled as women often are by the fact LAT
their signatures have a value. He felt that
there was something intimate in the ia CT
of their signing themselves together there.
He was thrilled by her beauty. The black
lace falling from her elbows made a filny
tracery upon her white arms. Her head
was bent toward him, the shaded lamp cast
a glow upon her face and throat, and heI
slim. white hands rested on the table so
near that he could have touched them. She
bent her gaze upon him gravely; she, too,
felt that his relations with her father made
a tie between them; he was older than the
other men who came to See her; she yielded
him a respect for his well-won success. A
vague sense of what her father liked in
him crept into her mind in the moment that
she stood looking down on him; he was
quiet. deft and sure-qualities which his
smoothly combed black hair and imma culate
linen SeeIIleu 10 emphasize. Sne gave, IN her
ignorance Of business, an exaggerated i'm
portance to the trifiing transaction which
he had now concluded. He smiled UP at
her as he put down the pen.
1T isn't as serious as 1t looks, he said
rising. ..
1T must be very interesting when you
understand it,. she answered.
I'm sorry-so very sorry for your trouble
hope-if can serve you in any way you
will not hesitate"
a li ind
moved. They regarded each other across
the table with a serious, fixed gaze; the
sweet. gfrlish spirit in her was held by some
curious fascinating power in him. He bent
toward her, his hand lightly clenched on
the edge Of the table.
Il hope there may never be a time when
you will not feel free to command me-in
any way" He spoke slowly; his words
could not move or answer. With a sudden
gesture he put out his hand; 1t almost
touched herss and she did not shrink away.
Good evening, sMr. Wheaton," Mrs.
Whipple handsome and smiling, sent her
greeting from the threshold, and swept into
the room; and when she took his nand she
held 1t for moment, as an elderly woman
may, while she child him for his remissness
in never coming to ~call on her.
On his way down the slope to the car
Wheaton felt in his pocket several times
to be sure of the key. There was some-
thing the least bit uncanny in his posses
sion of 1t. Yesterday, as he knew we'll
enough, William Porter would no more
have intrusted the key of his private box
to him or to any enc else than he would
have burned down his house. He read into
his errand a trust On Porter's part that
included Porter's daughter, too; but he got
little satisfaction from this. He was only
| the most convenient messenger available.
His spirits rose and fell as he debated
The downtown streets were very quiet
when he reached the business district. He
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